A review by leahlovesloslibros
Under the Whispering Door, by TJ Klune
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
I wanted to love this book, but I just didn't. After reading The House in the Cerulean Sea and loving it, I was hopeful that Under the Whispering Door would be just as memorable. I will note that it took me awhile to really get into Cerulean Sea, so as I read this one I kept thinking it might get better, but it never did.
Grief can be hard to read about, but when it's written well it can still be an overall pleasant experience. Unfortunately, this was not my own personal experience with Under the Whispering Door. I didn't find the found family in this book to be nearly as loving as in other books I've read (including The House in the Cerulean Sea), and I thought the story really dragged on a lot. The romance between Wallace and Hugo seemed too unlikely to really make me feel like it made sense; almost like it was forced.
One positive is that I really liked the character of Mei; she kind of reminded me of myself - spunky and willing to fight anyone who messes with people she loves. The rest of the cast of characters was alright, but I didn't get that same strong bonded feel that I did with the characters in The House in the Cerulean Sea, which I was really hoping for.
Additionally, I do think that Klune did put a lot of effort into taking the reader on a journey through what can come after life. He encourages you to consider the importance of how you spend your life while you still can, so you don't end up with regrets at the end.
Overall, this book lacked what I hoped to find in a T.J. Klune story. While I am aware that the point of this story was to reflect on grief, death, and what comes after, I think it could have been done with a little less character introspection and a little more plot. I wish the found family had felt more connected and that I really believed they would do anything for each other. I liked Under the Whispering Door, but I didn't love it.
Grief can be hard to read about, but when it's written well it can still be an overall pleasant experience. Unfortunately, this was not my own personal experience with Under the Whispering Door. I didn't find the found family in this book to be nearly as loving as in other books I've read (including The House in the Cerulean Sea), and I thought the story really dragged on a lot. The romance between Wallace and Hugo seemed too unlikely to really make me feel like it made sense; almost like it was forced.
One positive is that I really liked the character of Mei; she kind of reminded me of myself - spunky and willing to fight anyone who messes with people she loves. The rest of the cast of characters was alright, but I didn't get that same strong bonded feel that I did with the characters in The House in the Cerulean Sea, which I was really hoping for.
Additionally, I do think that Klune did put a lot of effort into taking the reader on a journey through what can come after life. He encourages you to consider the importance of how you spend your life while you still can, so you don't end up with regrets at the end.
Overall, this book lacked what I hoped to find in a T.J. Klune story. While I am aware that the point of this story was to reflect on grief, death, and what comes after, I think it could have been done with a little less character introspection and a little more plot. I wish the found family had felt more connected and that I really believed they would do anything for each other. I liked Under the Whispering Door, but I didn't love it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Child death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Murder
Minor: Cursing and Animal death
TW/CW: divorce