A review by breezer
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

challenging emotional 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

I'm going to start this by saying I have never cried so hard whilst reading a book - I'm talking full chest heaving, uncontrollable tears. (You have been warned incase you plan to read this in public)

This is a tender caring story of grief, love, loss, found family, acceptance, sadness and what comes after death.

I loved every character in the Charon Cross Tea shop with my whole heart; Wallace our recently deceased businessman, Hugo our precious caring ferryman, Mei a strong protective reaper, Nelson the hilarious grandfather to Hugo and Apollo the goodest ghost doggo ever.

Although centered around a deep subject of loss and death this was also about all forms of love, love of a pet, past loves, platonic love, romantic love and lost love.

Truly a beautiful, compassionate, quirky, and at time humourous novel that melted my heart.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Terminal illness