(4.75/5) 'Under the Whispering Door' is one of those rare books that somehow evoke more emotion with each month that passes since I've read it.

At first, I had a sinking feeling that I was going to be disappointed. Klune is pretty hyped, and I'd fallen in love with his book 'The Extraordinaries' (my review here!) near-instantly. While UtWD was amusing, I wasn't feeling much beyond positive-neutral. And yet! Somehow, and I can't even pinpoint when exactly (that's how organic this was), I looked up partway through and realised that I adored these characters and that I had loved them for a while. Sneaky! UtWD is, I suppose, more character-driven, but the plot twisted unexpectedly several times in ways hilarious, terrifying, infuriating and hopeful.I loved that there was a kind of mystery subplot, less a whodunnit and more an 'OMG there's a lot more going on here than we thought'.

If you're a fan of found-family, dogs and/or slow-burn romance you'll probably enjoy UtWD a lot. Oh...now I want to cry again. Speaking of, keep tissues handy! I definitely sobbed a few times and I actually procrastinated reading the last 25% because I feared my heart was not up to the task. I really wasn't sure how the ending would go as each possibility I thought of seemed plausible plot- and theme-wise...and that was terrifying.

I'm a fan of epilogues but the one in UtWD seemed a tad long to me (I think I had this issue with Chloe Gong's 'Our Violent Ends' too). Perhaps it's just me though! Sometimes I'd also find the dialogue came across a little overwrought or unnatural, but this was really very minor.

This book is one that slowly sank into my heart and left its mark. It's a thoroughly engaging read with a winning group of characters and so, so, SO many emotions.

Oooo liked this one a lot, defo an author to look out for in the future, loved the blurb and really liked the book too, one I’d recommend to others for sure

Unfortunately I just couldn't connect with this book, it felt like it covered similar ground/vibes as Cerulean Sea (which I loved) but without the same charm.

A story of loss and death but told in the most beautiful way. Even though this was a dark subject matter it didn’t really feel it whilst reading.
It was uplifting and emotional and deeply moving. Through the loss there was love and through the devastation there was hope.
Beautifully written and set in a wonderful tea shop which I would’ve loved to visit.
The characters were relatable and all brought something different to the story. Nelson had to be my favourite character, with his smart mouth!
Great read which I would highly recommend.

I loved it so much. I'm not crying, you are.
The best bunch of characters. Loved the story. Sob sob sob

Thanks to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and Kline for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

I adored The House in the Cerulean Sea. I have so much love for it that when I saw Under the Whispering Door I requested so fast I think I gave myself whiplash.

The characters are beautiful. Klune just has this knack for being able to make me feel somewhat attached to his characters, they are so real in that they are flawed, but the redemption in this novel is so flawlessly built that the character feels realistic.

I adore the complexity and thought that Klune puts into each and every single book, I think Klune will forever be an auto-read author for me.

An absorbing heartwarming, heartbreaking tale.

An enjoyable read though I thought it was a tad longer than it needed to be.

I enjoy the kind of soft reading experience I have with Klune's books, and although it does deal with the serious topic of death there is something delightfully hopeful about the story he weaves. However, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as House in the Cerulean Sea, as it's follow up this didn't feel as original as if I'd maybe read this first. The formula was similar, down and out man meets a group of quirky, unique characters that show him that he was living his life wrong this whole time. There's nothing wrong with that, but it did make it more predictable and therefore less exciting. Our main character changed very fast, maybe a little too fast, as he was on one page horrible and the next a healed changed man (he did not deserved the romance because that man was way too nice for him but alas). These are my only criticisms. Otherwise I enjoyed the conversations about death, I loved the side characters more than our protagonist, and thought it was a fun, wholesome, emotional read. If you liked Klune's previous novels, I'd say you'd have a good time with this, but anyone should be warned due to the heavy nature of the topic some part of the plot could be quite triggering and that should definitely be mentioned when recommending this book.

I fell in love with T J Klunes writing when I read Cerulean Sea and this has just cemented my love for him as an author!

This book had me gripped from page one and I growled at everyone who tried to interrupt my reading.

I can’t wait to see what else he releases!

This was moving, emotional, cosy fantasy with great character arcs and a creative plot. It was a little slow to get started but the prose was beautiful and captivating.

I liked the story it told for the most part but i wasn't completely sold on it. The writing was not totally there for me which is a shame as the characters were interesting and i liked the scenarios created by Klune. I thought Wallace Price had a really interesting journey and it was well-paced and i liked how his relationships developed over the course of the novel.

Having read so many fantastic reviews of House on the Cerulean Sea the opportunity to read the second book by the author was so tempting.
This is an unusual and highly original plot. Wallace Price has died - he wasn’t old or remarkable and there are very few mourners at his funeral - he can tell you that because he was there! Wallace finds himself at a tea shop where he meets a number of curious individuals and a dog. These characters all perform various support roles in relation to moving dead people on to the next phase…
This is quirky, funny, fascinating, life affirming and totally imaginative however I found it a bit overlong ..almost metaphorical it felt like the metaphor had been overworked. At times i loved it : at times I got stuck and felt it was never going to end. I also felt that psychologically being stuck after death felt a difficult place to be which surprised me.
There are some gorgeous scenes and wonderful humour - in particular I loved the visit of the medium!
With grateful thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for a digital copy of this book.

When workaholic Wallace Price is collected by a reaper from his own funeral, he finally accepts that he really must be dead. But instead of being taken to the afterlife, Wallace is led far away to a peculiar tea shop in the woods. There he meets the curious locals along with Hugo, the shop owner who helps souls to cross over.

But Wallace isn’t ready to leave his strange new home, not now he’s met the kind and charming Hugo and is just starting to feel alive. So when he’s given one week to pass on, Wallace resolves to use the time he has left to experience a lifetime in only seven days.

I received a gifted, advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via Black Crow PR.

Under the Whispering Door is the second of T. J. Klune's books I have read and I think I've found my new favourite author!!
This is an emotional, quiet but powerfully hitting book about grief, finding your place in the world and healing.
The author covered a tall order of topics in this book but I feel he did so with grace, compassion and understanding.
We first meet Wallace at the beginning of the book and I must say he started off as a very unpleasant man! After firing an employee for a very trivial thing, he suffers a heart attack and dies. When he awakes he has a very unpleasant realisation that he is dead, and that he is at his own funeral as a bystander. Only five people are in attendance and not one person is sad about his passing.
He meets Mei who is a reaper and Mei takes Wallace to Hugo's tea shop. Hugo is a bit of a surprise to Wallace as he's not what he was expecting by any means. The pair are tethered to each other and this is where the story really gets going.
This book made me laugh until I cried, cry until I ran out of tissues and gave me an overwhelming experience from start to finish. I urge everyone to read these books as there is something to be learned from each one.
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One of the best books I've read this year. Moving, emotional, imaginative and ultimately full of heart. It's been one of my favourite things to recommend through Christmas and it led me to read his other works. An absolute gem.

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.

Thank you so much to Tor Books for an early digital copy of this book.

I think this is possibly my all time favourite book. I LOVED the characters, the writing, the setting, the story and the lyricism. Don’t get me wrong, this tackles some really tricky subject matters including death, grief, suicide amongst others but it does it in such a beautiful manner. The story has stuck with me since I read it, and I continue to pick it up to reread my favourite quotes several weeks later.

What Klune does so well is the character arcs and moral journeys of ordinary if slightly morally grey characters in a way that important topics are explored in great detail. By the end, the grumpy main characters settle into your heart and you learn to love them despite all their flaws. This was no different, and, having dealt with family death from a very young age myself, this perfectly explained exactly how I feel towards the topic - it vocalises my thoughts on loss and grief and coming to terms with that.

I cannot recommend this book enough and it has my whole heart in my favourites of all time list.

A must-read for those who loved The House in the Cerulean Sea; Under the Whispering Door is a delightfully cosy fantasy with such lovely queer characters. This is a book to pull on the heart-strings and you will love it all the more.

This is the first book I've read by TJ Klune but it won't be my last. I enjoyed the writing style and how it felt very wholesome but also explored deeper themes around death and grief.

I loved the way the character relationships were developed and there were a few moments that almost made me cry.

The only thing that prevented me from giving it 5 stars was I felt there were a few pacing issues, especially towards the end.

Wallace Price is arguably not a good man, and receives the shock of his life when he dies and watches over his own funeral before being taken to the Ferryman to cross over into the next life. But being Wallace, he doesn’t want to just yet.

T. J. Klune’s previous novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, was one of my favourite books of 2021 and Under the Whispering Door is headed in that same direction for 2022.

I love the writing style, the fleshed out characters, the representation, the queer relationships, the humorous moments, the heartfelt moments and so much more.

I would highly recommended!