A review by halftimelord
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

emotional funny 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

3.0

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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