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

by T.J. Klune

“The things we fear the most are often the things we should fear the least. It’s irrational, but it’s what makes us human. And if we’re able to conquer those fears, then there is nothing we’re not capable of.”

This is fantasy, yes, one filled with all manner of fantastical creatures capable of impossible feats of the imagination. The beings here are different. And while such things should be celebrated given that our differences make us unique, there will always be those who fear what they don’t understand. It’s not about lacking empathy, exactly (though there are plenty who do), but more that they have allowed their fear to become all they know. I find it odd how easily fear can turn into prejudice. Instead of taking the time to learn about what scares us to find why it does (and why we were scared in the first place), there are those who allow it to devolve into something darker. We often build things up in our heads that have no basis in reality. It becomes our truth as we take bits and pieces of a whole to create a complete picture akin to a sort-of Frankenstein’s Monster: stitched together from different parts that, while resembling something we recognize, is still just off enough to fill us with a sense of unease. Or, at least, it should. And yet, there is something so distinctly human about this. Our lizard-brains take over, filling our heads with nonsense that some aren’t able to dissociate from. Those are the ones who take SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING as gospel truth. Can we ever change their minds? I don’t know. I’d like to think we could, but then we live in a day and age where a book about kindness is still somewhat of a novelty, so what do I know.