The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)

by T.J. Klune

“Oh, my dear Mr. Baker. I do truly marvel at you.”

Arthur says being different is sometimes better than being the same as everyone else.”

Cats are very smart that way. If they sense someone isn’t a good person, they tend to avoid them, or even attack them.”

There’s something magical about the clack of the keys that a computer can’t emulate.

“I’m pleased to hear you’re so open-minded.”

“Men are stupid creatures.”

Even the most charming of individuals have secrets.

“Remember, if you see anything … strange, it’s only a hallucination.”

All I want you to do is come home.”

“It’s part of being alive, I think. But even if you have bad dreams, you must remember they’re only that: dreams.

“We all have our issues. I have a spare tire around my middle. His father is Satan. Nothing that can’t be worked out if we try hard enough.”

“Mr. Baker cursed,”

A herd of charging, heavily pregnant rhinoceroses would have been quieter than the children were at that moment.

I like that he’s alive and not … the other way.” Linus sighed.

I like crosses. They’re just two sticks put together, but they mean so much to so many.

But we must pick and choose our fights.

Arthur told me that in order to change the minds of many, you have to first start with the minds of few.

“I think it’s time for ice cream,”

Hate is loud, but I think you’ll learn it’s because it’s only a few people shouting, desperate to be heard.

You might not ever be able to change their minds, but so long as you remember you’re not alone, you will overcome.”

We get trapped in our own little bubbles, and even though the world is a wide and mysterious place, our bubbles keep us safe from that. To our detriment.” She sighed. “But it’s so easy because there’s something soothing about routine. Day in and day out, it’s always the same. When we’re shaken from that, when that bubble bursts, it can be hard to understand all that we’ve missed.

“Change comes when people want it enough, Mr. Baker. And I do.

Your bubble, Mr. Baker. It’s been popped. Why would you allow it to grow around you again?”

Calliope meowed at him. “I know!” he exclaimed. “It’s preposterous.

“We don’t melt people’s organs,” Zoe reminded him patiently. “It’s not polite.”

That quiet, beautiful smile that felt like seeing the ocean for the first time.

“You’re a phoenix.”

I’m just me.”

Because a life without hope isn’t a life lived at all.”

But it was sunny, of course. The sky and the sea were cerulean.

“You can’t just bite until people do what you— Ow! I’m going!”

“Oh, of course. Just a road made from the salt of the ocean. Why didn’t I think of that?”

The phoenix had risen.

somewhere beyond the sea.

His thoughts were all cerulean.

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“Get the hell out of my truck, Linus.”

“I am going to bury you right here,” she sobbed. “I’m digging your grave, just so you know.”

But it was you who gave me peace and joy like I’ve never had before. You gave me a voice and a purpose.

If you’ll have me, I would like to stay. For always.”

“I don’t know why you don’t just kiss him and get it over with. Adults are so dumb.”

“I might have done something … illegal?

“I put the entirety of the blame on you lot here. You’ve corrupted me.”

Don’t you wish you were here?

He was comfortable in his own skin for the first time in his life.

They had to start somewhere.

Linus Baker loved Arthur Parnassus more than he could ever put into words.