A review by maxgardner
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

4.0

I just like T.J. Klune's writing style a lot, at least based on the two books I've read by him. This one, similar to House in the Cerulean Sea, features characters who are borderline caricatures in somewhat cheesy scenarios, but Klune is able to breathe life into them and the story in a way that makes you fall in love with them. He walks that line between bad cheesy and good cheesy very well, and I found myself laughing at things that I simultaneously recognized were a bit cringey. That isn't to say all of it lands for me—the ghost dog peeing on people it doesn't like didn't hit once, but I just don't love that trope as it is. But even the stuff that doesn't land doesn't take away from the overall joy I got from the story. Klune also has this ability to touch on some really profound realities of the human experience, and though he isn't approaching it in this high-brow, "serious literature" way, it's still thought provoking and emotionally impactful. Overall, I really enjoyed this and look forward to my next read by him!