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maryclaire92's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Heartfelt and smart, which I have grown to expect from TJ Klune books. Loved the cast of characters and was very invested in Wallace’s journey, though it took awhile to hook me (double entendres intended) (spoiler alert).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Grief, and Child death
vvabecca's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Dysphoria, Grief, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Cancer, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Chronic illness, Confinement, Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, and Murder
shindanker's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
One of my favorite books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Child abuse
This book covers a number of heavy topics, especially about death. It covers them well without judgement or harshness, but still in an honest light.kriti's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Child death, Death, Grief, Child abuse, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Death of parent
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Suicide
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Cancer, Suicide, Child death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Murder, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Terminal illness
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Child abuse
mallorypen's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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
Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.
TJ Klune: if you ever read this review, thank you. Thank you for writing stories with the charm, devotion, softness and joy that you do. Thank you for this beautiful, hopeful, heart-rending story about death. Thank you for the happy ending, despite it all. Thank you for Mei and Nelson and Apollo and Cameron and Hugo and Wallace.
This book made me giggle out loud and then sob. The story itself is imaginative - what happens after death, but told in that Pushing Daisies, gothic-cottagecore charm kind of way Klune excels at. Watching Wallace’s journey from living asshole to dead, kind of born-again human was so sweet and hopeful; seeing Hugo not as an infallible spirit guide but a person with doubts and flaws and distractions was so lovely. The supporting cast held their own; fully fleshed out, nuanced people (and doggos) who I fell in love with throughout the story.
This version of the journey after death is so incredibly comforting. The idea that someone helps you come to terms with the end of your life, that you can rest and process inside the warmth of a tea house, before being called to a sweet warm light with bird song and loved ones is just … heavenly in the best and kindest way.
I was fully expecting Wallace to go through the door at the end, and for the novel to finish with a hopeful note that Wallace was going to wait for Hugo to make his own journey. Instead, the Manager making the choice to “change things up” was so perfectly business-like, and so damn happy … would it have been a better story arc without the literal deus ex machina at the end? No. (Maybe.) But honestly, the soft happy sweet ending was what I wanted, especially with Nelson TRANSFORMING INTO A YOUNG MAN AGAIN and the final night of sharing stories and APOLLO LEAVING WITH NELSON ugh ugh I’m crying again just thinking about it.
I think this book would be very painful - in a good, healing and comforting way - to read while dealing with and processing through grief. TJ Klune does such a masterful job making life and death feel beautiful and meaningful; in his author’s note, he mentions dealing with a loss of his own. I wish him the same comfort this book gives his readers.
TJ Klune: if you ever read this review, thank you. Thank you for writing stories with the charm, devotion, softness and joy that you do. Thank you for this beautiful, hopeful, heart-rending story about death. Thank you for the happy ending, despite it all. Thank you for Mei and Nelson and Apollo and Cameron and Hugo and Wallace.
This book made me giggle out loud and then sob. The story itself is imaginative - what happens after death, but told in that Pushing Daisies, gothic-cottagecore charm kind of way Klune excels at. Watching Wallace’s journey from living asshole to dead, kind of born-again human was so sweet and hopeful; seeing Hugo not as an infallible spirit guide but a person with doubts and flaws and distractions was so lovely. The supporting cast held their own; fully fleshed out, nuanced people (and doggos) who I fell in love with throughout the story.
This version of the journey after death is so incredibly comforting.
I was fully expecting Wallace to go through the door at the end, and for the novel to finish with a hopeful note that Wallace was going to wait for Hugo to make his own journey. Instead, the Manager making the choice to “change things up” was so perfectly business-like, and so damn happy … would it have been a better story arc without the literal deus ex machina at the end? No. (Maybe.) But honestly, the soft happy sweet ending was what I wanted, especially with Nelson TRANSFORMING INTO A YOUNG MAN AGAIN and the final night of sharing stories and APOLLO LEAVING WITH NELSON ugh ugh I’m crying again just thinking about it.
I think this book would be very painful - in a good, healing and comforting way - to read while dealing with and processing through grief. TJ Klune does such a masterful job making life and death feel beautiful and meaningful; in his author’s note, he mentions dealing with a loss of his own. I wish him the same comfort this book gives his readers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Child death, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Suicide and Murder
batwinggoth's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.5
The book has a slow start, but the delivery of main character's struggles and inner monologue are written whimsically and humorous which is a great balance to the dark and heavy themes of the novel. The characters are all written well with great detail to each. The story's narrative is well encompassing of both predictable story progression and the pleasantly unexpected that pull you even deeper into the story being told.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Car accident, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Self harm
The book is centered around dead people and meeting people from all walks of life as they die in various ways - understanding and helping them process their dead and pass. Most characters are complicated and real with great detail of their emotions, feelings, and inner dialogue and they process their life and what happened to them or what they're currently going through. There's a childmaky91's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide and Child abuse
novelty_reads's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
TW: Death (mentioned, never graphically shown), passing on, emotional abuse (mentioned), suicide (mentioned), death of parent/s (mentioned), brain damage
In The House In The Cerulean Sea, Seanan McGuire wrote "This book is very close to perfect."
If only they read Under the Whispering Door.
This book is faultless. I cannot flaw it at all. I cannot even put into words just how much I loved this world, the story, the characters and the thoughtful ways T.J Klune wrote about passing on. The story made me contemplate so many things pertaining to life and death, it also made me smile, laugh and at times, it even got my eyes filling up with tears from the sheer emotion riveting off the pages.
Under the Whispering Door follows Wallace Price, a cold hearted partner of a very successful law firm. He has the world in his hands until, one day, his heart gives up and he finds himself at his own funeral where he is told he is dead. He gets taken to Charon's Crossing, a stop-over for ghosts like him to pass over into the next stage of their life.
We quickly meet Hugo, Nelson, Apollo and Mei, all characters who, like Wallace, I didn't necessarily like at the start. But also, similarly to Wallace, I ended up loving them at the end. I believe my connection or relationship to the characters mirrored Wallace's which I think was intentional to show the subtle changes in how Wallace viewed the world and situation around him. I loved how it also was done in such an unnoticeable way that I didn't even know my perceptions of the characters were changing. That in itself is a testament to the calibre of T.J Klune's writing.
Wallace was my favourite character. His characterisation jumped off the page from the very start. He was unique and fun to read about even when he was alive and grouchy. Some of his dialogue got me laughing out loud especially during the funeral scene. Poor Wallace, it was unfortunate that only five people showed up for the ceremony.
Nelson became my second favourite character (although to be fair, he tied with Hugo, Mei, Apollo, Cameron and Desdemona). I found him annoying at first but he quickly grew on me with his practical jokes and how he got everyone fooled (me included) when he first met Wallace in Charon's Crossing. With Mei, I wasn't sure I'd like her that much but she also grew on me too especially with her death metal music that "was enough to raise the dead." I loved seeing her backstory and her off-page relationship with her mother. I felt empathetic towards her and I think that scene only made me love her badass character even more.
Hugo had a really sad backstory that made me cry at times. Especially with Lea and Nancy. I'll leave that area spoiler free but if you're not crying by the end of that passage, you haven't read the book right. Cameron, although appearing only briefly in the book, was responsible for one of the most powerful scenes in Under the Whispering Door, I teared up and I loved how Klune incorporated flashbacks into his narrative. I was so impressed with the ending of Cameron's arc and I was happy he got what he wanted in the end. I hope he found who he was looking for.
The other element I found interesting was the way the story was told in general. The book covered a lot of heavy themes such as death, dying and passing on but never was it dark or difficult to read about. It was told both in philosophical ways yet with a lightheartedness and humour that helped make this book a feel-good read. But death wasn't just what this book was about. It was about family, living and making use of the time you have left. Making sure that you lived a life worth dying for.
Under the Whispering Door is a book that is as close to perfection as you can get. It's one of my favourites–if not, my favourite read of 2021 so far and I would recommend it highly to everyone. If you've read The House In the Cerulean Sea and enjoyed it, I think you'll like this just as or even more.
(note: I recommend you read The House in the Cerulean Sea before reading Under the Whispering Door, there are some minor references to THITCS but I reckon you can still enjoy the book without reading it).
ACTUAL RATING: 5 STARS
TW: Death (mentioned, never graphically shown), passing on, emotional abuse (mentioned), suicide (mentioned), death of parent/s (mentioned), brain damage
In The House In The Cerulean Sea, Seanan McGuire wrote "This book is very close to perfect."
If only they read Under the Whispering Door.
This book is faultless. I cannot flaw it at all. I cannot even put into words just how much I loved this world, the story, the characters and the thoughtful ways T.J Klune wrote about passing on. The story made me contemplate so many things pertaining to life and death, it also made me smile, laugh and at times, it even got my eyes filling up with tears from the sheer emotion riveting off the pages.
Under the Whispering Door follows Wallace Price, a cold hearted partner of a very successful law firm. He has the world in his hands until, one day, his heart gives up and he finds himself at his own funeral where he is told he is dead. He gets taken to Charon's Crossing, a stop-over for ghosts like him to pass over into the next stage of their life.
We quickly meet Hugo, Nelson, Apollo and Mei, all characters who, like Wallace, I didn't necessarily like at the start. But also, similarly to Wallace, I ended up loving them at the end. I believe my connection or relationship to the characters mirrored Wallace's which I think was intentional to show the subtle changes in how Wallace viewed the world and situation around him. I loved how it also was done in such an unnoticeable way that I didn't even know my perceptions of the characters were changing. That in itself is a testament to the calibre of T.J Klune's writing.
Wallace was my favourite character. His characterisation jumped off the page from the very start. He was unique and fun to read about even when he was alive and grouchy. Some of his dialogue got me laughing out loud especially during the funeral scene. Poor Wallace, it was unfortunate that only five people showed up for the ceremony.
Nelson became my second favourite character (although to be fair, he tied with Hugo, Mei, Apollo, Cameron and Desdemona). I found him annoying at first but he quickly grew on me with his practical jokes and how he got everyone fooled (me included) when he first met Wallace in Charon's Crossing. With Mei, I wasn't sure I'd like her that much but she also grew on me too especially with her death metal music that "was enough to raise the dead." I loved seeing her backstory and her off-page relationship with her mother. I felt empathetic towards her and I think that scene only made me love her badass character even more.
Hugo had a really sad backstory that made me cry at times. Especially with Lea and Nancy. I'll leave that area spoiler free but if you're not crying by the end of that passage, you haven't read the book right. Cameron, although appearing only briefly in the book, was responsible for one of the most powerful scenes in Under the Whispering Door, I teared up and I loved how Klune incorporated flashbacks into his narrative. I was so impressed with the ending of Cameron's arc and I was happy he got what he wanted in the end. I hope he found who he was looking for.
The other element I found interesting was the way the story was told in general. The book covered a lot of heavy themes such as death, dying and passing on but never was it dark or difficult to read about. It was told both in philosophical ways yet with a lightheartedness and humour that helped make this book a feel-good read. But death wasn't just what this book was about. It was about family, living and making use of the time you have left. Making sure that you lived a life worth dying for.
Under the Whispering Door is a book that is as close to perfection as you can get. It's one of my favourites–if not, my favourite read of 2021 so far and I would recommend it highly to everyone. If you've read The House In the Cerulean Sea and enjoyed it, I think you'll like this just as or even more.
(note: I recommend you read The House in the Cerulean Sea before reading Under the Whispering Door, there are some minor references to THITCS but I reckon you can still enjoy the book without reading it).
ACTUAL RATING: 5 STARS
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, and Grief
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