This book was so close to being a 5 star read.
I love Cerulean Sea, I even reread it right before starting this book to fully immerse myself in the experience. That being said, I almost would have been okay with it being a solo book.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea is told from Arthur's POV and takes place not too long after the end of the first book. We learn more about Arthur's backstory, how he came to become the Master of the orphanage and ultimately how they plan to deal with DICOMY while hiding an unregistered child.
First and foremost, the children will always be the star of these books. Lucy is and will always be my favorite character and you really get to see him shine in this due to his bond with Arthur. David was a refreshing addition to the group and really added another perspective of the label of "being a monster."
My big gripe with the book was there was a lot of telling vs showing. There were quite a bit of monologues where I felt like it was pressed on the reader the importance of overturning DICOMY, which I feel as a reader, we already understood. Or at least could get to that conclusion with less words. Even the big resolution felt like a bit of a hail mary instead of something of an organic ending.
Overall, this is still a really good book and an addition to the story.