Queer romance novel about life, death and what lies between

Content warning: death

I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher.

“Under the Whispering Door” BY TJ Klune is a queer speculative fiction romance novel about a man called Wallace who has died. A lawyer by trade, Wallace’s initial instinct is to try to negotiate with the reaper who has been assigned to him about how to get back to his old life. However, when he finds himself at a strange tea shop run by a man called Hugo, Wallace begins to realise that while his old life was actually not that fulfilling, he is not quite ready to cross over.

Coincidentally, I have been reading a few books that grapple with the afterlife and the question of what lies beyond. This was overall a very enjoyable one. Klune is excellent at a slow-burn romance, and in that respect it is as delicate as the other book of his I’ve read. Wallace is the quintessential corporate lawyer but somehow Klune’s take on his character development feels fresh and original. This book radiates with warmth, and I enjoyed the tenderness that developed between Wallace, Hugo, reaper Mei, Hugo’s grandfather Nelson and, of course, a ghost dog called Apollo. I also liked how Klune set out the many rules of how the crossing over process is supposed to work, and promptly begins breaking them with wild abandon. I am very passionate about improving bad rules, and lots of bad rules are improved in this book.

One of the only things that frustrated me about this book was how frequently the characters say that Mei is an excellent (albeit inexperienced) reaper, when everything in the plot appears to suggest otherwise. I found her maddeningly vague, the few dead people she brought to the teashop seemed extremely unhappy about it and she seemed extremely quick to lose her temper with anyone who didn’t live in the teashop. The budding romance suffered a little for a bit too much tell and not quite enough show. Apart from being a device for adding tension, the reason why Mei was able to touch ghosts but not Hugo was never really explained. In fact there seemed to be a lot of inconsistencies about what ghosts could and couldn’t do, especially when it came to Apollo the dog.

Nevertheless, an enjoyable and sweet story about finding the biggest joy in the smallest pockets of life.

What a wonderful book! While Klune's take on the afterlife does not follow the typical Christian ideas of Heaven and Hell, it does present a wonderful concept. Hugo is a Ferryman and Mei is his Reaper, and their job is to help the recently deceased to the afterlife. When Desmond dies, he is confused and angry, but once he meets Hugo, things slowly begin to change for the better. Desmond goes from being an unkind, unfeeling person to something quite different while staying with Hugo, Mei, Hugo's grandfather, and Apollo, Hugo's dog.

This amazing, touching novel will make you look at life a bit differently not only while you read, but afterward as well. This is an amazing addition to any library!

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

TW: Death (mentioned, never graphically shown), passing on, emotional abuse (mentioned), suicide (mentioned), death of parent/s (mentioned), brain damage

In The House In The Cerulean Sea, Seanan McGuire wrote "This book is very close to perfect."

If only they read Under the Whispering Door.

This book is faultless. I cannot flaw it at all. I cannot even put into words just how much I loved this world, the story, the characters and the thoughtful ways T.J Klune wrote about passing on. The story made me contemplate so many things pertaining to life and death, it also made me smile, laugh and at times, it even got my eyes filling up with tears from the sheer emotion riveting off the pages.

Under the Whispering Door follows Wallace Price, a cold hearted partner of a very successful law firm. He has the world in his hands until, one day, his heart gives up and he finds himself at his own funeral where he is told he is dead. He gets taken to Charon's Crossing, a stop-over for ghosts like him to pass over into the next stage of their life.

We quickly meet Hugo, Nelson, Apollo and Mei, all characters who, like Wallace, I didn't necessarily like at the start. But also, similarly to Wallace, I ended up loving them at the end. I believe my connection or relationship to the characters mirrored Wallace's which I think was intentional to show the subtle changes in how Wallace viewed the world and situation around him. I loved how it also was done in such an unnoticeable way that I didn't even know my perceptions of the characters were changing. That in itself is a testament to the calibre of T.J Klune's writing.

Wallace was my favourite character. His characterisation jumped off the page from the very start. He was unique and fun to read about even when he was alive and grouchy. Some of his dialogue got me laughing out loud especially during the funeral scene. Poor Wallace, it was unfortunate that only five people showed up for the ceremony.

Nelson became my second favourite character (although to be fair, he tied with Hugo, Mei, Apollo, Cameron and Desdemona). I found him annoying at first but he quickly grew on me with his practical jokes and how he got everyone fooled (me included) when he first met Wallace in Charon's Crossing. With Mei, I wasn't sure I'd like her that much but she also grew on me too especially with her death metal music that "was enough to raise the dead." I loved seeing her backstory and her off-page relationship with her mother. I felt empathetic towards her and I think that scene only made me love her badass character even more.

Hugo had a really sad backstory that made me cry at times. Especially with Lea and Nancy. I'll leave that area spoiler free but if you're not crying by the end of that passage, you haven't read the book right. Cameron, although appearing only briefly in the book, was responsible for one of the most powerful scenes in Under the Whispering Door, I teared up and I loved how Klune incorporated flashbacks into his narrative. I was so impressed with the ending of Cameron's arc and I was happy he got what he wanted in the end. I hope he found who he was looking for.

The other element I found interesting was the way the story was told in general. The book covered a lot of heavy themes such as death, dying and passing on but never was it dark or difficult to read about. It was told both in philosophical ways yet with a lightheartedness and humour that helped make this book a feel-good read. But death wasn't just what this book was about. It was about family, living and making use of the time you have left. Making sure that you lived a life worth dying for.

Under the Whispering Door is a book that is as close to perfection as you can get. It's one of my favourites–if not, my favourite read of 2021 so far and I would recommend it highly to everyone. If you've read The House In the Cerulean Sea and enjoyed it, I think you'll like this just as or even more.

(note: I recommend you read The House in the Cerulean Sea before reading Under the Whispering Door, there are some minor references to THITCS but I reckon you can still enjoy the book without reading it).

ACTUAL RATING: 5 STARS

I adored this book. I love how the themes of death, grief and after life was handled, TJ Klune did a fantastic job of world building and highlighting the fact that it is never to late.
I loved all the characters and how they interacted with each other and the world.

Under the Whispering Door, by TJ Klune, is dull, cloying, and far too impressed with itself. Similar in tone and characterization to The House in the Cerulean Sea to the point of being frankly repetitive for anyone who has read both, this book fails to provide anything interesting in plot, characters, or world-building. With a little dash of ableism, racism, and slut shaming, TJ Klune has wildly missed the mark on this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by TJ Klune and it won't be the last. Under the Whispering Door is a poignant tale about life and death and the consequences of choices we make along the way. Filled with memorable characters, a cozy little tea shop, and a slow-burn romance, the novel has proven itself to be a poignant tale that faces death and the stages of grieving head on. Are we creatures who are capable of change? Do the chances we take (or don't) in life define us? I know I will be thinking about the themes tackled in this book for some time to come. Worth the read!

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, TJ Klune released a sci-fi book I loved. I don’t know how he gets me to not only read a genre I’m not a fan of but LOVE it! He’s seriously an incredible writer. Once again he made a book I adore most of the characters. And this was a heavy character driven story. I was emotionally destroyed by the end. Once again, a FANTASTIC read that I recommend to anyone with a soul.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🪦It takes dying for Wallace to truly learn what it means to live.

👍🏼Klune has a way with words. I absolutely adore the way he writes dialogue. He gets me crying and laughing all throughout.

👎🏼A minor complaint really but I prefer to see a romance unfold as opposed to being told it did.

✅Well written and thought provoking. This book is heavy and trigger warnings abound but Klune has really mastered the art of writing heavy topics in a unique way that somehow has both levity and great depth. I’m still thinking about this one and probably will be for a while. A great discussable book!

Thank you so much @netgalley and @torbooks for the ebook, it was such a pleasure to read ❤️

My Review:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/ 5 stars

Under the Cerulean Sea was one of my favorite books of 2020 and I was very excited to read this new book by TJ Klune. I absolutely love his writing - and the elaborate and colorful world building.

Wallace Price was a miserable human being - nearly hated by everyone who knew him. Until he dies and reflects on his life as a ghost at his funeral. A reaper named Mei shows up three days late to escort him to the “ferryman” named Hugo. The “ Ferryman” eases a spirit into the next phase of the afterlife no matter how long it takes for them to move on and go “home” by entering a mysterious door in the ceiling of Hugo & Mei’s teahouse. This location serves almost as a way station for ghosts to transfer them to the next part of their existence. However, Wallace soon realizes he is finally living his best life after his death, truly appreciating and enjoying the company of his friends, including his blossoming feelings for Hugo.

Klune’s main characters are always so charismatic - even when they are not supposed to be. The love & romantic scenes are perfectly subtle, earnest, and honest. Even though there are paranormal elements regarding the afterlife and ghosts, Klune writes in a way that makes it seem completely normal to see your body after you are dead at your own funeral. Completely loved it!

Thank you to Tor Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to netgalley and torbooks for the free E-arc in exchange for a honest review!

Wow! Wow! Wow! TJ Klune does it again! I read The House in the Cerulean Sea just a few months ago and it made me feel all the things…I honestly feel like I smiled by whole way through that book! Anyways, this book was no different! There were plenty of laughs and lots of moments where I was teary eyed. TJ Klune is absolutely an auto read author for me and quickly becoming a favorite of mine. His writing reminds me a lot of Fredrik Backman in the sense that he makes you feel and makes you question/think about things.

Just go read this, NOW! It gets all the stars from me!!

I was a little nervous about reading this because I loooooved The House in the Cerulean Sea, but I didn't need to be. This was still very good and probably cemented TJ Klune's adult novels as auto-reads for me. That said, this is very different from his prior novel, but yet the heart is definitely still there. It was a little slow in the beginning which keeps it from being a 5 star read.

Under the Whispering Door tells the story of Wallace Price who is taken to a peculiar tea shop in the woods after he is collected by a reaper. The owner of the shop, Hugo, is a ferryman who helps souls cross over into the afterlife (whatever that is). In the middle of reading this book my dog died which gave much of this story a different tone and a lot more feels (see the content warning below). I cried because I was sad but also because I was happy/moved. It's one of those.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Books for the electronic advanced copy.

Content warnings: T"his story explores life and love as well as loss and grief. There are discussions of death in different forms - quiet, unexpected, and death by suicide. Please read with care." (This comes straight from the book and I couldn't say it better.)

A slow start set the tone for this novel, which never picked up enough momentum to be truly enjoyable.

Under The Whispering Door explores what happens to a person after their death. Walter is taken by surprise when he finds himself attending his own funeral as a ghost, before being ushered to a way station of sorts. While living, Walter was a typical workaholic, selfish man. But as a ghost, he learns about the value of friends, family and love.

Overall, this book felt like it was trying too hard to be meaningful and philosophical. There wasn't a whole lot to the plot and it ultimately missed the mark.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for access to the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, TJ Klune does it again with this heartwarming read filled to the brim with love, family, humor, and a touch of spunk.

Wallace is a prickly lawyer who, upon his sudden death, finds himself brought to the steps of Charon’s Crossing tea shop. It’s supposed to be a stop on his journey to the “beyond” but it isn’t until he meets Hugo, Nelson, Mei and Apollo that he really starts to live.

This is a cozy, feel-good read that embodies everything you love about a found family story. I loved it!

5⭐️

#netgalley #underthewhisperingdoor

This book is brilliant, full stop. The writing, the characters, the story... it's incredibly moving and enthralling. It's my first T.J. Klune book, but I promise that it will not be my last. Under the Whispering Door flawlessly blends every possible emotion into an incredibly moving story. I cried, I laughed, I swooned, I reflected on life and being human.

And funny enough, I have never gone from flat out abhorring a character to, well, not, in a matter of a few hundred pages. When we first encounter Wallace, and find that he has died, I literally wrote in my Kindle "good tbh, hate him". But the story doesn't end there, friends. Wallace has some amends to make, and since he can no longer make them in the living world, he's going to do them elsewhere.

When he finds himself in Hugo's teashop/dead people waiting room, he's not exactly game for whatever is happening. But the characters at Hugo's are kind of the best. The funniest, the sweetest, the strongest. Flawed, of course, as we all are, but still fabulous. And Wallace begins to understand that he too can be flawed but still better.

I'm not saying another word about this gorgeous story, because you just have to read it for yourself, to feel it for yourself. I am so glad that I took a chance on it, and I hope that you do too.

Bottom Line: I have my "book everyone gets as holiday gifts" for the year. Spoiler, it's this one.

My heart hurts. I don't cry when reading books. I've read really sad books before but this one takes the cake. There are some really raw and tough emotions you have to deal with when you read this book. I did cry. It makes me think of when my time will come, when those whom I love's time will come, when it's time for my dogs to cross the rainbow bridge. All of these emotions and feelings are scary and heavy. Nobody is ready for the passing of their loved ones. This book tackles these difficult topics in the best way. I was in tears at the end. I am not ready to let go and I don't think I ever will be. But this book helps. It shows you a different way to look at life, death, and everything meaningful. Cherish your relationships. Hug your loved ones. Make sure your dogs know you love them. I know I will.

Exploration of grief - not just for the self but missed opportunities. A collection of relationships between people, find a place you fit in, and are beloved for the parts of yourself you aren’t aware of. I grew to love a character I didn’t anticipate liking and the journey was worth it.

TJ Klune really knows how to conjure a fantastical setting, cozy and dreamlike. This book takes us to Charon's Crossing Tea and Treats. Our protagonist, Wallace, is a modern but also timeless reincarnation of Ebenezer Scrooge, a workaholic that cares nothing for his own joy or that of anyone else whose livelihoods are held in his hands. And now he's dead.

Death stories make me nervous because if done well, I will be a sobbing wreck of a human (see: the time I watched Coco or the series finale of The Good Place). This was an odd one for me because I went in with that expectation and instead found a relatively peaceful read. This is not to say someone else might not be triggered by it.

At the start, it's slow-paced, trying to be philosophical, laying down long-form metaphors or hitting you upside the head with not-so-subtle subtext about dying. Everyone is so careful with Wallace when he reaches the tea shop. I appreciate the respect for boundaries and space for vulnerability, but all the tip-toeing sure dragged things out. Everyone is quick to phrase him for basic human actions that frankly I wouldn't even categorize as skills, i.e. admitting you don't know something, asking a question, caring about someone other than yourself, remembering you're dead. It picked up in the second half once Wallace has settled in. More characters are introduced and new sources of external conflict arrive to shake things up.

My favorite character was Nelson, a mischievous, ghostly grandfather. I laughed out loud at some of the ghosts' haunting pranks and general mayhem. So even though it didn't exactly hit me in the feels, I still enjoyed some of the sillier moments. I think if you like a pleasant read, are a fan of the author, like fantasy with a tender-hearted queer love story (mlm, in this case), or like your books with some direct philosophical pondering, this might be a good pick for you. Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This was absolutely wonderful and whimsical. It does a fantastic job of managing a difficult topic and making it accessible and understandable. The book will definitely stay with me for a long time. It's unique and endearing. TJ Klune's writing definitely is captivating, filled with heart and humor. I will definitely be recommending this to people.

Wallace Price is dead. And frankly, he’s pretty pissed off about that. Worse yet, no one seems to care that he’s dead. Instead of a packed turnout for Wallace’s funeral, only a handful of people come and none of them particularly liked him. When a reaper named Mei shows up, Wallace finds himself taken to a tea shop, operated by a Ferryman named Hugo. Wallace is supposed to process his untimely demise and then cross over. That’s how it works, except Wallace isn’t particularly inclined to go.

As the days pass, Wallace becomes accustomed to his new existence and discovers purpose in helping those around him. Coming to terms with the man he was and the ghost he has become takes effort, but being with Hugo, Mei, and Hugo’s grandfather, Nelson, brings Wallace a joy in death he never experienced in life. But this ghostly phase was only ever supposed to be temporary and there are forces beyond Wallace and Hugo’s control that will alter their eternities forever.

As an atheist, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about what comes after death, but I always appreciate when the topic is explored by others, especially fiction authors. Under the Whispering Door offers a beautiful blend of memorable characters and a tender story about love and loss, all rendered with author T.J. Klune’s signature blend of heart and humor. I’m a vocal Klune fan, but I know some readers avoid his work because it can deal with some pretty emotional topics. So for those wondering, I would say Under the Whispering Door falls in the middle between The Lightening Struck Heart (which is laugh aloud fun) and Into This River I Drown (which requires a bulk order of tissues to get through). You’ll find lots of humor here, but you won’t be in the fetal position wracked with grief by the end.

Wallace and Hugo are part of what make Under The Whispering Door such a sweet and engaging read. Wallace is imperfect and arrogant, but his character evolves believably and with beautiful realism. Hugo somehow manages the balance between genuine goodness without being saccharine and I adored him because of his honest desire to help others. The secondary characters are equally strong and I found Mei and Nelson to be vital to the story; neither of them were relegated to being mere afterthoughts, which I thoroughly appreciated.

The plot is generally strong and I enjoyed the journey Wallace took as he discovered purpose and a measure of joy in death. There will be some readers, I think, that cry foul towards the end because it is a bit too neat, too easy. And I can appreciate that frustration, but personally, I enjoyed the way things were resolved. I can’t say more without getting into spoilers save that sometimes it’s okay to enjoy the simple and sweet.

I loved Under the Whispering Door. It was another slam dunk by author T.J. Klune and I think it’s a near perfect blend of his trademark humor and his emotionally charged writing style. Death is a difficult topic under the best of circumstances, but Under the Whispering Door offers those in the afterlife a kind of grace that we don’t often see given to the living. Consider this one highly recommended..

Under the Whispering Door
by T.J. Klune

I requested this book without reading the blurb and just based on the author. I am so glad I was granted my request! This is such a heartwarming and touching story! It's about death and crossing over. It's about love and also wasting your life on trival things.

After 2020 and 2021, death is everywhere! I don't think anyone is spared not knowing someone's family or maybe had their own family hit by sadness.

This book is about a very cruel, selfish man who only cares for his business and none of his workers. The opening scene shows us exactly how much of a jerk he is. But then he dies. A reaper comes for him and takes him to a Tea Shop. There the owner explains he is dead and when he is ready, he will help him cross over.

During the time there a lot happens. He learns a lot of lessons the hard way, has some odd adventures, meets The Administrator (the feared and powerful), falls in love, and learns things he should have learned during life.

I cried a lot! Mostly good tears! Especially during the end. I also giggled some during the book. This was such an awe-inspiring book! Tender, a touch frightened due to the subject but once I was into it, it was comforting.

I hope my father went to this Tea Shop last year! I picture him sitting down, joking, laughing with the owner, and was happily led to the door! I thought of all those people who died and hoped and wished they too had Tea at a shop like this!

This is a book for anyone who has lost someone, anyone who has wasted their life on trivial issues, and anyone who wants an inspiring story!

Thanks again to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this life changing book! I will never drink tea again without thinking of this book!