The House in the Cerulean Sea

It took me a long time to finally listen to this audiobook after seeing it on many "Best of..." lists. I'm glad I finally experienced this warm and perhaps alagorical story - and that I listened to the excellent audio version. Five unique, quirky, mysterious and ultimately endearing children are at the heart. The narrator captured each voice in such a way that the characters became vibrant and real for me far more than simply reading the words on the page would have done. The tale is a useful one in our times as our present realities of bigotry, scapegoating, fear of the other, shunning the unknown and more are central. These are countered by trust, empathy and love of others. The romance which blooms is emblematic of the growth the frumpy, yet remarkably courageous Linus achieves across the story arc. Well recommended - especially the audio version.