Somewhere Beyond the Sea
by TJ Klune
PanMacmillan
Travis John Klune is an American author of fantasy and romantic fiction featuring gay and LGBTQ+ characters who has been open about his lived experiences with asexuality, queerness and neurodiversity, and how they influence his writing.
His fantasy novel The House in the Cerulean Sea was a New York Times best seller and Somewhere Beyond the Sea is the sequel, but you don’t need to have read the previous book to enjoy this book.
Arthur Parnassus returns to the island he had left 25 years previously. After renovating the orphanage on the island that he had acquired, he now has six orphaned magical children in his care. Arthur wants to make sure none of the children ever feel the neglect and the pain that he once felt as an orphan on that very same island so long ago.
Assisted by the love of his life Linus Baker, a former case worker in the Department In Charge of Magical Youth, he is hoping to adopt the children, plus another who has come to their notice. There is also the island’s sprite, Zoe Chapelwhite, and her girlfriend, and together, they will do anything to protect the children.
When Arthur is summoned to tell a government hearing about his mistreatment as a child, he finds out that an inspector is going to be sent to the island wanting “nothing more than for (the magical children) to succeed and lead semi-normal lives”.
It seems to be the same old doctrine that people in power are going to tell others how to live their lives and it needs to be within the bounds of what they deem acceptable. “Gatekeepers who believe it is up to them to decide what is morally correct or not.”
Philosophy and adventure combine in this fantastic tale by an author who wants to be remembered as being the antithesis of JK Rowling. Arthur finds that he is faced with, not only a fight for his family, but for all the inhabitants on Marsyas Island to be acknowledged and live without judgment or bureaucratic interference.
Lezly Herbert
