Somewhere beyond the sea by TJ Klune
Arthur Parnassus has built a life for himself and the children in his care - as the headmaster and caretaker of an orphanage for magical children, he's making sure their lives are free from the horrors of his own childhood. Living on a curious island, he is joined by the love of his life, Linus Baker, who has left his life behind to assist him in raising the children as well as spend his life with him. Together they'll do anything to protect their magical and powerful charges.
When Arthur is forced to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself fighting for those under his care. It's also a fight for a better future that all magical people deserve. When a new child joins them - one who calls himself a monster - Arthur knows they've reached breaking point. With an inspector coming from DICOMY (the department that monitors magical people, in particular children), tensions are high. Will their family grow stronger or fall apart?
Somewhere Beyond The Sea is the second in a series by TJ Klune, the first titled The House in the Cerulean Sea, and thus is the continuation of the story started in the first book, however the first book is told from Linus' point of view, and the second is told from Arthur's. The characters from the first book are all present in the second book and are just as well-rounded and easy to love again, with more history for some being explored. The story itself reflects common themes seen in the world still today - prejudice, fear, racism, specific groups being targeted, group think and government control. This series is well worth the read, with humour, love, belonging and just a beautiful story all over.
Themes: LGBTQIA+, Fantasy, Prejudice, Fear, Belonging, Government Control, Humour, Love.
Melanie Pages