meecespieces's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Animal death, and Suicide
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
valsometimesreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
This story is definitely for people that prefer character driven storytelling. One of TJ Klune's strengths is his character writing. Each character in his story is intricately planned out and given their own background. Mei, Hugo, Nelson, and Apollo are characters that you can't help but grow attached to and love. If I had to pick on it, I have to give it to TJ Klune in that he is the king of found family storytelling with the most loveable characters.
Spoiler
I do think that the relationship between Hugo and Wallace had some minor pacing issues. However, I also think this problem is inherent with the setting and purpose of this story, as Wallace is dead anyway. I think maybe this story would have also been more impactful with an ending of Wallace truly crossing through the white door.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
permanme's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
hannahloveslit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Car accident, Terminal illness, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
lizzyelrick's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Abandonment, and Suicidal thoughts
theaceofpages's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Wallace is sent to a tea house run by a mix of the living and the dead to accept his death and grow as a person before he moves on. I have heard a lot of good things abut Klune so was interested in trying his books. Most have waitlists at my library, but this one didn't so I thought I'd give it a try, even though there are others that sound more interesting to me (and I'll probably still try at least one of these so I can see if it's the author or the book that annoyed me). While it wasn't bad, I didn't feel particularly invested in the story either. It was okay, but I was expecting more for how much this book is praised.
I was rather bored for the first third or so. Nothing really happened? It also annoyed me that Wallace, this supposedly cruel man, suddenly did a complete 180 in terms of personality. While big events can definitely change a person, this didn't exactly feel natural. Then we reach the more interesting part of the book. We have gotten to know the characters a bit better and we see how the tea house functions. And then we get to the end. Which, again, I did not like all that much. It felt a bit forced and heavy handed, but I can also tell why people would enjoy it.
I was rather bored for the first third or so. Nothing really happened? It also annoyed me that Wallace, this supposedly cruel man, suddenly did a complete 180 in terms of personality. While big events can definitely change a person, this didn't exactly feel natural. Then we reach the more interesting part of the book. We have gotten to know the characters a bit better and we see how the tea house functions. And then we get to the end. Which, again, I did not like all that much. It felt a bit forced and heavy handed, but I can also tell why people would enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Suicide, Cancer, Child death, Death of parent, and Animal death
water_and_shade's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
A warm hug of a book. Repetitive at times, heavy handed on sentiment and a little too saccharine for my liking, but the characters were sweet and the storyline engaging. I did think Wallace'S 'good to bad' transition was a little too smooth when you considered how cold and cruel he was to start with. Apollo was just a joyous delight throughout, and I did shed a tear at he end. Overall a nice easy read that tugs on the heart strings
Spoiler
and has a happy ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Death of parent and Suicide
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Animal death
kathleenivy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Death, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Car accident, Abandonment, Child death, Sexual content, Confinement, Death of parent, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Sexual harassment
booksemmahasread's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, and Medical content
Minor: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Suicide, Animal death, and Terminal illness
looking4thedr's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
This book is important.
This book had me laughing, crying and feeling everything in between. It has such amazing, charming and funny humour coupled with just fantastic emotional depth. The characters are also phenomenal and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their progress and growth throughout the story.
Wallace’s growing relationships with each of the other characters was comforting to watch as they grew into a family.
Also the entire second half of the story had balling my eyes out (in a good way), because of how the author wrote about grief and letting go and being thankful and about getting a certain amount of time with a person. It really struck an emotional cord with me. Moreover, the other reason for my tears was Wallace’s absolute tragic relationship with Hugo, because every time he was reminded they couldn’t touch I wanted to cry, because they loved each other so much and it was so unfair.
The ending was a bit of a shock, but I knew there would be a twist at the end. I could smell it. And what an absolutely marvellous twist it was. I couldn’t be happier. Although, I was still bittersweet (a theme I’m noticing) about Nelson’s end. I loved him so much, and his relationships with Hugo and Wallace, acting as the cool grandad / father figure. There’s more I probably want to say, but I’ll leave it here for now.
This book took me on a fantastic journey with characters that felt like real people, and was thoroughly easy to read (structurally, not emotionally, it’ll take a while to recover from this… in a good way), and everything that was introduced near the beginning of the story was resolved by its end. This is truly one of the most impactful books I’ve read in a while.
This book had me laughing, crying and feeling everything in between. It has such amazing, charming and funny humour coupled with just fantastic emotional depth. The characters are also phenomenal and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their progress and growth throughout the story.
Spoiler
I loved how the story makes fun of Wallace in the beginning, and continues to do so throughout the book. It humbles him very satisfactorily, to both us the readers as well as the other main characters.Wallace’s growing relationships with each of the other characters was comforting to watch as they grew into a family.
Also the entire second half of the story had balling my eyes out (in a good way), because of how the author wrote about grief and letting go and being thankful and about getting a certain amount of time with a person. It really struck an emotional cord with me. Moreover, the other reason for my tears was Wallace’s absolute tragic relationship with Hugo, because every time he was reminded they couldn’t touch I wanted to cry, because they loved each other so much and it was so unfair.
The ending was a bit of a shock, but I knew there would be a twist at the end. I could smell it. And what an absolutely marvellous twist it was. I couldn’t be happier. Although, I was still bittersweet (a theme I’m noticing) about Nelson’s end. I loved him so much, and his relationships with Hugo and Wallace, acting as the cool grandad / father figure. There’s more I probably want to say, but I’ll leave it here for now.
This book took me on a fantastic journey with characters that felt like real people, and was thoroughly easy to read (structurally, not emotionally, it’ll take a while to recover from this… in a good way), and everything that was introduced near the beginning of the story was resolved by its end. This is truly one of the most impactful books I’ve read in a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Child death, Suicide attempt, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide