Under the Whispering Door had me crying from start to end, and yet somehow, I feel better than I have in weeks. TJ Klune's masterful empathy is on full-display in his latest adult novel and anyone who can get their hands on this book will be better off for it.

Let me start off by saying I loved the House by the Cerulean Sea. So don't come for me on this one.

Wallace is not a good human being and when he suddenly dies, he is thrown into a new reality of passing on to the other side. Thus begins the journey from life to death through the door of a tea shop and the quirky characters employed to help him pass on.

T.J. Klune is incredibly talented. I give him so much credit for original and beautifully written story lines. His book covers are by far some of the loveliest I have ever seen. But Under the Whispering Door dragged for me. I was honestly surprised every time I realized how long it was taking me to get through this one. The beginning and ending were interesting but the 30%-80% chunk in the middle was lackluster. I was surprised that I didn't get more involved with the tea shop or more in love with the characters. I just felt a disconnect and was bored.

I am still a Klune fan. I will always read his books. But this one isn't a favorite.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy for an honest review.

The cover is definitely misleading on this one. It feels like it should be a middle grade, when in reality it’s about death and grief. Although it was beautifully written, it was just so slow. I am very much a plot driven reader and this was 100% character driven. If you loved the other TJ Klune novels then you will love this one because his writing style is impeccable. I just wish it had a faster storyline.

Thank you ti NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

TW: death, murder, death of child, grief, suicide, loss of a loved one

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.
Release Date: 09/21/2021
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 373
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
• The cover reminds me of a Baba yaga house
• Book has serious laugh-out-loud moments

What I Didn't Like:
• Wallace is completely annoying
• Some parts felt repetitive
• Insta-love

Overall Thoughts: This book had me cracking up at work over how ridiculous Wallace was as a character. Sometimes he was annoying and sometimes I could understand where he was coming from. I was seriously laughing out loud.

I loved the progression of change that Wallace was able to go through as the book continues. At one point he’s lecturing Allen to calm down and even chuckles to himself at how crazy it is.

Some parts felt as though they went on much too long and I found myself kind of wandering in the brain.

Final Thoughts: This book was so heartbreaking but sweet. I loved it so much.

I’ll be honest, I adored T.J. Klune’s “The House In the Cerulean Sea”, and was very excited to read “Under the Whispering Door”. Unfortunately, the novel wasn’t as much fun for me in this very formulaic tale of the afterlife that tries to be lighthearted. This is very much a redemption story concerning mean, nasty lawyer, Wallace Price. I felt the character building was good, Wallace’s experiences change him for the better and this doesn’t happen quickly. Klune also brings along some fun characters that move the storyline along. That being said, the explanation for the Grim Reapers and how they participate in the world of the living, was a bit confusing for me and the pacing was a bit slow. There were some very sad moments concerning a child’s death, but I felt the conclusion was satisfying.

This one started out really good. I enjoyed the stuck between life and death scenario and all the characters were charming. But it went a bit too long and became too repetitive. By the end I just wanted it to be over. With that said, I will still be reading any of TJ Klune's books.

Full review to be posted soonish. I'll update review with links to socials.
I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Well that was one heck of a wonderful, creative book. I fell in love with all of the characters and found myself hilariously laughing out loud and sloppily crying my heart out. I don’t want to give the story away but if you’re in the mood for a cup of tea and someone to be there for you, pick up this book. It’s brilliant. Just all the more reason for me to read all of Klune’s books.
Full review to come on YouTube.

I have taken a long time to review this book. I have a lot of strong and mixed feelings about this author and their works. I requested this arc MONTHS ago, before learning things that I personally cannot see past. I am trying to come at this review from the most objective perspective possible. If you like other novels from this author, I think you will enjoy this book. I found Under the Whispering Door to be too similar to previous books in tone, style, plot, and characters, so it was difficult for me not to draw connections between the two. The book is very well written and the characters have that same loveable charm you come to expect from TJ's novels.

I think this is a good book, it is just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: FIVE STARS!

If you read The House in the Cerulean Sea and had your heartstrings pulled by the dynamic of the characters in that novel, then Under the Whispering Door will be no different from you. Mr. Grumpy and Mr. Sunshine in the best way possible, I assure you. I found myself tearing up at so many different moments in the book and honestly, I didn't want it to end. Usually, I am not a fan of fluffy chapters because I like action and for the plot to constantly be progressing. With this book, however, I wanted endless fluffy chapters of all the characters and their interactions. I am kind of mad at myself for finishng the book so fast, but that's just how good it was!

This book has found family, wholesome romance, and amazing lessons on grief for those who have left us and those are who left behind. TJ Klune does a WONDERFUL job at navigating serious topics with heartwarming and laughter worthy moments. As sad and subtly dark as this book is, it is now a comfort novel for me just as The House in the Cerulean Sea was. By the end of the book, you feel a part of the family and like a cup of tea is waiting for you.

I highly encourage picking up this novel and having a box of tissues on standby because your heart and mind are not ready for the journey you're about to take.

Speical thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC and the chance to read this amazing novel.

I had such high hopes for this book as I have heard amazing things about Cerulean Sea which is on my TBR.

Starting off we meet a miserably mean and horrible person, Wallace Price, who is in many ways the modern day Scrooge. After a swift heart attack, he dies and we see from the very few people at his funeral that he wasn't loved or held in high esteem.

Wallace meets Mei who brings him to the Ferryman to help him cross over. Wallace stays for a while as he won't accept he is dead and refuses to cross over. Insert here various life lessons and self realisations that Wallace learns during his stay at the Tea Rooms.

The only other book I've read with any sort of similarity to this is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig which I adored. But somehow I couldn't connect with any of the characters in this book, well maybe Grandad a little, and I didn't really care what happened. I felt it just dragged on and on with barely anything happening at times.

Unpopular Opinion I think, but it is just that, my own opinion and experience. Don't let that put you off reading a book that many thousands have loved.

Ok, I'll start off by saying that I loved The House on the Cerulean Sea, by this author. I recommended it to everyone and shouted from the rooftops how pure and lovely it was. I was super excited to read Under the Whispering Door, and settled in to love it as much as I loved its predecessor.

But, this book is a different animal altogether. I think that how much you love this book will depend on your current life situation. It could be called heartwarming, if it doesn't trigger you or you aren't raw from a very recent loss or dealing with a stressful illness in your family. I want to love this one. I did. But, in the end, I think it fell short.

I didn't find it heartwarming or charming....and the pacing was slower than I'd like. Was it well written and full of imagery? Yes. Was it a book that I fell in love with and recommended to others? No.

This was disappointing. As someone who enjoyed House in the Cerulean Sea, I was expected to be wrapped up in a blanket of cozy slice of life, but instead found myself incredibly bored. The pacing is beyond slow and when you're invested in the characters, it can be enjoyable, but I didn't like any of the characters, especially Wallace. Klune's 2000s style humor feels cringey and at odds with the slow, soft style he's aiming for, and overall, the book felt disjointed and more like reading a first draft than a final. UTWD deals with many heavy and abstract concepts like death and the afterlife, but rather than feeling encouraging and understanding, it felt fake and pretentious.

1.5 rounded up

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc.

TJ Klune is a master lyricist and I cannot get enough. This book was as nuanced and profound as House in the Cerulean Sea and his Wolfsong series. This book dealt with heavy concepts such as examining who one was in their living life and if that person is someone they are proud of or regretful of. Humanity is contemplated within this book, as well as coming into one's identity with embrace and self-acceptance. As I have also said before, TJ Klune is also the master of the found-family trope, and these characters that embrace Wallace are no exception. All in all, this book is incredible. It makes you think, reflect, and FEEL.

☆☆☆☆☆ /5
(english review below)

Je crois que je viens de succomber à la plume somptueuse et aux histoires bouleversantes de T.J. Klune. Vraiment, c’est le deuxième roman que je lis de l’auteur (et le premier dont je vous parle) et je chiale. Oui, je chiale, je suis si bouleversée que j’en viens au langage familier.
J’ai pleuré toutes les larmes de mon cœur pendant ma lecture. J’ai été touchée, émue et remuée par l’œuvre que l’auteur a créée.
¤
Lorsqu'un faucheur vient chercher Wallace Price à ses propres funérailles, Wallace soupçonne qu'il pourrait vraiment être mort.
Au lieu de le conduire directement dans l'au-delà, le faucheur l'emmène dans un petit village. À la périphérie, hors du chemin à travers les bois, niché entre les montagnes, se trouve un salon de thé particulier, dirigé par un homme nommé Hugo. Hugo est le propriétaire du salon de thé pour les habitants et le passeur pour les âmes qui doivent traverser.
Mais Wallace n'est pas prêt à abandonner la vie qu'il a à peine vécue. Avec l'aide d'Hugo, il commence enfin à apprendre tout ce qu'il a manqué dans la vie.
Lorsque le directeur, un être curieux et puissant, arrive au salon de thé et donne à Wallace une semaine pour traverser, Wallace entreprend de vivre toute une vie en sept jours.
¤
Comme à chaque fois avec les ouvrages de l’auteur, c’est un roman qui aborde des thèmes lourds et importants tels que la mort, le sens de la vie, le deuil, les regrets et les remords. Dans cette belle histoire, l’auteur va nous questionner sur le fait d’être réellement vivant, de réellement vivre sa vie ainsi que de comment percevoir la mort et l’appréhender. Pourtant, le texte n’est pas aussi sombre et aussi lourd que peut laisser entendre les péripéties de nos personnages. Au contraire, l’histoire est légère, optimiste et donne encore plus goût à la vie.
À travers son personnage principal, Wallace, qui semblait avoir tout pour être heureux (une belle carrière, de l’argent…), l’auteur nous pousse à redéfinir le bonheur et à prendre du recul sur ce qui vaut la peine d’être vécu. J’ai beaucoup aimé la prise de conscience de Wallace une fois qu’il a assimilé sa situation de défunt et son arrivée dans ce salon de thé si particulier, entre la vie et la mort. C’était intéressant de suivre les réflexions du jeune homme et son adaptation. De son incompréhension face à ce nouvel environnement et sa situation, de sa peur jusqu’à l’acceptation de la réalité, son soulagement et son bonheur, l’auteur fait vivre à son lecteur mille émotions.
Comme je l’ai dit, ce texte est optimiste. Malgré ses thèmes, j’ai eu le sourire pendant ma lecture et ce roman m’a touché. L’histoire est douce. Encore une fois, l’auteur ne mise pas sur l’action pour plaire à son lectorat, mais sur les messages qu’il réussit à transmettre avec ses écrits.

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ENGLISH REVIEW

I think I have just succumbed to the incredible writing style and the moving stories of T.J. Klune. Really, this is the second book I've read by the author (and the first I'm talking about) and I'm crying. Yes, I'm crying so much.
I cried all the tears in my heart while reading. I was touched, moved and stirred by the work the author has created.
¤
When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.
Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.
But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.
When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.
¤
As always with the author's works, it’s a book that tackles heavy and important themes such as death, the meaning of life, mourning, regrets and remorse. In this beautiful story, the author will question us on the fact of being really alive, of really living one's life as well as how to perceive death and apprehend it. However, the text is not as dark and as heavy as the adventures of our characters might suggest. On the contrary, the story is light, optimistic and gives even more taste to life.
Through his main character, Wallace, who seemed to have everything to be happy (a great career, money…), the author pushes us to redefine happiness and take a step back on what is worth being lived. I really liked Wallace's awareness once he assimilated his situation as a deceased and his arrival in this very special tea room, between life and death. It was interesting to follow the thoughts of the young man and his adaptation. From his incomprehension in the face of this new environment and his situation, from his fear to the acceptance of his reality, his relief and his happiness, the author makes his reader experience a thousand emotions.
As I said, this text is optimistic. Despite its themes, I had a smile during my reading and this book touched me. The story is sweet. Once again, the author doesn’t rely on action to please his readership, but on the messages he manages to convey with his writings.

I love love love TJ Klune’s style! This was so wonderful to read; it was funny, they characters were incredible, and it made my heart burst as I kept reading.

Wallace Price is a lonely, insensitive, self absorbed man. His life revolves around his job and work ethics. That is until one day everything changes, Wallace finds himself at his own funeral. With so much anger and confusion, Wallace comes across Mei. A Reaper here to take him to a ferryman, located in the middle of nowhere. He's taken to a strange place called Charons Crossing Tea Shop. An Afterlife tea shop that helps guide souls from one life to the next.

This unique and gentle story takes you on a journey filled so much grief, forgiveness, hope, and finding happiness. Every character is perfectly thought out. While reading klunes books you get lost in the whimsical tale, and drawn to the beautiful characters so quickly.

I absolutely fell in love with The House In The Cerulean Sea last year, and couldn't wait for this one. There's just something so special with klunes writing.
Though this wasn't a 5 star read for me, I still really enjoyed it. I just felt like the first half was a bit to slow. All in all this ended up being such a heartwarming story that will stick with you.

3.5 stars
Under the Whispering Door was a surprisingly really good to read, I dropped it before because the narrator was not my favorite and I wasn't in the best mental state to read this but I'm trying to get through the arcs and it ended up really good. It's a small scale story about love and peoplehood and shared meals all of which I love, the character development is gradual and a bit cliche but the stars of the story are everyone other than the narrator. Mei, Apollo, and Nelson were fantastic to read. At times I found it hard to understand why they all like Wallace but he grows on you.

I like this way more than Cerulean Sea which did not work for me at all because how systemic issues seemed to be resolved by one person but here it was more about exploring grief and fixing up ourselves and hard conversations. ymmv with the deus ex machina at the end but hey it's a love story at it's heart so I didn't mind as much.

<i>Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.</i>

Lovely book, on par with Klune's first novel. I was actually more intrigued by some of the secondary characters here (spinoff standalones, anyone?!) than some of the main characters. While I could see the ending coming, it still warmed my heart and I will continue to pick up this author's books as they come out!

I have heard so many mixed reviews on this book and I was really excited to try it out!

Under the Whispering Door is very dark butttt I loved it so much. The characters in this book were so amazing and the storyline for the book really easy to follow. I wouldn't say that it's fast paced but overall, it was a very easy read. Overall, I really enjoyed this

Thank you so much Net Galley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.