I found this novel entertaining, sweet, and heartwarming.

It was kind of book I enjoyed more and more as time went on, which feels like a great rush of good vibes towards the end.

Probably not something I would reread, but definitely something I would recommend to a friend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. It is no surprise that I loved this one just as much as I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea. The second I saw the cover and read the description, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. TJ Klune writes stories about LGBTQ+ characters in a time where it is desperately lacking in traditional publishing (although I am hopeful the tables are on their way to leveling out). In what could come off as cheesy, unconvincing, and far-fetched (as they are in other stories) Klune creates believable, inspiring, exhilarating characters. These characters felt real in a story filled with magic at its core. These characters are not archetypes of people; they feel real. So this does not turn into a complete gush fest I will say this one took me longer to read than anticipated and is a slow-moving book. It is absolutely character-driven (not to say it isn't backed by a fantastic plot), and, at over 350 pages, the pacing does slow tremendously in parts. I liked the slow pacing but I realize that it will not be for everyone. If you liked The House in the Cerulean Sea, you will most likely enjoy this one as well. Another feel-good book to add to my shelves!

4.5 stars.
There were a lot of important thoughts and ideas in this story. However, it didn't have that all-consuming story feeling that pulls you in until the end.
Really worth the read though.

This is the second book I’ve read from this author, and it was as enjoyable as the first. Death and grief are handled in such a lovely and also humorous manner. TJ Klune is a new favourite author for me.

I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea despite going into it with reservations.. I didn’t think it would live up to the hype and it totally did. So with this book, I was both excited and deeply afraid it would be bad because my expectations for this author are now so high.

I’m so glad to report that Under the Whispering Door was also SO GOOD!

There is something whimsical about the story that, despite all the heaviness of death and grief and humanity and ghosts, it was just so sweet and heartwarming.

I am not really a squishy, emotional, or relatively nice to everyone type of person and sometimes I think books that are supposed to make me feel emotional seem obvious, fake, or otherwise contrived. Whimsical books can often be too over the top for me and I just get aggravated by the cuteness, so when I say that Under the Whispering Door was both whimsical and emotional, I mean it in a good way.. it felt authentically itself, like I was peering into the lives of the beings in the story without feeling like the author was trying to push anything at me like LOOK HOW CUTE THIS IS, FEEL SOMETHING!

The House in the Cerulean Sea was the same way for me, so it must be something about the way this author tells his stories. I don’t know what it is, but I’m here for it! Maybe it’s because I am the grumpy one that I like when grumpy characters can find groups of friends while still being grumpy? I don’t know.

I genuinely enjoyed every characters, from grumpy Wallace to the lovable ghost dog. I loved the mythology and the way things weren’t necessarily how we’d expect. I highly recommend this one and am so glad I purchased the Authentic anniversary box so I can have a physical copy, too.

I loved the Extraordinaries and Flash Fire by TJ Klune, so I was so excited when NetGalley and Tor gave me an eARC of his new book Under the Whispering Door in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, this one missed the mark for me. The book is a about Wallace, who starts out as an asshole who is a horrific caricature of a greedy lawyer. Seriously, it’s like the author’s only experience of what a lawyer is is from the “Single Female Lawyer” show on Futurama. Anyway, Wallace dies, and meets a Reaper and a Ferryman who are supposed to help him move on to the next plain of existence. Then, in an utterly unconvincing manner, Wallace changes his entire character and becomes a good person and also falls in love with the Ferryman. Finally, in a completely unearned development that upends the core premise of the book, Wallace is resurrected to live happily ever after. Of all of the ghosts we encounter or hear of in this book, Wallace is the least deserving of resurrection - what about young Lea?

If this had been a novella, maybe I could’ve been convinced to like it, but this book was incredibly long and drawn out and just draaaaaaged. It was well written, and I like the author a lot, and will totally read his next book, but this one did not work for me. Your mileage may vary.

How could a book about the death of a miserable jerk of a man make me cry so much? I'm not exactly sure, but TJ Klune pulled it off in Under the Whispering Door.

This is the story of Wallace, a lawyer who is a selfish, workaholic who suddenly finds that he has died. Wallace is OUTRAGED that he is dead.

Mei, one of the few people who can see him, collects him from his funeral and takes him to a tea shop owned and operated by Hugo. Hugo is also a ferryman who helps ghosts cross over to the next part of their journey. In the tea shop we also meet Hugo's grandad Nelson, and Hugo's dog Apollo.

The book takes us on Wallace's journey through coming to terms with his death, and his path to what will come next for him.

All the characters were unique, and sweet, and all help Wallace on his road to recognizing his new "life" path. I really enjoyed this book, especially after about the halfway point. I chuckled at some of the scenarios, I actually laughed out loud at one scene that was just so unexpected to me; and yes, I cried, quite a lot for me, toward the end.

4.25 stars for me. :)

Such a wonderful wholesome book, I really enjoyed this and loved the development of the characters throughout as the story progressed. If you want to read something that will make you smile and give you a bit of perspective about life, love and 2nd chances then this is the perfect book to pick up.

Some time ago I began to immerse myself in the world of TJ Klune books and I have to say that, of the books I read by the author, this is my favorite.
"Under the whispering door" is a beautiful book that talks about life and death. It is a paranormal adventure full of love and tenderness, but it also talks about pain and the importance of letting go.
The main characters are two polar opposites. Wallance is rigid, has a difficult personality and a asshole, while Hugo is someone calm, kind, who loves his work, but has a very heavy bourden on his shoulders. Although at first they have problems living together, they will realize that they are not as different as they think.
The supporting characters are a lot of fun with beautiful backstories that you can get attached to right away. I really liked the variety of personalities, although if you have read the author's books, you are probably familiar with his style.
Something I want to highlight is the world that was built around death, it is wonderful how all the fantastic elements intermingle with the real world and how they support the development of Wallance. Also, the way the book is written allows you to connect with it very easily.
If you've read "The house in the cerulean sea" and "Wolfsong" my opinion is that "Under the whispering door" are somewhere between the two. It's sweet and fun, but there's also action and a tough story behind it.
The book, of course, has some details, especially the first chapters in which he gave me the feeling that he could not find the tone, but I loved it. 4.5 / 5.

Overall, I didnt enjoy this one as much as "House in the Cerulean Sea." It became very repetitive, not much happening for a lot of the book, and felt a bit dragging because of this. However, I did really enjoy the concepts of life and death and afterlife in this book - I just wish there had been more transitioning people/spirits rather than so much time spent on just Wallace and Hugo.

When I was eleven and afraid of death, I read C.S. Lewis’s The Final Battle, and that gave me a positive way to look at death. Now, almost fifty years later, I no longer have the faith of that preteen, but TJ Klune’s Under the Whispering Door has given me a comforting book about death and dying which is just as much about how to live, and it is comforting even though I no longer believe in a hereafter.

Klune’s vast gift for empathy and kindness infuses his books with an optimism that does not overlook the pains and perils of life; rather, Klune celebrates the possibilities of change and growth within clearly flawed people, and he’s fast becoming one of my favorite authors. In Under the Whispering Door, Wallace, the protagonist, starts as one of those people you love to hate: a workaholic unmotivated by even the slightest degree of concern for his fellow man (or woman)—the worst kind of lawyer. While the losses in life were insufficient for him to make any changes, the loss of control in death makes him face what kind of person he was.

Don’t get me wrong; there’s no unrealistic, cloyingly sweet arc here. It’s all very grounded in the real world, and there’s a lot of pain felt by various characters that can be achingly familiar. However, it’s a hopeful world, where change is still possible, a wonderful vision in our increasingly polarized society.

Then there’s the view of death and dying itself. While I’m clearly not saying anything Klune propounds in his fantasy is literally true, the ideas behind them often resonate with me, providing a lot of comfort. I particularly like the view of faith, which has nothing to do with the kind of faith preached to me for years, but a more accessible faith that reflects experience.

And, of course, it’s just a damn good story, with love, loss, and longing (hmm—didn’t plan on alliteration, but I’m going to leave it) all written in lucid prose with a pace that made me want to keep reading even when I had other things to do.

TJ Klune is a master of the optimistic fantasy, but never in ways I expect it to be, and never in contexts where I expect optimism, and it’s a gift to every reader, and Under the Whispering Door is a book I expect to reread many times.

To be published later this month at bibliostatic.com

“… in a tea shop so far from everything he’d know, he felt a great wave of sadness for all that he’d had, and all that he’d lost.”

Oh my, Under the Whispering Door is just heart-wrenching and happy making all in one big rainbow of a book!

Because the primary theme is death, it sounds a bit weird to say that this touched me in a happy place but it did and all while giving me a snotty weep a time or two. The characters are so gorgeously developed but especially that of Wallace, who is cold, structured and unemotional. Watching his journey was a thing of beauty; he makes such astounding discoveries about himself, life, love and living – all while learning what it means to be part of something bigger than himself – primarily friendship and family.

As with Klune’s previous work, there is whimsy and enchantment throughout and the world created is magical but not without hardship and lessons. This is probably the shortest review I’ve ever written but I think it’s something a reader/listener needs to experience for themselves. Just know that, for me, Under the Whispering Door will be right next the The House on the Cerulean Sea as one of my favorite books of all time.

I listened to part of Under the Whispering Door and narrator, Kirt Graves does a spectacular job bringing the characters to life. He’s an absolute delight to listen to!

My thanks to @MacMillan.Audio for the #Gifted ALC and to @TorBooks for the DRC.

TJ Klune's "Under the Whispering Door" is a beautifully sad and occasionally funny story about grief and loss.

TJ Klune is not for me. I read House in the Cerulean Sea and it was a big let down. This sometimes can happen to me when a book is hyped on bookstagram. Then came Under the Whispering Door and it sounded like Cerulean Sea was just a solitary miss, it wasn't.

Much like Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door felt basic. It felt like a story I had heard or read over and over. Some people may be distracted by the flowery or fantasy angle but I was not. In addition to that, I made it to 34% in and literally NOTHING had happened, it was literally the same exact explanation or question/answer of the "in between" world. I could not continue.

I'm undecided if I'm going to post my thoughts on my bookstagram account.

Under the Whispering Door Book Review
Rating: 4 / 5 starts

Memorable quotes:
-The first time you share tea, you are a stranger. The second time you share tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share tea, you become family.
- Hugo was important. Not because he was a ferryman, but because he was Hugo.

Book Details:
-Fantasy
-LTBTQ+ and mental health rep
-author of House on the Cerulean Sea and The Extraordinaries

Pacing / Atmosphere
The book started out a bit slow, in my opinion, and was just a bit of a slower paced book. However, that also helped create the atmosphere of the book, which I thought was well done. It had a similar vibe to Cerulean Sea while also being a bit more serious at times (due to the subject matter). Though it also throws in humor at times as well.

Mental Health Rep
I really appreciate the way grief is portrayed in this novel, because it focuses on the MC’s grief at the loss of his own life, which is different from many other books. It had a lot of messages about that and what makes life worth living.

Characters
The MC did annoy me quite a bit at the beginning, which did contribute to the slow start. However, that was also intentional, as a main plot point of the book is supposed to be his growth throughout the story. And I really enjoyed some of the other characters as well.

Overall
If you enjoyed Cerulean Sea, I think you will enjoy this book. There are certain differences that make this book a little less upbeat at times, but it maintains the atmosphere Cerulean Sea also had. And, like that novel, manages to mix humor, fantasy, and real world issues.

TW: grief / loss, health concerns (e.g. heart attack), death of child, suicide, mental health concerns

One of my most anticipated reads of the year. It delivers on expectations but doesn’t provide the same degree of warm fuzzies as The House in the Cerulean Sea.
For fans looking for that same experience, on the surface there are many elements similar to Cerulean Sea. It’s a comedic, endearing, mostly feel good story centered around a cozy setting, characters to love, and a quiet and tender queer romance. However, this novel reads very different; it’s more philosophical and character driven.

I’d describe this book as a meditation on life and death while the author calls it a comedy about grief. There’s quite a bit of humor and lessons to learn and not a lot of story. It provides more of a feeling of a deep conversation with friends. I’m hesitant to compare, but I kept thinking of the philosophical messages of Mitch Albom, The Alchemist, and The Midnight Library, if they were injected with lighthearted humor and endearing whimsy and charm.

I loved Klune’s brand of humor and symbolism… that Wallace’s life ends when his heart stops but one could argue his heart never worked. That he learns how to live in death. That souls run from death, from reality, and become husks/shells of themselves. A reminder that there are anchors connecting you to guidance needed to grow and move forward… it’s all a wonderful message in a delightful package. I also love that Klune’s romances are just there, subtle in the background, versus a driving story point. It makes them feel so tender and realistic.

I enjoyed Under the Whispering Door quite a bit though my heart is less attached to it than his prior book in this “series”.

We follow the story of Wallace Price, an arrogant, unlikeable lawyer who dies unexpectedly of a heart attack. Wallace, now a ghost, attends his funeral only to discover (to his shock only) that only his ex-wife and named partners in his law firm have attended…and they’re not so sad to see him go.

This is a story about coming to terms with death, living a full life while you can without taking it for granted, and the lasting impression/ legacy left once we depart this life and enter the next; how do we want those to remember us once we’ve gone?

This started out strong and had me laughing out loud in the beginning. I’ve only read one other book by Klune (The House in the Cerulean Sea), which I adored, and like that book, this one had Klune’s signature charm, humour and quirky character!.

However, as this progressed, I started to get bored. I understood what the message this book was offering early on so things started to feel a bit repetitive and cliché (yes, Wallace is discovering he wasn’t that great of a person [an asshole tbh], yes, he was to accept his fate and face his past, etc.). It wasn’t that I didn’t like the book, it was cute, charming and funny with a good message overall, but it was just too drawn out for my liking.

3.5 Stars

This is a story unlike any that I have read before.
It follows Wallace Price, a workaholic lawyer with a mean streak. Wallace Price only thinks of himself and only does things that benefit him. He is cynical and selfish....until he finds himself at his own funeral.
From there Wallace takes a journey to a tea shop in the middle of the forest where he get more than he bargained for.

This is a story of life, death, love, and growth. Truly a gorgeous tale of learning from your mistakes and that it is never too late to change. I laughed, cried, and fell in love with all the quirky characters.

TJ Klune has a knack of writing characters that feel real and that you cannot help but love. He is talented in storytelling and creating tales that are so unique.

TJ Klune can do no wrong! This book was fun, heartwarming, thoughtful, and makes a subject that is typically morbid and depressing into a beautiful tale.

“The first time you share tea, you are a stranger. The second time you share tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share tea, you become family.”

How do you succinctly compile your thoughts about a story this special? It’s impossible.

I am genuinely in so much pain right now; I can’t remember the last time that a book touched my very soul like how Under the Whispering Door did. I already know that this is going to be my go-to recommendation - I have absolutely no critiques. It completely broke me in half, shattering my heart into tiny pieces, and then repaired it…but that crack is always going to be there. I think that I will be thinking about this book for the rest of my life. The only thing I can say is prepare yourself going in. Under the Whispering Door is sweet, cozy, and whimsical, but it talks about extremely heavy topics. It’s all about death (and life thereafter), loss of a loved one, grief management, and self-discovery and analysis.

While this is a story centered around death, it is primarily focused on life - it’s interwoven through the very veins of this work. We follow Wallace - a ghost, who, frankly, was a terrible person in his life. And through his death, he truly starts living again - perhaps for the first time. And it’s because he’s finally in an environment where he can just *be.* that’s a testament to the incredible cast that surrounds him at the Tea House. Hugo is the glue that holds this troupe together, but this story would be nothing without Mei, Nelson, and Apollo. Each of them are complex and completely fleshed out. You can’t help but be drawn to them. Nelson is BY FAR my favorite character. Not only does he get to have the best one-liners, but he serves as that source of levity.

Even through my (plentiful) tears, I couldn’t stop laughing. Klune’s signature charm and wit is present through this entire story and it’s just captivating. I could and will read ANYTHING that he writes just so I can lose myself in his worlds all over again.


Under the Whispering Door is a masterpiece, plain and simple. It deserves all of the praise that it will no-question receive and I can’t wait to share this journey with everyone else. There isn’t a star rating that’s worthy. Just read this.