A review by pizzasprite
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Under the Whispering Door was lighthearted and cute, but ultimately it just didn't work for me. It felt more like a string of meandering short stories, rather than a cohesive, 3-act story. The romance between Wallace and Hugo felt forced, which was a huge letdown. I wish Wallace's past was explored more, to find out why he turned out the way he did; for example, his law firm partners are mentioned once, but we never find out how they met Wallace, what they were like, etc. The abundance of side characters was extremely distracting: characters such as the fortune teller, the health inspector, and the
murder victim
ultimately added nothing to the plot. I liked the spiritual/magical elements of the book, such as the role of reapers and ferrymen, and the speculation of what happens in the afterlife. I also thought the plot revolving around the
character who committed suicide
very sympathetic and understanding of mental illness and grief. I'm so sad that I didn't like this one, because I love House in the Cerulean Sea.
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