When I found out about this book existing (and I saw the cover for it at the same time, so you can imagine), I made such a squee noise, that my coworkers probably thought I was dying.
So, when I had the opportunity to have a preview of it, I jumped on it. I did get a chance to read the preview, but not write a review of it, until well after I had listened to the whole book the day it came out.
So, here’s my review of the preview…. and everything after the preview. ^_^
A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.
Arthur Parnassus lives a good life built on the ashes of a bad one.
He’s the master of a strange orphanage on a distant and peculiar island, and he hopes to soon be the adoptive father to the six dangerous and magical children who live there.
Arthur works hard and loves with his whole heart so none of the children ever feel the neglect and pain that he once felt as an orphan on that very same island so long ago. He is not alone: joining him is the love of his life, Linus Baker, a former caseworker in the Department In Charge of Magical Youth. And there’s the island’s sprite, Zoe Chapelwhite, and her girlfriend, Mayor Helen Webb. Together, they will do anything to protect the children.
But when Arthur is summoned to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself at the helm of a fight for the future that his family, and all magical people, deserve.
And when a new magical child hopes to join them on their island home—one who finds power in calling himself monster, a name that Arthur worked so hard to protect his children from—Arthur knows they’re at a breaking point: their family will either grow stronger than ever or fall apart.
Welcome back to Marsyas Island. This is Arthur’s story.
Arthur’s storyyyyyyyyyy.
So, as you can probably guess, this is the sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea. This time we see the story from Arthur’s point of view, and we get to hear a little more of his past.
But most of all, we get more of that sweet, sweet found family. This time we add one more child to the family, a Yeti named David.
So, I listened to this one all in one go, just as I did with Cerulean Sea, and boy howdy did I love it, just as much as its predecessor. David was such an adorable addition to the family, and the way he just fit right in as if he was just meant to be there (he was). The rest of the kids, especially my favorites Chauncey and Lucy, remain the most adorable magical children of dubious origins ever.
I could squee about this book all day. Just… just read the book. Listen to the book.
I don’t normally get too emotional over books, but I have to tell you that Daniel Henning doesn’t just read this book, he *performs* this book and there was one part in particular where the performance he gave had me in tears just from the emotion he gave it. Gods above and below. Ugly crying.
I also immediately got some swag from the books. A plushie Chauncey (with a bellhop cap and all!) and a t-shirt. I couldn’t not.
Pictured: The Plushie and the Shirt.
Y’all. I could listen to stories about this family forever. Even if nothing that exciting happens to them. A trip to the music store is interesting enough. Righteoussssssss. 5/5 stars!~
superstardrifter 
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