T.J. Klune's Under the Whispering Door is an emotionally-moving, heartfelt book that centers on themes of kindness, loss, grief, self-discovery, and found family --- one of the many dynamics that Klune, to no surprise at all, is exceptionally good at.
It took me awhile to warm up to the characters, but Klune, who is a gifted storyteller and craftsman, wrote them in ways that will have you invested in their stories as the plot progresses. Coupled with that, the book did not fail to twist and tug emotions from scenes that capture hope, sentimentality, and acceptance through the exploration of loss, grief, and death --- such central themes of the book will resonate to readers and leave them in a soul-crushing manner; but along with it comes a renewed sense of epiphany --- that nothing ever loved is lost.
This is, by far, one of my favorite reads for this year; but just a heads up to anyone who picks up this book: you'll probably need chapter breaks in-between, or maybe watch a feel-good, romcom movie once you're done to emotionally recover from the rollercoaster experience of reading this masterpiece.
Kudos to Klune for another exceptional, five-star work under his name! All thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for sending me a digital copy of this amazing book in exchange for an honest review.