I was so thrilled to get an advance digital copy of Klune’s newest novel, especially after reading #TheHouseintheCeruleanSea last summer.

One thing that I was seeing a lot in earlier reviews, was that many people made the distinction that this was not going to be Cerulean Part 2. Knowing this, I was worried about how this would compare.

Would I still enjoy the fantasy element? Would I still feel the same connection to each of the characters? For me the answer was a resounding YES.

This was certainly a much darker book, focused on the question of what happens to us when we die. Klune creates this vivid world that tackles that question and builds this elaborate system for how people are led after their deaths.

This was unlike any book that I’ve read and it combined serious topics, along with humor, to create a heartfelt story with lovable characters.

I thought Klune did an excellent job of creating a variety of different characters, some that were extremely unlikable but who were still pivotal to the story. I also enjoyed the transformations you saw throughout the book, something that Klune does extremely well with his characters.

Overall, I really loved this book and would recommend reading this, especially if you’ve enjoyed Klune’s past work.

#UndertheWhisperingDoor is out in the world today, so we sure to grab a copy!

Thank you to @torbooks and @netgalley for my advance digital copy!

Beginning a novel with a . . . let’s just say, an unpleasant protagonist, is a bit of a risk. Wallace Price is a lawyer, he’s cheerfully callous and woefully insensitive, and if I hadn’t believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that TJ Klune would, at some point, give me a redemption story that would leave me in tears, celebrating all the ways in which Wallace was made different, better, during his time in Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats, I might not have been so determined to give him the chance to win me over.

But he did. Of course, he did. The getting there in the early going was a study in patience, though.

Wallace learned many things upon his death; how little he was going to be missed was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. For Wallace, life was transactional, nothing more, nothing less. He never did anything for anyone without being certain he was going to get something beneficial for himself in return. He was unrepentantly cutthroat that way, which made him a successful attorney, it made him a ruthless boss, but he was an abject failure as a human being and a husband. Wallace’s divorce was acrimonious, to say the least, but deep down he knew he’d done wrong by his ex-wife, Naomi, neglecting her and their marriage in the pursuit of his career, so, in this single moment in his adult life where he got nothing useful in return for his actions, apart from placating himself, he gave her everything she asked for in the settlement.

The afterlife has long been a staple of speculative fiction. It’s one of life’s great, if not the greatest, unknowns. Is death the end, or is it merely a transition to a new beginning? Klune chooses to explore the potential that death is just a brief stopover on the way to something powerful and profound in Under the Whispering Door, when Mei, Wallace’s Reaper, appears at his pathetic little funeral—where not a single one of the handful of attendees shows even a modicum of sorrow for his passing, not even Naomi—to gather him up and escort him to Charon’s Crossing to meet the man, Hugo Freeman, whose job it is to ferry Wallace on to the next life.

Wallace was a reaper of sorts himself, in that he reaped what he sowed while he lived—lots in the way of material possessions but little in the way of those things that don’t come with a price tag: friendship, love, compassion and kindness—but accepting these lessons in death, let alone accepting that he was even dead, becomes a long and painful lesson where he goes through the stages of grieving his own failures and losses, and, eventually, he grieves the person he could have been had he not been so driven and self-centered. Through the kindness of strangers—Mei and Hugo (who is also the proprietor of the tea shop), along with Hugo’s grandad, Nelson, and the loveable pup Apollo—Wallace learns how to not only mourn for himself and the opportunities he missed in life but to become someone better in death because, through patience, kindness, and the offer of friendship, Hugo and company made Wallace want to be a better person. Wallace will ultimately go on to accomplish the most selfless and generous act of his life, and afterlife, which is the moment he understands what it means to give unconditionally with no expectation of reciprocation.

Despite its weightier themes of death, grief, anger, regret, and the question of what lies beyond, Under the Whispering Door is a gentle story full of grace and wonderment and, above all else, love: love of family, love of friends, and the sort of love that means sharing everything you are, and were, with one special person. Hugo is made of warmth and peace, not a perfect person, but the perfect person for Wallace as Wallace learns to slow down and appreciate the little things he’d always overlooked along the way.

And in the end, he learns that being tethered to someone doesn’t mean being chained down; he learns it means being wanted, and wanting in return.

Klune used humor to uplift while setting out to break hearts and then put them back together again. This story sparkles when it delves into those quiet moments where two people share their loneliness, and they become not quite so lonely anymore. It is exquisite when it reminds us to slow down and appreciate the little things, like a warm cup of tea and good company. It is exceptional when it dares to believe in miracles. It is gracious when it shares its characters’ love for each other. It is graceful when being generous and selfless in spirit.

Under the Whispering Door seemed to have a lot going for it out of the gate. Quirky, offbeat characters. Good LGBTQ+ representation. A found family trope. Ghostly humor. Paranormal phenomena. Existential musings about grief, regret, loss, love, and second chances. Not to mention a unique interpretation of the afterlife where recently departed spirits congregated at a tea shop called Charon's Cross, a waystation of sorts, where they would receive help from a Reaper (Mei) and a Ferryman (Hugo) so they could make peace with their lives, finding ways to learn from the mistakes they'd made as well as grow before crossing over into whatever came - or comes - next.

Unfortunately, I found these things only worked on the surface. I was bored for much of the book, unmoved, and felt that the commentary surrounding life and death was not only preachy and cliché but hackneyed. I realize I'm in the minority here but this one fell flat for me.

The story followed Wallace Price, an ornery and narcissistic attorney turned ghost, who had to come to grips with his death. Since his demise was quick, unexpected, he had a hard time accepting it at first. He was angry. He was in disbelief. His untimely death was unfair, yes, but at least he didn't have to process that alone. As he grew closer to Hugo, Mei, Nelson, and Apollo during his time in the tea shop, he was able to start to recognize all that he lost out on in life by keeping himself walled off from other people. He could learn to make more selfless choices, form connections, and reconcile to make the most of the time he had left, which he did.

I admit that I enjoyed the overall concept. It had wonderful potential. I think where it all fell apart for me was in the development of it, because not only did the plot feel drawn out to an infuriating degree (nothing much happened) but the humor ran stale and the philosophical answers to big questions were repetitive. They offered up nothing new. They didn't prompt any kind of prolonged reflection, which was disappointing.

The characters were one-note, too. So was much of the dialogue. Wallace went from petulant and selfish to considerate in a blink, Hugo had little personality besides being patient, self-sacrificing, or helpful; the big reveals were forgettable, and the romance fell out of thin air. Like, FLASH! And it was there. It had no development, no slow-build progression at all, and I admit I scratched my head a few times because I didn't understand how it got to be there. Let alone when it arrived in the first place.

It's not that I hated the book or anything. I just wanted to be ushered along--to be courted more than I was, is all. There wasn't enough nuance. I think the story would have benefited from either a faster-paced plot or more dynamic peeled-back characters. Other people are sure to take away a lot of warmth and sweetness from these pages, in fact, I hope they do, but this one just couldn't manage to steep me like a cup of honey tea.

2.5 stars

My earnest thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC.

Thank you @torbooks and @netgalley for my e-ARC

TJ Klune has done a masterful job weaving heart and sorrow together in this story about found family, death, and truly living. Your heart with break in the most beautiful way.

Out today it is worth picking up a copy and journey through with these characters and as Klune does entertained by the humor (yes you will laugh at times too!)

So. I cheated a bit. I have his first book on my TBR shelf due to all the outstanding reviews it received. When I requested #underthewhisperingdoor from #netgallery I without doubt expected to be denied. However. Much to my delight I was approved for this glorious novel. #tjklune has such a gift with writing. It sucks you in and transports you to another world. What happens when we die? Where do we go? What becomes of us after? In this beautifully written imaginary tale we find out after Wallace passes. Where he finds out or discovers the life that he was living wasn’t much of a life at all. With the help of Hugo and many other characters you will fall in love with Wallace discovers what life really should be about. #death #afterlife #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #netgalleyreview #bookrecommendations #readingaddict #netgalleyarc

You are bound to be seeing this book every where right now and for good reason! Books rarely bring me to tears, but this one had me full on sobbing at the end. Get ready for another beautiful book by @tjklunebooks that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.
This story is such a unique take on death and grief and while there is some very heavy subject matter that may not be for everyone, interspersed with these tough topics is a lot of humor and joy. The setting itself is so magical and I would love to stop into Hugo’s tea shop! I truly fell in love with all of these characters, especially the dog, Apollo. Oh Apollo❤️❤️❤️

Lots of great representation in this one, which I LOVE! I wanted to see more of the romance between Wallace and Hugo, but I did love how their relationship wraps up in the end. Not a lot happens in terms of plot or action, but that isn’t the point of this book. The heart and soul of this story are the characters and I felt like I knew each one intimately by the end. They will stay with me for a very long time.

This book will fill you with hope and remind you what life (and death) is really all about. Also, the cover is simply perfect❤️

I went in essentially blind to this one but I knew that I had to read it since I loved House in the Cerulean Sea so much. I also think synopses can't always capture how truly special a book is.

I love love love love this book. I don't really know how else to say it. The character growth over the course of this novel is amazing. The found family and friends that Wallace finally has are an excellent cast of characters. The side stories are phenomenal. The portrayal of the afterlife is nothing but happy. I cried all the tears. This book really warmed my heart.

Admittedly, the book starts off a little slow (for me) as Klune does his world building and introductions to the characters. But after about 50% in, I couldn't put it down. I was zoned in and nothing could distract me.

I highly recommend this book. In fact, I need to procure a physical copy for myself.

TJ Klune can do no wrong. This book was lovely, touching and philosophical. The writing is effortless to read, which allows your brain to contemplate life and death as TJ has created. His magic systems blend so perfectly into the story you forget he created them and he is so good at writing genuinely kind, loving and fun characters. The tea shop aspects specifically resonated with me as my family makes each other tea several times a day to show our love for each other. Klune was an instant buy author for me after the house in the cerulean sea, and this book is perfect for anyone who wants more.

Under the Whispering Door tackles a very heavy serious topic: death. Basically, there’s death, grief, and what comes next unpacked in this story. Honestly, if I hadn’t read The House in the Cerulean Sea and if this book wasn’t written by TJ Klune, I don’t know if I would read it considering the serious themes in it. But I’m so happy I didn’t miss this one.

This story is a journey. Wallace’s journey: alive, dead, and then to what comes next. I was hooked by the storytelling from the first page. Wallace was not a good person when he was alive and suddenly, very unexpectedly in his opinion, he is dead. He meets a reaper at his own funeral that takes him to the ferryman. The man who is going to help Wallace cross: Hugo. Hugo owns a tea shop in the middle of nowhere in the cutest house that remains intact defying gravity. The thing is… Wallace is not ready to abandon life and Hugo will help him through it, to get Wallace to where he needs to go.

TJ Klune is a master at creating amazing characters. The cast of characters in this book is fantastic. Wallace, the flawed lawyer that didn’t care for anyone other than himself and his job; Hugo, the ferryman with a huge heart and anxiety; Mei, the funniest, in your face, loud Reaper; Nelson the most mischievous, hilarious character ever and Apollo the clumsiest, sweetest dog. I loved every single one of these characters. All of them were so different from each other and yet they fit together perfectly. Wallace’s character growth while he was dead, the emotional journey, the connections he forges with other characters, how he falls in love with Hugo… everything was so well done. I couldn’t stop reading it. The story was beautifully written, it’s cozy and whimsical, sad and heartbreaking, funny and sweet, deep and emotional. I loved every second of it. The plot may be a little predictable but the journey is everything.

On a very personal level, as someone who doesn’t deal well at all with death, loss, and grief, Under the Whispering Door will stay with me for a long time. A must-read.

Is there more to life than work, sleep, repeat? Where do we go after we die? What comes next? TJ Klune's newest novel, Under the Whispering Door, addresses each of these deep questions.

Wallace Price attends his own funeral. There are very few other people in attendance and no one seems to see or hear him...until Mei looks right at him. Mei is a reaper and is there to take Wallace to the great beyond...or a tea shop called Charon's Crossing. Hugo, the owner of the tea shop and a ferryman, welcomes Wallace with a cup of peppermint tea that transports Wallace back to his childhood.

As Wallace begins to reflect on his life, he realizes that he never actually lived. Hugo, Nelson, Mei, and Apollo help Wallace realize what life is actually about: relationships. But, it's too late for Wallace. The Manager has arrived at the tea shop and tells Wallace that it's time to move on. What will Wallace do with the time that he has left?

Overall, this was an incredibly unique and original story. In typical Klune fashion, I quickly and easily fell in love with each of these characters and only wanted the best for them.

Favorite Quotes:
- "If we worry about the little things all the time, we run the risk of missing the bigger things"
- "What will you do with the time you have left?"

T.J. Klune's Under the Whispering Door is a complex work of contemporary fantasy which tells the story of recently deceased lawyer Wallace Price who struggles to understand life beyond the death of his uninspired and disappointing life as one of the living. His reaper Mei escorts him to a curious tea shop manned by the ferryman Hugo and his ghostly grandfather Nelson and ghost service dog Apollo. This was a "waiting station" for those like him, where he would need to come to terms with his death and be ready to move on to whatever came next. This was easier said than done, especially with his growing attraction to Hugo and grudging fondness for Mei, Nelson and Apollo.

The subject matter of Klune's most recent work is weighty and potent, and the author tries to infuse levity and whimsy in its treatment, even as he navigates difficult questions about life, death, living, the purpose of life, and so on. The moments of humour in the story do not detract from the gravity of its subject but serves to highlight the same. While grief and coming to terms with grief is one of the underlying themes of the novel, regret and repentance are key to the action of the story. To the age old moral dilemma, what is the point of being good or bad in life in the face of the inevitability of death, Under the Whispering Door offers the simple yet reassuring response: "Because it's YOUR life ... It is what you make of it."

Klune's prose is, as always, beautiful, immaculate, and impactful. I found the first half of the novel a little slow and laborious to work through, though I suspect it was due to the nature of the story the author is writing. In that regard, I found the pace and levels of complexity of writing mirroring the state of its protagonist's mind. As a work of contemporary fantasy, Under the Whispering Door straddles an odd and precarious line between realism and fantasy. Sometimes this works in its favour, sometimes it does not. I found the latter to be the case in Klune's depiction of characters other than the protagonist. Characters like Mei, Nelson and to some extent even Hugo, seem almost like exaggerated caricatures in action, with side characters like Desdemona, Norah and Alan seeming even more so that way. Curiously enough, it was in their individual interactions with Wallace, especially in moments of vulnerability or confidence, that these characters appeared more real, complex and relatable.

A few inconsistencies notwithstanding, Klune still succeeded in bringing to life a heartwarming story of love and redemption with a cast of memorable characters. Apollo the ghost dog was easily my favourite with Mei the knife-happy reaper coming a close second.

This book turned out to be one of my favorites and I'm not surprised, TJ Klune is one of my favorite authors and never fails to amaze me. I have no words to describe how beautifully written this book was, TJ managed to write it about death in the lightest, most respectful way possible.
I recommend it with my eyes closed.

There is something about how TJ Klune writes that draws you in and makes you feel and adore characters and found families which seem to be more so apparent in the last two books written.
I absolutely adore TJ Klune’s writing, more so in this book and The House on the Cerulean Sea, these books are written from the absolute depths of his heart and this comes across on the pages.
TJ Klune has written this so so well even though it is other end spectrum to that amazing house, to which I am certain that at points this book did make reference to it briefly.

I fell in love with TJ Klune’s writing and I hope to get my hands on much of his back list of books as a result of reading the latest two.
I would highly recommend this authors work and I myself pay no attention to the cancel culture that seems to keep rolling around, each to their own choices. I can’t recommend what I have read from this author enough.

Huge huge thanks and I can’t wait to see what sort of book comes next creeping over the horizon.

What an emotional and beautiful read. It really made me reflect about death and my own mortality and there was quite a few parts that made me chuckle. I haven't read anything by this author before but that'll definitely change starting now. Highly recommend this book!

I am not usually a fan of what you would call heartwarming stories, but something about the way Klune tells them is just enchanting. The characters are imperfect and precious. The romance is sweet and realistic. This is a lovely story much in the same vein as Klune's other works.

So TJ Klune is on my favorite authors list for sure now. I have read so many of his books this year and have enjoyed all of them. They are so unique and I love them. I need to figure out what I haven't read and read them lol.

This book was so fascinating about reapers, ferrymen, grumpy grandpas, the perfect tea, and a sweet love story.

I don't know what happens when people die, if they disappear, if their spirit just floats above their body and they have to go to a tea shop to find their way. But 4 year ago when I held my Dad as he took his last breath then just stared at him because he looked so different, so empty all of a sudden and cold. I stared up at the ceiling smiling at it in case he was floating or hovering. I walked the halls of the hospital smiling and telling happy stories of him. I am such a nerd but I didn't want my loving Daddy who never thought he did enough but always went above and beyond to think his pregnant baby daughter was upset. Even though I was in my 30s I was always the baby. He told me once that when he had a heart scare and we had to call an ambulance, that I was smiling and telling him everything was ok and I helped him to stay calm. He didn't know how I was hyperventilating and having an inner panic attack. My gift to him on his sudden last day was to let him rest easy.

Stories like this give me hope that we get to see our loved ones again and even if we may not have gotten to do what we wanted or got bogged down by life and didn't get to live a life that we should have maybe we get another chance in the afterlife. We might get to be who we want without all the societal norms and impacts and opinions. We can just be.

Also, thank you for saving all of those that live with fear and die by their own hands. Rewriting their narrative of where they go for their surviving loved ones. Fear is debilitating.

Thank you torbooks and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Any time author T.J. Klune releases a book, I am eager to read it. All of Klune's books have running themes about found family and acceptance. Under The Whispering Door, Klune's latest offering, explores similar topics. Like his other adult novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, the main character questions valuing work above relationships. Of course, in this novel, it's too late for Wallace. He's already dead. Although this book is about death (and begins with a trigger warning about suicide), the story is full of whimsy, with wonderful characters, and a powerful message about what life should be all about. I loved it.

What I liked:

Themes:

I can't help but think the pandemic influenced the author's message. At a time when we all are re-evaluating what's important to us, the book illustrates how people, driven to achieve material success, lose sight of what is truly meaningful in life: kindness, forgiveness, and connecting with others. Wallace may have been a wealthy lawyer in life, but (as his sparsely attended funeral indicates), no one will miss him in death.

Characters:

Wallace is an extremely unlikable person at the beginning of the book. He is outraged that few people go to his funeral, where his ex-wife goes on and on about what a terrible husband he was! When he is taken to Hugo's tea shop (a way station between earth and the beyond), he is predictably angry and rude to everyone. But I loved that he changed. By seeing how Hugo and Mei show unwavering patience and compassion for everyone who's journey brings them to the tea shop, Wallace starts to understand and forgive himself for his selfishness.

Hugo and Mei are humans, but they work to help recently deceased people transition to the Door (where people will go to the next step in their journey). They know that people who have died are in denial, are angry and will lash out. So they don't take it personally. But Mei is not all sugar and sunshine with living people. She can be rude, especially when she sees others being deceitful or cruel. But her righteous anger is done with lots of humor, so the reader can't help but love her!

Two other characters that I adored were Nelson, Hugo's grandfather, and Apollo, Hugo's dog. Both are ghosts, but refuse to go through the door because they want to stay and support Hugo. This was really so beautiful, and made me think about relatives of mine who have died. How comforting to think that they might stick around to watch over me. Both Nelson and Apollo offer up lots of comic relief as well.

Trigger Warning for Suicide:

The most serious moments in the book have to do with a character who has died by suicide. If you are not triggered by that topic, I think you will find that thread in the story to be moving. The character in question killed himself after his boyfriend dies from an illness. He just can't handle the pain. He also has to dig out of his self-loathing, and find a way to heal in order for him to move on. His pain made me cry, but his healing gave me hope.

I choose this book because I (like pretty much everyone) was totally enthralled with The House in The Cerulean Sea and it's happy whimsical story. If you're coming to this story for that same reason, please know it is a story totally different than that. The story is pretty deep and existencial. it really left me thinking about death and 'the afterlife'. It was a pretty interesting concept.

For the most of the book, I really had trouble connecting with the characters. I get morally grey, but many if them were either unlikeable or bland. I did start to connect more and care towards the middle of the books though.

While I did eventually find the book to be interesting and charming, it took SO LONG to get into the story (again, didn't really like the characters equals I did not really care about the story).
BUT once I got into it, there was a dark and intriguing story, some laugh out loud funny moments, love and interesting stories all thing place in a small town tea shop--as a girl with a dead childhood dog named Apollo and a belief in the absolute magic of tea, those part of the story felt special and moving to me.

While I didn't LOVE the book, I liked the story, the ferryman Hugo is amazing, and the ending did make me shed a tear. Overall, a worthwhile read for me!!

**I was absolutely thrilled to get this as an ARC and would read anything by TJ Klune, at this rate!! **

Yes, he thought maybe he mattered after all, a lesson in the unexpected. Wasn’t that the point? Wasn’t that the great answer to the mystery of life? To make the most of what you have while you have it, the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. In death, Wallace had never felt more alive.

This beautiful, heartfelt book made me feel all the emotions and it was such a pleasure to read it. After reading and falling in love with The House in the Cerulean Sea, I had to read this book. And while a completely different atmosphere from the other book, I love this book just as much. This book deals with heavy topics that readers should take into consideration; such as depression, suicide, death and loss and different forms of grief. It can be a lot understandably for some to read. I know this book was inspired by the loss of someone close to the author, and in a way this must have some form of a cathartic expression of grief.

The plot starts with Wallace Price, a not so nice man, who was a self absorbed lawyer focused only on his job and living without showing many emotions. After dying suddenly from a heart attack at work, he finds himself at his own funeral, where he’s met by a delightful reaper, Mei, who brings him to a tea shop to meet Hugo who owns the place but is also a ferryman, a person who helps people cross over. In addition to Hugo and Mei, Hugo’s deceased grandfather Nelson, and dog, Apollo live there as well.

Wallace is lost at first at the sudden change that comes with dying and goes through different stages of grief as he tries to make sense of what his life is now. Through the book he grows tremendously, and it’s such a delight to see. He learns quite simply, how to be a better person. To not be selfish and think of others. And it’s often bittersweet to see him look back at his life realizing all the time he wasted not truly living. It really makes one ponder how much are we making of the life we have. And that doesn’t mean necessarily expensive or flashy things. But more so personal relationships with others and are we genuinely feeling fulfilled. Wallace learns a lot from Hugo, Mei, and Nelson on what it is to exist when you are no longer alive.

Hugo, sweet, patient Hugo. He truly cares for other and is so incredibly empathetic. As part of his job as the ferryman, he can’t really stray to far from the tea shop because people will constantly be needing him, and despite not being able to see more of the world as he’d like to, he still focuses on what he has and remained a kind person. Despite Wallace being rude to him when he first came, Hugo never shows a sign of him taking anything personally and continues to show kindness, as he slowly breaks Wallace’s walls down. The two of them grow closer and close and it’s painful and sweet all at once, because of the gap of life and death between them.

This book has become close to my heart very quickly, and I hope others enjoy it the same way I did.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions stated here are my own.

i am crying and can’t form a coherent review but just know that this book feels like a warm hug and will make you feel everything all at once

cw: death, grief, loss of a child, cancer, suicide