A review by whatellisreadnext
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

emotional funny 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

5.0

"𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵? 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭." 

Charon's Crossing is a tea shop like no other. The tea is hot, the scones are fresh and the dead are just passing through. 

I loved this book so much. I finished it this morning, and my heart is aching. Why do all great books have to end? But this is exactly what this book had to say, all great things must end. Everybody dies, but it's what you do with your time, and the people you surround yourself with that matters. 

I went into this book so blind, I'd barely even skim read the blurb, but I knew how much people loved Klune's books, so thought I'd give his writing a go. I am so glad I did. He has such a way with words, and I spent most of my time reading Under the Whispering Door either laughing or crying. I cried a total of 4 times, it's not often a book moves me to tears, but I became so attached to these characters. I wasn't just reading this book, I was living it.
 

The setting of Charon's Crossing was wonderful, so vivid and strange. If Purgatory was a tea shop in the woods, I think I'd definitely overstay my welcome. I loved all of the characters so much, especially Apollo the dog. What an absolute sweetheart he is. 

This book really made me reflect on life, on the people I have lost and the people who are still here. I don't want to get to 70 and look back, and regret. I want see everything, and spend time with the people that I love. Mortality is a hard thing to write, but this book did it perfectly. 

This one will be out in the UK on October 28th! Thanks so much to Book Break for the gifted copy, in exchange for an honest review🧡 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent