Thank you very much to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with my ARC copy!

When I heard that the author of the resplendent and charming The House in the Cerulean Sea had written another novel, I didn’t skip a beat requesting it on NetGalley. And Under the Whispering Door is certainly a worthy follow up to the novel that surprised me with its beautiful story. Even if doesn't quite reach the perfection of the previous novel, Under the Whispering Door has the same unique brand of humor, touching sincerity, and heavy themes as The House in the Cerulean Sea, so it’s no surprise that I was even brought to tears by this novel. 

"Wallace Price had been accused of many things in his life, but being selfless was not one of them. He gave little thought to those around him, unless they stood in his way. And God help them if they did."

Under the Whispering Door starts out in a similar manner to The House in the Cerulean Sea. The main character, named Wallace Price, who is undeniably unlikable, finds himself in a situation completely out of his depth and is forced to change. In Under the Whispering Door, finds himself, to his utter shock, at his own funeral. It is at his funeral, where he learns for the first time the true extent of his awful, work-obsessed life. Before too long, he meets a loveable Reaper named Mei who takes him to a tea house called, of all things, Charon’s Crossing, to meet his Ferryman who will help guide him to the next stage of his existence. Naturally, adjusting to suddenly being dead in one’s mid-thirties is a lot to process, and so is getting used to one’s new existence as a ghost. Wallace has a lot of growing to do, but luckily, he has a family of people to help him, Hugo the overly empathetic Ferryman, Mei the friendly Reaper, Nelson, Hugo’s similarly deceased grandad, and Apollo, Hugo’s deceased dog, who is earning the title of man’s best friend even in death. 

Before too long, Wallace realizes that death is really just the beginning. It takes some talking with Hugo, but not nearly enough if you ask me, for Wallace to realize the errors of his ways in his past life. I thought that Under the Whispering Door got a bit redundant during these talks and felt that Wallace’s journey was a little less earned that his counterpart in The House in the Cerulean Sea. For instance, I just believe that it would take a lot longer than a few weeks as ghost to adjust to not only one's circumstances, but to stop being the same "asshole" that one was for most of their adult life. But Wallace doesn't have much trouble turning from his past ways and changing into a blandly friendly ghost. Despite this quick change, Under the Whispering Door is still a uniquely pleasant book. Author T.J. Klune does what he does best again in this novel, and blends his magical sense of humor into the harder, heavier themes of death and the stages of grief. It almost feels strange to laugh aloud when reading about such sad topics, but I did often while reading this novel. 

"'Let me know when our new guest arrives. I'll put on my Sunday best.'

Wallace glared after him. 'You were wearing pajamas when I got here.

'Your observational skills are unparalleled. Good for you.'"

Another thing that Klune does especially beatifically in this novel is to develop a found family that every reader can feel like they will be welcomed into with open arms. Even when dealing with topics like suicide, murder, and loss, it is in an environment that feels like a cocoon of safety and acceptance. It doesn’t hurt that there is an effortless blend of people from all walks of life that is as unique as any of Hugo’s beloved teas. I loved that Wallace and Hugo developed romantic feelings for each other, not only because of the poetry of a ghost and a Ferryman falling in love, but because of the ease and enthusiasm with which everyone accepted this developing relationship. There was no outcry of dismay at the tea shop over a gay and interracial relationship, only some mild lamentation that Hugo was at last a taken man—which is how it should be. I also loved that all of the characters were not white, and that there was Asian representation with Mei, and black representation with Nelson and Hugo. 

Though I liked the idea of a Ferryman and a ghost falling in love, I found that it just didn’t work for me as well as the romance in The House in the Cerulean Sea . I felt that much of Wallace’s transformation was brought upon by his attraction to Hugo and less by his own self-reflection. I wonder if Wallace was capable of this same growth if it had not been for this romantic interest in Hugo. I felt that the relationship between the two sort of cheapened Wallace’s transformation, as it felt like he didn’t really earn it by his own merit. Unfortunately, though Wallace and Hugo’s relationship was cute, I didn’t really feel the sparks between them, and felt a little uncomfortable with what felt like a therapist-patient relationship. This is especially true because Wallace is in a very sensitive state and the book itself even states:

"We don't want to cause further trauma. We have to offer kindness, because there is never a time in life or death when someone is more vulnerable."

So maybe not a good idea to enter a romantic relationship with that person? Shouldn't there be some kind of clause in the job description to forbid this? At the very least, it felt like a major conflict of interest for a Ferryman, who is supposed to ferry the dead through the whispering door to their next life, caught and encouraged feelings for the vulnerable ghost he is supposed to be helping who is having to reexamine his entire previous existence and come to terms with what his next might be, all way sooner than he ever suspected. And I feel like Under the Whispering Door doesn’t really deal with the irresponsibility of Hugo’s feelings for Wallace, instead focusing on Wallace feeling guilt for Hugo liking him when he’s dead and basically worrying that he has nothing to offer the other man. 

Furthermore, I never really understood why Hugo grew attracted to Wallace in the first place, as much of Hugo’s interaction with him is like therapy and Wallace repeatedly takes his initial anger out on him. This is in contrast to The House in the Cerulean Sea where main character Linus spent time with the children on his own, with the orphanage master, Arthur, simply taking a hands-off approach and when needed, lightly guiding Linus’s realization of what was truly important. Arthur and Linus were on more equal footing as adults, and though there were power issues at play, with Linus having the say to close Arthur’s orphanage  it still managed to seem healthier and more of a partnership. I just didn’t care for Wallace being dead, vulnerable, going through a huge process of grief, and Hugo sort of abandoning his duty and virtually encouraging Wallace, the entity he supposedly cares for more than other people, not to pass on.

Likewise, I can't help but think that Hugo is also in a vulnerable state, as he can only leave Charon's Crossing for a very short period of time and distance, so he is also pretty much incapable of meeting a living human who would understand his spiritual job or the fact that he was talking to ghosts. So both men are incredibly vulnerable, and it just seems like an unhealthy relationship between two broken people, any way you look at it. The relationship between Wallace and Hugo just wasn’t sold to me, and neither did Wallace’s practically overnight transformation to an alarmingly kind-to-a-fault ghost feel exactly earned to me.

I would’ve gladly traded in many of the long talks about not being afraid of the great beyond, which honestly bordered on what felt proselytizing at times, for more slow growth and bumps in the road on the transformation of Wallace and a much lengthier time before feelings developed between Hugo and Wallace as well. In retrospect, many of these talks feel extremely hypocritical, as Hugo even states himself to Wallace that he doesn’t want him to move on. I also didn’t care for the fact that Hugo didn’t even know a smidgeon what was beyond the whispering door that led to the unknown afterlife and was still encouraging everyone to take that leap into the great beyond. I feel that The Manager, the god-like being who oversees this whole spiritual voyage, should have provided the Ferryman with some sort of glimpse, so to speak.

"What's a few years in the face of forever?"

My last issue with Under the Whispering Door was that I didn't quite care for the ending. To me, the turn of events, which I won't be stating here as to not spoil the book, cheapened the entire theme of the book, which was about healthy grieving processes, loss, letting go, and moving on. To completely avoid the destination of that journey and to instead take such an, in my mind, unmerited, detour to give the audience and characters a happier ending didn't at all work for me.  In fact, I felt this ending almost completely missed the point of the entire novel! I still was touched by other parts of the ending, and was even brought to tears, but I felt that as a whole, Under the Whispering Door didn't quite stick the landing.

Despite my problem with the main romance of the novel, the fact that I thought Wallace’s character growth could’ve been stronger, and that I wasn't fan of the direction the ending of the novel went in, I think Under the Whispering Door hits very hard. The main reason I think it provides such an emotional journey is because every single reader has dealt with loss in some way. And this novel takes a hard look at all of the different ways people handle their grief at this loss differently, which isn’t always easy to read. For instance, it was definitely impossible to not think of the people and fur children I have lost while reading this novel. So, please keep in mind this heavier subject matter when reading this novel. Even with one’s own grief in his or her mind when reading it, Under the Whispering Door mostly manages to make these difficult thoughts a healing and hopeful experience. If death really meant we would all travel to Under the Whispering Door’s tea house, it would be a lot less scary for all of us.

I think my rating on this book may say more about me than about TJ Klune, but, whatever. He has been going more and more mainstream, which is good for him and his career. But I loved his earlier, harder to read books. Comparing this to the absolutely stellar "Wolfsong", or the heart-rending "Into This River I Drown", or the stark "Withered + Sere", or, even, the crazy, hilarious, and camp Verania books...

I did like the characters, so important in all of his work (even Wallace, though, naturally, not at first); I loved the milieu. A tea shop being a way stop between life and death? Fabulous! But, I didn't see the depth and humanity, the pain and understanding I'm used to from Klune. At no point did it feel like there wouldn't be a happy ending [even when Wallace and Hugo said goodbye, even when Wallace floated to the door]- so, without feeling possible risk, nothing cut deep enough for me. No impossible joy. No heart-rending pain. Klune at his best has ripped my heart out, kicked me down a flight of stairs, yet made me feel so glad to be alive and happy to be human - while using language and a turn of thought/phrase, so uniquely his own, that it was the finest of prose. "Under the whispering door" is good. But it's Klune in a corral.

Wow! I was so excited to get an advanced copy of Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune after reading The House in the Cerulean Sea earlier this year and falling in love. Under the Whispering Door did not disappoint, telling the story of a curmudgeon, Wallace, who finds himself at his own funeral after dying. He is taken to a tea shop, that is the way place between life and death. Here he learns what it means to care for others and truly live. I cannot recommend this book enough--I have already pre-ordered a copy for myself to read again later this year. This book had me feeling happy, sad, and nervous throughout the novel. TJ Klune's writing is truly spectacular.

I loved this book so much.

The beginning was a bit slow and it took a while to get there, but once it did? Oh I was hooked.

The story is simple,

Wallace Price is an asshole. He's a big time lawyer with no friends, no love life, and pretty much everyone hates him.

Then he dies.

He doesn't want to believe it at first but he's taken to a ferryman named Hugo by his reaper named Mei in order to "cross over" and that's where our story blossoms. Hugo is a sweet, kind, and gentle dude who just wants to help people and Wallace fights him until he just...doesn't.

Add in Hugo's dead grandfather Nelson, and a sweet ghost dog named Apollo and your heart will burst.

Yes, they fall in love.

Yes, it's everything you'd hoped it would be.

Yes, I cried for the last like five chapters.

Please read this.

It deals with grief, with realizing you might not have lived the life you wanted, and just with finding love where you least expect it.

Great, amazing book.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"What will you do with the time you have left?"

I never expected to love a book about death and dying as much as I loved this one. But I think that's because it was really a book about what it means to live. When bitter, selfish, and unliked lawyer Wallace Price suddenly dies, he is forced to come to terms with his sudden passing as well as what he did (or didn't do) when he was alive. And to question whether it is too late to make changes.

I had heard that this book had shades of The Good Place to it, and thats a large part of what drew me to it. One minute I was laughing out loud and the next I was crying. This book will draw you in with its beautifully crafted characters and unique story. I can't wait to recommend it to library patrons and friends.

This was one of my favourite reads of the year! TJ Klune has such a way with words and his characters are all so loveable. I adored this book and had a good cry in the last few chapters. A must read!

I love TJ Klune books because the way he writes and develops characters is pure magic. Under the Whispering Door did not disappoint. However, don't go into this book expecting the same tone of the House in the Cerulean Sea.

Under the Whispering Door tells the story of Wallace, a very unlikable lawyer who has a heart-attack and dies. His death was very unexpected so he is struggling to come to terms with it. At his funeral a girl named Mei shows up and leads him to a unique looking Tea Shop owned by the ferryman named Hugo, explaining that they will help him cross over into the afterlife.

This book will make you laugh, cry, break your heart then put it back together. It is beautifully written and you need it in your life ASAP. This will be one of those books that sticks with you for years and years after reading.

Trigger warnings:
Death. Child death. Suicide. Cancer. Ghosts.

I discovered Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune on Netgalley by accident when it was being promoted on the home page. And wow, I'm glad I requested a copy!

Under the Whispering Door is the story of Wallace, a very dislikeable person who, without much warning, found himself dead. While coming to terms with the fact that he died, a girl shows up to lead him to the person who will help him cross over to the afterlife. This person is Hugo. Hugo owns a tea shop in a remote little town, and when not picking the perfect tea for the living customers, helps souls to come to terms with being dead and to escort them to whatever comes next.

This book follows in the trend of others exploring the afterlife and/or living forever (Addie LaRue and Midnight Library). It does vary in the way the subject is approached, though. The book is kept light even when dealing with really heavy topics. Life lessons are discussed in matter of fact ways, and the reader learns as much about their own motivations in life as much as Wallace does.

Under the Whispering Door was by no means action packed, but it never meant to be that kind of book. This book opens up discussions about life, what we are doing and why. My favourite part in the book involves a meddling medium who gets what she rightfully deserves. But the entire book has such a heart to it that it will inevitably break the reader's heart itself. Definitely a book I will be recommending to any reader who loved Midnight Library and wants something a little bit lighter!

My very first Klune book and it did not disappoint.  Under the Whispering Door was a beautifully written novel that had me laughing, reflecting, and even tearing up in a few places.  I was pulled in with Kune's different perspective of what occurs after death and continued because I became vested in the characters and cared about what happened next. While this novel is light and witty in places, it also is deeply moving in others.  Prepare for a roller coaster of emotions.

Another work of brilliance by TJ Klune. This is a very special book. Early on, it feels like a spiritual/tonal sibling to his ‘Blasphemy’ short stories. Same irreverence and wicked sense of humor. I laughed my *** off so many times. But then it becomes more of a sentimental, introspective piece in the vein of The House in the Cerulean Sea. Wallace takes a similar journey to Linus, I think. Has similar revelations about himself and about life in general. Discoveries about what’s really important.

But make no mistake; this is NOT The House in the Cerulean Sea. As the book goes on, it goes deeper into more difficult territory. It has a delightfully weird and quirky charm but it is so much more than a fairy tale. It’s a meditation on death, dying, loss, grief, love, living a meaningful life and the preciousness of our humanity. You’ll laugh a lot while reading it but you’ll probably cry a little, too.

This is the 6th book of Klune’s (if you don’t count Blasphemy 1 & 2) that I’ve read and I’m always impressed at his ability to create a whole slate of vividly rendered characters who are engaging and make you care about them immediately. The Mei character is a riot, I love her attitude. And Nelson with his bunny slippers, and Hugo with his tea plants and his big heart. And Wallace. Wallace is an a-hole who has taken his whole life for granted and never actually learned a thing but Klune has a knack for making even the biggest a-holes totally and completely sympathetic and likeable. It almost feels like a privilege to watch Wallace go on this afterlife journey.

I think this is going to be one of those books I recommend to everyone I know. I don’t know a single person who couldn’t stand to hear a little of what this book has to say. It’s so profoundly beautiful.

[Also: Loved the little nods to The House in the Cerulean Sea. And am I reading too much into it or was there also a Wolfsong easter egg? I’d like to think it was.]

A thought provoking read about redemption and belonging and how our past experiences have formed us. The characters in this story are flawed, quirky and loveable. It tackles the inevitability of death for all of us and made me contemplate what it is to have had a 'good life'. It made me consider why other people are aggressive, mean or rude, what happened to them to become that way?

I loved the setting of the story, but the characters are what draw you in and your heart just aches for some of them.

Ultimately this is a story of hope, friendship and the bond of family.

Klune's latest standalone novel begins with Walter Price's death. Walter wasn't a good person, but he wasn't an evil person either. In his afterlife, Price meets and ultimately falls in love with the ferryman, who is also a tea shop owner. Fans of Klune's The House on the Cerulean Sea will likely enjoy this one, as it is very similar, even in its plot (mediocre man goes to strange house, falls in love with keeper of house, changes his ways). It was perhaps for that reason that this book didn't work for me, though I love The House on the Cerulean Sea. It may also have been because the characters were all so good--for a book about the afterlife, it is very rosy. I particularly did not like the end, which seemed to me to treat death in an unrealistic and unhelpful manner. The book is very gentle, which will appeal to many readers, just not me.

What can I say about this book? TJ Klune is a masterful writer, and I will forever be indebted to him for sharing his works with the world. I first encountered Klune when I found "The House in the Cerulean Sea," and this newest title hit so many of the same good spots:

-Found family? Check.
-Queer representation (including bisexual protagonist)? Check.
-Protagonist finding himself through strange circumstances? Check.
-Light-hearted banter paired with devastatingly-poignant reflections on life and what comes after? CHECK.

As a study in grief and the ways that we deal with loss, this book is a gem. I wept through the last 40 or so pages, and I cannot wait to recommend it to absolutely everyone I know. It's a delightful mix of "A Christmas Carol" meets "The Good Place" with the most lovable cast of characters and a central setting in a tea shop that has made its way into my top 5 fictional locations I wish I could visit.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I knew going into it that this book had some very large shoes to fill. After last year’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, which was one of the easiest five star ratings I’ve ever given, I knew it would be hard to top that. And while I don’t think it did, this book was absolutely beautiful in its own unique way.

There were quite a few similarities between the two, such as:
- The writing style
- The relationship between Wallace and Hugo reminded me a lot of that between Linus and Arthur.
- The character development of the protagonist
- Touching on deep life issues in a simply profound way

I love that TJ Klune put his own disclaimer in the front of the book as the story does discuss death (natural, mister, and suicide) throughout and gets pretty deep in some places.

I loved the overall messages of appreciating what you have right in front of you before it’s too late and death not being an end but rather a beginning of something new.

I have heard some people describe this as a slow burn. While I don’t believe I would necessarily describe it as that for myself, the pace did feel different from his prior novel, but I loved it in a completely different way.

If you loved The House in the Cerulean Sea, I highly recommend reading this one too. You will not be disappointed!

Under the Whispering Door is delightful. But of course it is- it’s basically The House in the Cerulean Sea, remixed.

The formula:
Grumpy man falls in love with benevolent caretaker figure.
Everyone affectionately rolls their eyes at a curmudgeonly mentor.
Outwardly crusty characters have insides of gold.
Upper management provides a common enemy to rail against.
Beings from diverse backgrounds find family and acceptance.

Charming magical creatures, check. Hilarious hijinks, check.

Easy character analogs- Linus/Wallace, Arthur/Hugo, Nelson/Zoe, Talia/Mei, and Theodore/Apollo if you really want to stretch it.

But for me, this book was a lot darker than Cerulean Sea. It took me a solid 25% to really fall into a groove. But it was well worth it in the end. Klune has a lot to say about mental health and grief. Super duper kudos for inclusion of panic attacks and appropriate responses. He has also written a new take on limbo and the afterlife, and in my opinion handles a topic that has the potential to be sticky with a lot of respect and grace. And humor. There is some lovely and seamless world-building here with many unexpected (IYKYK) touches.

Klune is excellent at writing physical comedy. Someone should probably hire him for sitcom writing. I don’t laugh out loud a ton at books, but a few scenes in Whispering Door had me giggling- such as Mei with the knives and Wallace floating around like a balloon. No spoilers here, I promise, just look out for the slapstick if that’s something you like. I love it.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book.

Under the Whispering Door is the latest novel by bestselling author, T.J. Klune- great for fans of The Good Place!

How would you spend your life if you only had seven days left to live? Under the Whispering Door follows Wallace Price, an insufferable lawyer, who prioritizes efficiency and productivity above all else. When a reaper shows up at his own funeral, Wallace realizes he must be dead and is whisked away to mysterious tea shop, where he must confront his life’s greatest failures.

This novel is a stunning exploration of what it means to be “human.” {Think: a spunky retelling of The Myth of Sisyphus with a healthy abundance of tea and pastries.} Without reading as overtly philosophical or existential, Klune captures the essence of the human spirit, highlighting the importance of relationships, trust, and empathy. All of the characters (even the most ~realized~ ones) consistently consider life’s most important question, “How do I give meaning to a seemingly meaningless life?” The reader hangs on to every word as they witness each character’s journey to actualization.

This is my first T.J. Klune novel, but it certainly won’t be my last. The nuanced appreciation for life conveyed in Under the Whispering Door is a once-in-a-lifetime reading experience I’ll never forget.

CW: Mental Health

5.0/5.0

Rating: 4.5/5⭐️

In a way only T.J. Klune can do, he made what could have been a dark and distressing book truly beautiful. This is, however, a VERY heavy read that focuses entirely on death and what comes after.

Klune does such a spectacular job of creating stories that make us reflect on ourselves and every life affected by the choices we make. I found this book to be a beautiful dive into the power of the people we surround ourselves with and the ability to find strength in yourself when you need it most.

It did take me longer to form attachments to the characters here than in The Cerulean Sea, but I ended up loving them all just as deeply. And even with the heavier content, I found this book to be incredibly sincere and soul-stirring.

Big thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this e-ARC!

Once I started reading Under the Whispering Door, I couldn't put it down, and finished it in two days.

Though the character of Wallace begins as quite nasty, the writing is so lovely and the pull forward so strong that I was willing to accept his rudeness.

It's hard to write about this book without spoiling it, but it is such a thoughtful exploration of life and death that it becomes tremendously meaningful and impactful. Klune has written another amazing book that moved me.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the eARC to read and review!

Death means something different to everyone. Under the Whispering Door was a lot to take in and then formulate those twirling thoughts into some coherent form of a review. But here goes nothing:

Under the Whispering Door is thought-provoking with loads of questions from several characters dead or alive. Each seeks or has sought to understand (come to terms with) the new reality they find themselves in. But some questions just don’t have an answer. For some of the characters, things are what they are until they make that next choice. As with Wallace, I found myself engaged in retrospection with each new question and perspective proposed to Wallace.

Under the Whispering Door is depressing and sad (but not in a bad way, I’m just an emotional reader). Some chapters were harder to read than others. Raw, cutting emotions color those characters who find themselves “dead.” Even Hugo, the ferryman to the newly dead who come his way, can’t help but feel a shared agony for them. He has a big heart that makes him uniquely ideal for this line of work.

Under the Whispering Door is a home filled with the most delightful people you will ever meet. Wallace Price was a ruthless attorney and pragmatic ass when he was alive. As the story progresses, I grew more and more fond of him and was captivated by the ultimate transformation he undergoes. Hugo - sweet, benevolent sweet Hugo - is one of those rare individuals you’d be lucky to know and even luckier to call a friend. I loved Mei (Wallace’s reaper) and her energetic and sometimes brash demeanor. She’s a fascinating person who’ll always have your back. Nelson (Hugo’s grandfather) is hysterical, always bringing a certain lightness and wisdom to break the tension or delivering funny reality checks.

These characters were wonderful to get to know. They’re very well-rounded: flawed and real with such incredible emotional depth. I can’t imagine any other types of characters for this particular story.

Klune impressed me with how he wove this novel together. I really enjoy his writing style, humor, how he develops the plot/characters and makes me care greatly about everything going on. I highlighted a lot of great quotes and passages. There were various moments I didn’t expect or actions certain characters chose to take. I also liked the quiet, unassuming impact tea had on the story.

I was most surprised by Wallace and Hugo’s relationship, who also seemed surprised by what they felt for each other. It was beautiful. I loved seeing them together.

The climax had me on the edge of my seat! My emotions were high and all over the place. I was crying by the end - pleasantly surprised, incredibly moved, and oh-so happy.

Klune has once again crafted an outstanding and memorable novel. 5 stars!

I absolutely LOVED this book. So whimsical, beautiful, and emotive. Klune created a universe within that tea shop and I honestly wish I could visit it, as a living tea-drinking, scone eating guest, of course.

This book can sit with the greats like The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. As soon as it publishes, I’m buying a copy for my shelf and copies for every gift giving opportunity for years to come. Excuse me while I go buy The House in the Cerulean Sea right now.