Reviews with content warning for Self harm - Under the Whispering Door

Listened via the Libby app.
Trigger warnings: death, self harm, death of a child, murder- all mentioned, not witnessed on the page.

Wallace is an entirely unlikeable lawyer who dies as the result of a major, unexpected heart attack. He wakes in time to attend his own funeral and is exposed to the reality that perhaps he wasn't the best person in life. Collected by a reaper, he is escorted to an out-of-the-way tea house where he meets a cast of colourful characters and his ferryman, the enigmatic Hugo.
Perhaps this is best read, rather than listened to as I found it quite slow going at points.
Watching Wallace develop a sense of self awareness and empathy is rewarding and the happy ending is not necessarily final, but it is satisfying. A quirky read that may not be for everyone but carries a message of hope, togetherness and love.

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_fathimanourin1234_'s review against another edition

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challenging emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing 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? N/A

5.0

I loooooovvvveeeee thisssss book......🩷🩷
TJ klune never disappoints. He always made me cry while I read his book. I always stared at the wall after finishing his books. I always wished there was a sequel (for standalones) for that particular book. Same goes here.
This is the best. I enjoyed this book from the very first page to the last page. I'm glad I bought this book and I read it.
There are so many quotable sentences or paragraphs in this book. And that paragraphs or sentences always made sense. There are so many funny scenarios and also so many emotional scenarios. Especially at the final few chapters. I always teared up. And I cried after finishing this book.
All the characters - Wallace, Hugo, Mei, Nelson, Apollo etc... They were very loving and kind and cute and also sassy at the same time. There are other side characters in this book as they are as important as the main characters, all of them are not likeable. But most of them are loveable. Someone of them,

who are already dead, will make your heart tear into pieces just by hearing their story.

And the final chapters, there were so many twists and turns, I wish I could say out loud, but I can't because it will be spoilers.

I cried when Apollo and Nelson crossed the door. I wept hard. I wanted them to stay a little longer. But as hugo and wallace said, that may felt like home or they felt like they are free. We don't know anything.

I wish there were a sequel. Delving into more of Hugo's and Wallace's love story, they being lovey dovey, and also more about Mei. And more new guests.
I Wishhhh...
Anyways... Thank you TJ Klune fo writing this book..
Goodbye Wallace & Hugo, Mei, Nelson, Apollo, & Charon's Crossing..

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laurenmiller100's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing

4.25

Characters: 7
Atmosphere/Setting: 8
Writing Style: 7
Plot: 6
Intrigue: 6
Logic/Relationships: 9
Enjoyment: 8

I really enjoyed this and found myself getting quite attached to the characters. The romance was a bit confusing at times but still sweet. I enjoyed Wallace a lot as a main character. His quirks made him very funny. The narrator does a great job bringing him to life.

Ending spoiler:

I am not sure how I feel about Wallace’s reincarnation. It does sort of undermine all the work they did to cope with death as an inevitability. I sort of wish he’d stayed dead. At the same time, I am a hopeless romantic and I do love a happy ending.

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laur_astor's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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

4.5

This was a very sweet story. While the plot felt slow and the setting felt redundant at times, I still greatly enjoyed spending time with these characters. It took me a while to warm up to Wallace but I ended up loving his journey and the family he finds in Hugo, Mei, Nelson, and Apollo.

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jollygreenreader's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense 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

4.5

My gosh, this is the book that has made me cry the most in 2024 (so far). I love the found family, addressing different aspects of death and the processing it. It made me appreciate life more for sure.

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