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A review by brighteyed
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75
a very cute book! despite the tropes it often uses, the plot overall feels fresh and the characters are lovable. some passages were absolutely beautiful.
however, i feel like the climax of the plot was the weakest point.
(spoilers)
the negotiation and final deal the main characters made with the manager made didn’t fully make sense, and it felt artificial and awkward that wallace got a second chance at being alive. it felt shoehorned in just so he could be happy with hugo, but i feel like it was antithetical to the novel’s themes of death, grief, and moving on. i think it might have been more impactful and a more cohesive plot if wallace stayed a ghost.
(end spoiler)
i also feel like wallace’s character development throughout the book was a little rough and could have been fleshed out more. it didn’t seem to give much of a reason for wallace being an asshole other than being work-focused, but then didn’t dive deeper than that. suddenly, wallace became a loving and affectionate person. i think because of that, his relationship with hugo also feels a little bit forced.
however, i feel like the climax of the plot was the weakest point.
(spoilers)
the negotiation and final deal the main characters made with the manager made didn’t fully make sense, and it felt artificial and awkward that wallace got a second chance at being alive. it felt shoehorned in just so he could be happy with hugo, but i feel like it was antithetical to the novel’s themes of death, grief, and moving on. i think it might have been more impactful and a more cohesive plot if wallace stayed a ghost.
(end spoiler)
i also feel like wallace’s character development throughout the book was a little rough and could have been fleshed out more. it didn’t seem to give much of a reason for wallace being an asshole other than being work-focused, but then didn’t dive deeper than that. suddenly, wallace became a loving and affectionate person. i think because of that, his relationship with hugo also feels a little bit forced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Animal death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide