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erinp423's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The premise of this book is really interesting, and the tone that TJ Klune brings helps add levity to a story essentially exploring death and afterlife. His tone is funny and the Black and LGBTQ representation feels organic and natural to the story and characters, not an afterthought or addition to check a box.
While I loved all the characters, especially Apollo, I did feel the story was missing the depth that this subject requires and the story was a bit uneventful. I walked away understanding Wallace’s story and development, but not feeling moved. Another one I wanted to love, but felt a bit meh.
While I loved all the characters, especially Apollo, I did feel the story was missing the depth that this subject requires and the story was a bit uneventful. I walked away understanding Wallace’s story and development, but not feeling moved. Another one I wanted to love, but felt a bit meh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Addiction, Cancer, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Sexual content, Death, Grief, Murder, and Terminal illness
mateoj's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
great news! it turns out i wasn't dehydrated after all and my body is in fact capable of producing massive amounts of tears
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death of parent, Murder, and Terminal illness
Minor: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
brdsk's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book opened with a very unpleasant character that I couldn't help but wish terrible things for. Wallace was a mix of truly nasty stereotypes of heartless business before anything else. When he died only a few pages in I felt mean satisfaction and glee. Normally such a boringly bad person with no empathy or concern for others would make me uninterested in the read or simply annoy me. This book managed to keep me hooked instead. As I got to know the lead and witness his journey I had to face my negative feelings towards him and my quick judgment in a way that I found interesting, and at times really touching.
Of course, ghosts alone were already a huge selling point for me, especially when presented as a diverse cast of characters that weren't identical copies of each other. At times whimsical and at times serious other characters (alive and dead) had nice backstories and some individual development to go through. I did enjoy most of them and was engaged, but ultimately I felt that many of them were too simple. Yes, each had strengths and flaws and a story to tell, but at times they still felt as if written for a pre-teen audience and almost too purposeful and structured... Perhaps that's not actually a bad thing though. I suppose I simply like characters with more chaotic and unexpected moments to them . Especially when reading a story that focuses on the exploration of the human nature.
This story deals with many serious subjects such as death (duh), mental health, trauma, suicide, murder, grief, divorce, acceptance, sexual orientation, and more. Many existential questions are explored, such as general morality, the purpose of life, redemption, the ideas of God and after life. Some of these subjects were heavy enough that the trigger warning at the beginning of the book felt absolutely justified. A few parts were hard enough to read that I needed my own calming tea breaks. However upon pushing through those I came out to the ultimately uplifting place that felt real but still full of hope. There were moments where the book veered into a slightly moralistic lane, but these platitudes worthy of Dumbledore did not sound empty to me as they were backed by the stories of the individual characters and their experiences, helping them gain depth. In addition, the skepticism and stubborn nature of the main character made such elements easier to process as he reflected my own desire to dismiss them until we both were ready to hear more.
The queer representation is something the author does in a really terrific way. Some characters were gay, some were bisexual, some addressed their experiences, some did not. Never did sexual orientation become their only identity. This was refreshing and is guaranteed to keep me reading more work by TJ Klune. A couple moments were mildly saucy, but never crude or explicit. Love is love, this book said. And I loved it for that as much as I loved it for the ghosts. (I have clear priorities, reader.)
I enjoyed the sweet and sarcastic humorous parts of the book, although by the end many such element have been repeated multiple times, making them less funny and less charming. It did not spoil the book, and I understand that it was helping balance out the serious themes, but it did feel less masterful than other parts of the book. The multiple references to the The House in the Cerulean Sea did make me smile each time as a lovely private nod to another book by TJ that I really loved.
The pacing of the book felt somewhat drawn out. I think it would have been a more powerful and purposeful novel at a somewhat shorter length. (Just like this review should have been.) In contrast to that, I felt really sad that a really cool and imaginative character I finally met close to the end got very little page time and was not explored in more depth.
Last but not least, I absolutely loved the scenery of the book. It was beautifully described and added a lot of atmosphere to the story. The stunning cover by Red Nose Studio is a true gem, and if I had any wall space left, I'd be getting a print of it.
VERDICT TIME.
Is this book worth attention? Yes. Are there flaws? Yes, especially some character depth and some pacing.
Should you read it? Consider how you handle triggering subjects mentioned above. If you are looking for a lighter read, try other books by this lovely author for now. Overall it manages these topics in a very tasteful manner and left me feeling good about life, but it was not always an easy path.
SECONDARY VERDICT.
As I write my reviews primarily for myself, I really should try to make them better organised and shorter. But I will not. At least not always. So there. >:)
Of course, ghosts alone were already a huge selling point for me, especially when presented as a diverse cast of characters that weren't identical copies of each other. At times whimsical and at times serious other characters (alive and dead) had nice backstories and some individual development to go through. I did enjoy most of them and was engaged, but ultimately I felt that many of them were too simple. Yes, each had strengths and flaws and a story to tell, but at times they still felt as if written for a pre-teen audience and almost too purposeful and structured... Perhaps that's not actually a bad thing though. I suppose I simply like characters with more chaotic and unexpected moments to them . Especially when reading a story that focuses on the exploration of the human nature.
This story deals with many serious subjects such as death (duh), mental health, trauma, suicide, murder, grief, divorce, acceptance, sexual orientation, and more. Many existential questions are explored, such as general morality, the purpose of life, redemption, the ideas of God and after life. Some of these subjects were heavy enough that the trigger warning at the beginning of the book felt absolutely justified. A few parts were hard enough to read that I needed my own calming tea breaks. However upon pushing through those I came out to the ultimately uplifting place that felt real but still full of hope. There were moments where the book veered into a slightly moralistic lane, but these platitudes worthy of Dumbledore did not sound empty to me as they were backed by the stories of the individual characters and their experiences, helping them gain depth. In addition, the skepticism and stubborn nature of the main character made such elements easier to process as he reflected my own desire to dismiss them until we both were ready to hear more.
The queer representation is something the author does in a really terrific way. Some characters were gay, some were bisexual, some addressed their experiences, some did not. Never did sexual orientation become their only identity. This was refreshing and is guaranteed to keep me reading more work by TJ Klune. A couple moments were mildly saucy, but never crude or explicit. Love is love, this book said. And I loved it for that as much as I loved it for the ghosts. (I have clear priorities, reader.)
I enjoyed the sweet and sarcastic humorous parts of the book, although by the end many such element have been repeated multiple times, making them less funny and less charming. It did not spoil the book, and I understand that it was helping balance out the serious themes, but it did feel less masterful than other parts of the book. The multiple references to the The House in the Cerulean Sea did make me smile each time as a lovely private nod to another book by TJ that I really loved.
The pacing of the book felt somewhat drawn out. I think it would have been a more powerful and purposeful novel at a somewhat shorter length. (Just like this review should have been.) In contrast to that, I felt really sad that a really cool and imaginative character I finally met close to the end got very little page time and was not explored in more depth.
Last but not least, I absolutely loved the scenery of the book. It was beautifully described and added a lot of atmosphere to the story. The stunning cover by Red Nose Studio is a true gem, and if I had any wall space left, I'd be getting a print of it.
VERDICT TIME.
Is this book worth attention? Yes. Are there flaws? Yes, especially some character depth and some pacing.
Should you read it? Consider how you handle triggering subjects mentioned above. If you are looking for a lighter read, try other books by this lovely author for now. Overall it manages these topics in a very tasteful manner and left me feeling good about life, but it was not always an easy path.
SECONDARY VERDICT.
As I write my reviews primarily for myself, I really should try to make them better organised and shorter. But I will not. At least not always. So there. >:)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Terminal illness
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
purplatypus's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, and Sexual content
marypaz13's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
”You’ve made my death worth it. Thank you for helping me live.” 💔❤️🩹💔
TJK is *officially* my comfort-read author 🥰🥰🥰.
TW: Death, Suicide, Grief, Afterlife, Depression, Anxiety
‼️Mild Spoilers (?) Below‼️
There’s just so much to say about this book!! I was sooooo excited when I found out TJ Klune had another book coming out and automatically put myself a reminder on the release date along with a reminder to place a hold on the audio @my local library— 16 weeks later… B&N had a 50%off hardcover sale after Christmas, so logically, i bought myself a copy!! And here I am!!
Like i mentioned earlier, TJ Klune is one of my fav. Authors & now my comfort read author. I knew going in that i was going to like this book. Especially because 2 of my coworkers had already told me how much they loved it (we share the same reading tastes). They kinda spoiled it for me when they said they cried (not that it matters because I’m a crybaby) — that’s all they said but I’m my mind I thought, “Oh no! It’s a tragic love story!” (Don’t get your hopes up, it’s not).
I was really intrigued about the concept of the afterlife in this novel. The idea of having a “lifeline” even after physical death was fascinating. I mean, just because your body dies doesn’t mean you spiritually do also. I thought tea shop being a sort of limbo/purgatory was super clever!! Mainly because of the idea of tasseography (or tea leave reading) and how that’s a form of divination. And Hugo, in a way, practiced that. Hugo’s aesthetic gave me Uncle Iroh vibes; big softy, idealist.
I loved when Hugo talked about their being hope in dying and moving on — I know he is a ferryman 🙄 but it’s still heartwarming ya’ know.
Not gonna lie, the idea of having a jerk finding how much of a dick he was in real life and then making a change therefore getting a second chance is soooooooooo cliché and yet I LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT 🤩.
Man! Now i want some tea 🍵🍵
Overall, i enjoyed it. 4.5 stars!!
P.S: If this becomes a movie:
• Nelson: Morgan Freeman — I mean they share the same last name!!! It’s destiny!!!
• Hugo: either Keiynan Lonsdale or Micheal Ealy
• Mei: please let it be Awkwafina 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
• The Manager: Ian Armitage (mainly because of Young Sheldon)
• Wallace: honestly I don’t know who I’d want to see play him….
TJK is *officially* my comfort-read author 🥰🥰🥰.
TW: Death, Suicide, Grief, Afterlife, Depression, Anxiety
‼️Mild Spoilers (?) Below‼️
There’s just so much to say about this book!! I was sooooo excited when I found out TJ Klune had another book coming out and automatically put myself a reminder on the release date along with a reminder to place a hold on the audio @my local library— 16 weeks later… B&N had a 50%off hardcover sale after Christmas, so logically, i bought myself a copy!! And here I am!!
Like i mentioned earlier, TJ Klune is one of my fav. Authors & now my comfort read author. I knew going in that i was going to like this book. Especially because 2 of my coworkers had already told me how much they loved it (we share the same reading tastes). They kinda spoiled it for me when they said they cried (not that it matters because I’m a crybaby) — that’s all they said but I’m my mind I thought, “Oh no! It’s a tragic love story!” (Don’t get your hopes up, it’s not).
I was really intrigued about the concept of the afterlife in this novel. The idea of having a “lifeline” even after physical death was fascinating. I mean, just because your body dies doesn’t mean you spiritually do also. I thought tea shop being a sort of limbo/purgatory was super clever!! Mainly because of the idea of tasseography (or tea leave reading) and how that’s a form of divination. And Hugo, in a way, practiced that. Hugo’s aesthetic gave me Uncle Iroh vibes; big softy, idealist.
I loved when Hugo talked about their being hope in dying and moving on — I know he is a ferryman 🙄 but it’s still heartwarming ya’ know.
Not gonna lie, the idea of having a jerk finding how much of a dick he was in real life and then making a change therefore getting a second chance is soooooooooo cliché and yet I LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT 🤩.
Man! Now i want some tea 🍵🍵
Overall, i enjoyed it. 4.5 stars!!
P.S: If this becomes a movie:
• Nelson: Morgan Freeman — I mean they share the same last name!!! It’s destiny!!!
• Hugo: either Keiynan Lonsdale or Micheal Ealy
• Mei: please let it be Awkwafina 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
• The Manager: Ian Armitage (mainly because of Young Sheldon)
• Wallace: honestly I don’t know who I’d want to see play him….
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, Grief, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content
breadwitchery's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Minor: Death of parent, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Sexual content
travelthrupages's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Suicide, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Animal death and Sexual content
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