A review by eddiesourboy
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.
I read spoilers for the end and decided it wasn't worth suffering through this mediocre writing just for That. Honestly. The main character is so unlikable that it is IMPOSSIBLE to root for him. He doesn't even gain a shred of humanity until a quarter of the way through and it's still not enough. Not to mention the "magical black man" trope being INCREDIBLY prevalent. I don't know if Hugo gets more agency as the book goes on but I don't think it's worth trying to find out. It's too slow and insufferable. I am NEVER taking booktok recommendations again, holy shit. Also, the author's humiliation kink really shines through with everything he puts Wallace through in just the first quarter of the book. Yes, it's funny when a stodgy old man gets a little silly and embarrassed, but also it gets repetitive. 
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