The House in the Cerulean Sea

Rounded up from 3½ stars.
Full disclosure: I am not really into fantasy, but this was recommended to me, so I gave it a go. I mean, you need to widen your horizons right? So far in my life the only fantasy books I have read are The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King, and The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, and must admit I love them both.
This one ... while cute and feel goody, it was ... safe. I was never bored and there was some funny stuff in it, but you were never really in any doubt that it would have a happy ending. Quirky characters meet Harry Potter meet X-Men, was the feeling I got. And for me it took half the book to become somewhat interesting.
Again, wasn't bored, I don't regret reading it, but it didn't make me want to read more fantasy.
Also, I was not quite sure who the democraphic is. It's written like a YA book, and there ARE kids in it, but the main character is a man in his 40s.