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award92's review
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
5.0
A masterpiece, a gut wrenching heart ripping masterpiece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
akswhy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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 enjoyed this one more than The House by the Cerulean Sea; it was a little more grounded and adult. The fantasy elements are well thought out, but not hindered by over-explanation. Just a truly good book about grief and death and love and beauty.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Car accident
sgpartyhat's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.75
Wallace Price is a bit of an asshole. Okay, a lot of an asshole.
That is, until, he dies.
TJ Klune's Under the Whispering Door asks: what if when you died, you stopped at a tea shop on the way to whatever's next? That's just what Wallace does, shepherded by a reaper and a ferryman, and none too happily at that. But death has a way of changing people--the dead most of all.
Klune spins a tapestry of warm tea and warmer conversations, of love and loss and grief and fear and the occasional Eldritch being as old as time itself. His characters are imperfect, messy, and a comforting reminder that we are, too. His romance writing is loudly quiet and beautifully crafted, glowing embers and a raging fire all rolled up into one. His worldbuilding is whimsical and grand, and while it's looser than some of the fantasy I've read, that feels fitting for the story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder
Many of the characters in the book are dead, so their deaths affect the story.michellesol's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
nikimorr's review against another edition
adventurous
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
Yes, it is true, TJ Klune’s books feel like a warm hug.
I was skeptical at first starting this book. Wallace, the main character, starts out comically unlikeable. I was unsure I would be able to take the book seriously with just how non relatable Wallace starts out. But boy did he and all the rest of the characters worm their way into my heart.
Each character played a special role. It is hard to encompass each one in just a few words. Mei was by far my favorite - a big heart with all the sass. Hugo is like the definition of a safe space in a person. Reading about this group, a family found amongst each other, makes you want to venture out in the forest and find your people. The setting is just as special as the characters - a unique shop with rows of tea plants set out amongst a beautiful forest. We never really know where the town is, but it feels like peace just reading about it. Although the shop is where all the characters must stay, the home is filled with pictures of far away places. An appreciation for the great, big world from one little corner.
This book has such a unique take on death and what happens next. After death comes a reaper and ferryman who each help the dead accept and cross to what is next. Almost more than I hope death leads to this tea shop do I wish my dog is there waiting and helping just like Apollo. The addition of the dog was so relatable - our pets are just as important as our fellow human family members.
The book was full of thoughtful commentary on death, some I got too stuck on. But really, it is what it is. We live the life we live and it will all eventually come to an end. What we do with our time, particularly helping others have a bit of an easier journey, is what matters at the end.
There is a bit of a love story between someone living and someone dead and I loved this angle. Love despite a huge disconnect, despite not being able to touch, was beautiful.
I am not entirely happy with the ending. I almost think him moving on would have been more symbolic than getting the chance to stay. When the end comes, death, the chance to redo is gone and there’s no going back. All the what ifs are gone.
I was skeptical at first starting this book. Wallace, the main character, starts out comically unlikeable. I was unsure I would be able to take the book seriously with just how non relatable Wallace starts out. But boy did he and all the rest of the characters worm their way into my heart.
Each character played a special role. It is hard to encompass each one in just a few words. Mei was by far my favorite - a big heart with all the sass. Hugo is like the definition of a safe space in a person. Reading about this group, a family found amongst each other, makes you want to venture out in the forest and find your people. The setting is just as special as the characters - a unique shop with rows of tea plants set out amongst a beautiful forest. We never really know where the town is, but it feels like peace just reading about it. Although the shop is where all the characters must stay, the home is filled with pictures of far away places. An appreciation for the great, big world from one little corner.
This book has such a unique take on death and what happens next. After death comes a reaper and ferryman who each help the dead accept and cross to what is next. Almost more than I hope death leads to this tea shop do I wish my dog is there waiting and helping just like Apollo. The addition of the dog was so relatable - our pets are just as important as our fellow human family members.
The book was full of thoughtful commentary on death, some I got too stuck on. But really, it is what it is. We live the life we live and it will all eventually come to an end. What we do with our time, particularly helping others have a bit of an easier journey, is what matters at the end.
There is a bit of a love story between someone living and someone dead and I loved this angle. Love despite a huge disconnect, despite not being able to touch, was beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Medical trauma
Moderate: Suicide, Car accident, and Death of parent
ebrinkley's review against another edition
Seems like a good book. I just wasn’t prepared for the topic of death and the talk about the physical reasons why he died.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
cozyfantasyfaetay's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, Medical content, and Medical trauma
cb36's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent
annorabrady's review
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 balanced lightheartedness and humor with deep grief so perfectly. I've genuinely never laughed so much while reading a book, and there have been very few pieces of media of any form that have elicited the same amount of well-earned and satisfying tears from me.
Finishing this book was hard because I both wanted to know how it ended and loathed the idea of it being over. I appreciate the twists in the story and how earned they felt. They didn't exist for cleverness or because of lazy writing, they existed because the characters made decisions that warranted them.
The cast of characters was truly wonderful. Their antics and their support of each other are equally valuable. The questions they pose and the answes they offer are healing. And even the minor characters have a presence many main characters in other books never reach.
I will say that there are some hard storylines for those who have experienced different kinds of trauma. But as someone who's lost family and friends to similar circumstances, I value the care given to these stories. And, as someone who lost their mom just over 6 months ago, I will say that this isn't something that's too heavy. At least it wasn't for me.
Finishing this book was hard because I both wanted to know how it ended and loathed the idea of it being over. I appreciate the twists in the story and how earned they felt. They didn't exist for cleverness or because of lazy writing, they existed because the characters made decisions that warranted them.
The cast of characters was truly wonderful. Their antics and their support of each other are equally valuable. The questions they pose and the answes they offer are healing. And even the minor characters have a presence many main characters in other books never reach.
I will say that there are some hard storylines for those who have experienced different kinds of trauma. But as someone who's lost family and friends to similar circumstances, I value the care given to these stories. And, as someone who lost their mom just over 6 months ago, I will say that this isn't something that's too heavy. At least it wasn't for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
hanz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder