Reviews with content warning for Suicide - Under the Whispering Door

I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea and was really excited to pick up Under the Whispering Door but the tone didn't particularly work for me. I'm not a big fan of YA and some of the cutsey dialogue and descriptions clashed with the serious topics the book covers.

The story was pretty interesting, with some unexpected turns, and I liked the character of the Manager

and the fact he turned out to be a good guy in the end? Maybe not completely, but an interesting twist.

Wallace started off as SUCH an arsehole it was a bit difficult to buy his redemption, and considering his growth, some of the other characters (Desdemona, Harvey) are too one-dimensional in comparison.

The ending with

Nelson and Hugo accepting Nelson's death was really touching and handled well. I think if I'd had read this a few months ago very soon after losing a family member it would have hit a lot harder.

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bookishval's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring 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? No

4.5

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becah's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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

5.0

If you're a hypochondriac and has death anxiety like me, it will be difficult getting through this book at first, but I'm a Klune fan so I knew I would enjoy it eventually. About halfway I could finally get into it properly and the rest of the book flew by. I cried and cried and cried and now I'm tired but satisfied. I loved the characters, the scenery and the message, a beautiful book about grief and acceptance and family.

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abbysingh's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful slow-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

2.0

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keightychandelier's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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

5.0

devastating, hopeful, and relentlessly compassionate. a stunning book.

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badbadwolf's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

3.0

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vmjanek's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.5

A lovely, reflective read with unique and lovable characters and a wholesome, optimistic outlook on death. Minus 1/2 star because the ending (prior to the epilogue) felt rushed to me, especially compared to the leisurely pace of the rest of the story. Although I loved the outcome, I am still a bit confused on the steps that got us there — although maybe that's exactly the point, i.e. the fates are capricious and do whatever the @#$& they want. Still, a warm hug all the same.

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devination's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-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

4.25

If you like me dove into this book right after The House at the Cerulean Sea, be warned that this is a very different story. TJ Klune still has a fantastic ability to write whimsically serious stories with absolutely fantastic characters, and there's even a dog! A very good dog! But it's although deeper, tougher and sadder. Still, a great book that will stay with me and something I might reach for when dealing with grief and loss.

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