gracklewarp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, and Cursing
dosxhime's review
- 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 really loved Mei's characters and the humor in this book was top-notch. Just imagine the Good Place with a side of queer. Hugo's realtionship with his job as a Ferryman was handled in a unique yet realistic way. I can't imagine being surrounded by death to be all that plesant. I'm glad that Nelson, Apollo, and Mei were there to support him.
I was very fond on how grief was handled in this novel as well. It's nothing special or original. You pretty much just move on. It was done in a fairly wholesome way.
I like the mystery of the book, wondering just what is beyond the door. It's very aesthetic and it kept me on my toes wondering if Wallace will move on or stay with Hugo.
My fav has got to be the Manager and all his great shirts.
I will deduct points because it felt like a deus-ex-machina. But it probably was.
4/5
Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Animal death
headachesince03's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, Self harm, Cancer, Child death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Injury/injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Death of parent, Suicide, Abandonment, Car accident, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Violence, Body horror, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Sexual content and Homophobia
sarahna's review against another edition
- 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
Spoiler review ahead!
The first chapter painted him as a heartless, selfish, apathetic, carreer oriented lawyer firing an employee and cancelling her daughter's scholarship. He belittles her and is just a caricature of a white cis man in power whilst in reality he's lonely and doesn't do anything but live for his job. He ends up dying from a sudden heart attack and has a hard time accepting that. He's a prick to Mei who's trying her best to get him to Hugo's teashop after his sparsely attended funeral and several tantrums.
Suddenly Wallace changes, becomes a better man and the insta love ensues. Hugo and Wallace's hit it off and whilst I did like some of the yearning and dialogue they've shared it wasn't believable or prominent enough to justify the HEA ending. Wasn't the whole point of the book to learn how to grief and let go once one has died? That it's okay to make mistakes and regret certain decisions but that in the end peace is at the other side of the whispering door? I honestly would've preferred Wallace crossing over with Nelson and Apollo and reading an Epilogue of Hugo and Wallace reuniting in the after life, that way we could've gotten a glimpse what's behind the whispering door as well.
That being said, I did like the found family aspect of it and how Wallace came to terms with being bisexual. I worried that he would've realized that he didn't love his ex-wife and was gay instead. While that is a valid experience and does happen, we need more bi rep and it was nice to see that here. The fact that they aren't teenagers or conventionally attractive was refreshing as well. It was an aspect that I loved in THITCS as well.
Sadly a big portion of the book felt repetitive (a lot of dialogue, barely any scenery changes) and didn't touch me as much as it should have. Still the novel is extremely original and it'd do better in movie form in my opinion. So much of it was visual, even some of the jokes!
Once the romance picked up, Wallace was less of a prick and the manager was confronted it got interesting again which is why I gave it 3 stars.
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Abandonment, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Murder
julesadventurezone's review
- 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
Moderate: Murder, Suicide, Confinement, Violence, Death of parent, Grief, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, and Death
the_crooked_neighbor's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Emotional abuse, Biphobia, Child death, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Body horror
celestriakle's review
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, Mental illness, Death, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Body horror, Cancer, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Self harm, Car accident, Death of parent, Eating disorder, and Animal death
oliverlang's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Spoiler
is this bury your gays in reverse? 🔁Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, and Violence
purplatypus's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, and Sexual content
kkamarin's review
- 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
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Suicide
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Terminal illness