Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Klune has said that The Cerulean Chronicles are partially inspired by the Canadian government’s policy of removing indigenous children from their homes. What was this policy and how did it impact Indigenous people and their communities? What similar policies were enacted in the United States and Australia? How are programs like this reflected in Somewhere Beyond the Sea, and what position does the text take about such policies?

Compare and contrast the settings of the city and the island of Marsyas. What is the “pathetic fallacy,” and how does this term apply to these two settings? How appropriate is the use of this technique, given the novel’s genre status as a “cozy” fantasy?

T. J. Klune has dedicated Somewhere Beyond the Sea to “the trans community the world over” (v). However, some critics have pointed out that there are no explicitly trans characters in this novel. Consider Klune representations of gender in the story and construct an argument agreeing or disagreeing with this criticism.

How does Klune characterize Jeanine Rowder and Harriet Marblemaw as antagonists? Are their perspectives presented as fully developed arguments that might easily sway the fearful or unwary, or are they presented as caricatured villains promoting straw-man versions of conservative ideas? How does their characterization affect the impact of the novel’s central message?

The title Somewhere Beyond the Sea is taken from a famous song. What is this song’s history? Does Klune seem to be alluding to the English or the French version of this song, or both? What is the relationship between the song lyrics and the novel’s thematic interest in The Importance of Living Authentically?

In Chapter 12, Arthur quotes the Emily Dickinson poem referred to as “‘Hope’ Is the Thing With Feathers.” How does Klune develop Arthur’s relationship to hope over the course of the novel? How does this allusion support the novel’s use of fire symbolism?

What elements of “queer theory” does Klune weave into his novel? How do the romantic relationships portrayed in the novel nuance the its thematic engagement with Queer Joy as a Form of Resistance? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

How do the characterization of Lucy and the plot elements related to his character support the novel’s thematic claims about The Transformative Power of Love? What message about the nature of evil is conveyed through Lucy’s character?