4.5/5

Last year I read The House in the Cerulean Sea and adored it. So when this came up on my library's system as available to borrow, I jumped at the chance to read it. We follow Wallace, a newly deceased lawyer, who has to come to terms with his death before passing on to whatever awaits the dead next. He is assisted in this by reaper Mei, ferryman Hugo and fellow dead in Charon's Crossing, a tea house for the living. 

- This has very similar vibes to Cerulean Sea and whilst that's not a bad thing, sometimes it came very close to being almost the same. It's a warm, comforting and reflective book and does make you examine yourself and the world differently as you read it. It especially provokes thought around death and the existential questions of what it means to live and what happens when we die.

- I adored the characters and the bonds and interactions between them. Each character had their own charm and beauty and I came to love them and their nuances. Hugo was my favourite but all the other main characters have spaces in my heart too.

- The queer parts of the story were also well done and whilst not the focal point of the story, made sense in the plot and were positively portrayed. I particularly liked how the bisexuality of one of the characters was handled and how it didn't fall into the usual stereotypes but showed it realistically.

If you enjoy positive queer portrayals, whimsical but thought-provoking fantasy and heartwarming vibes and characters, add this book to your reading list.