Under the Whispering Door is beautiful and sad; a bittersweet, captivating adventure that begins at an ending.

Wallace Price is not a nice person at the beginning of this book. He’s a coldhearted workaholic who hasn’t really lived his life when he dies at forty. When Mei, his reaper, takes him to Charon’s Crossing to meet the ferryman who will help him cross over, Wallace’s afterlife changes forever. Hugo Freeman helps people come to terms with their death and crossing over. He runs a tea shop and keeps company with Mei and his ghostly grandfather and dog. The Freeman family – those born and adopted into it – sparks an awareness in Wallace that perhaps all that he had spent his life focusing on wasn’t what was important. Wallace’s journey had me glued to the pages of Under the Whispering Door. His growth delighted me and I loved that it wasn’t too late for him to become a good, caring person. Hugo is his guide, his friend, and perhaps something more. The ferryman has an innate goodness that shines on the page and his empathetic, kind nature was like a warm hug.

Under the Whispering Door isn’t the kind of book I would normally pick up, but I’m so glad I did. TJ Klune’s prose is beautiful and engaging. Klune balances tragedy with hope and his version of what happens after death and before the hereafter is imaginative and interesting. I cried buckets over the course of this story and I imagine many readers will as well. Death is, after all, a sad topic. But there isn’t just sadness in this book. There’s humor and heart and all that makes life worth living. This is a story that grabs you by the heartstrings and doesn’t let go. Love, loss, and the stages of grief are hard topics and Klune just nails it when it comes to addressing hard topics while keeping the story hopeful. I loved that I couldn’t predict where this story would go and I stayed up far too late because I had to know what would happen next.

Under the Whispering Door has scenes that address all manners of death, including suicide. There are also scenes depicting depression, PTSD, and raw grief. Readers sensitive to any of these topics should be warned. If these things do not trigger you, I highly recommend reading this book, even if it’s not your usual fare. Klune’s strange and wonderful world will break your heart and put it back together again.

This was my second book from Klune and I loved it! Again, you can sense his sarcasm in his stories and found myself laughing out loud.

Under the Whispering Door is easier to follow than The House on Cerulean Sea since it doesn't have as many characters but equally as enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgally for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Having not read, T.J. Klune's House on the Cerulean Sea yet, I can truly say that I am giving a completely unbiased review of his new novel Under the Whispering Door. So many people told me going into this to expect the "same type of humor as with House on the Cerulean Sea", but since I've not yet started that, my experience with Klune's humor was newly founded and did not disappoint. What I love the most was the way Klune wrote about grief and death and learning how to live and appreciate life. The character development was truly delightful and each of the characters brought a unique and loveable aspect to the story and, boy oh boy, was the writing phenomenal! I loved the way the story was truly just a redemption song for who Wallace started out as, both in his life and his after life. Under the Whispering Door was deep and insightful and had me thinking about my own life and the things and people I hold dear.

3.8 stars

If you're into manga or anime, this book will give you a slice of life cozy yet somewhat dark feels while reading this book. And it captures us with some quirky dialogues yet stay true to the emotions we felt. Through this, we can somehow reflect on the life that we are having and can understand Wallace's actions as he is a sample of a human being who is not perfect and just rides on with life.

This story is (what I’m starting to consider) typical Klune fare - making me laugh and cry at the same time. A fantasy story with a plot that is just rooted enough in reality to be very relatable, an array of great characters with quirks that’ll tug at your heartstrings, a running theme on redemption and wit that'll make you chuckle out loud.

Usually, everything ends with death. But I adore how Under the Whispering Door begins with it. Ah, to be lonely AF and then find your family in the afterlife, people who truly want you there, back you up, see you for who you are, and not what life made you into. *DAMMIT THOSE NINJAS CUTTING ONIONS*

I love how characters’ sexuality is a dominant thread in TJ Klune’s stories, but in the most subtle of ways. That might be oxymoronic, but if you’ve read Cerulean Sea, you’ll know what I mean. Diversity too - over time it becomes obvious what race everyone is, but not through obvious turns of phrase (“she brushed her long blonde hair out of her blue eyes” *audible eyeroll* or “he adjusted his turban and looked out the window, before saying quietly..”). In my personal opinion, this is an example of decent representation - it is made clear that everyone looks different, but there isn’t a need to make a production out of it unless it’s directly relevant to the story.

The empathy people exhibit in the story is through the roof - exactly the way I'd like it to be. Even when something feels like a lost cause, people fight for it just because they believe everyone is allowed to make mistakes and deserves a chance at happiness. I love how many second chances a lot of things get in the storyline.

“Under the Whispering Door” reiterated my absolute belief that hurt people hurt people. If someone is a moron, there is almost always a reason. That said, I’m not justifying bad behaviour, but just trying to redirect focus on how to break the cycle.

MILD SPOILERS
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Wallace's transformation from a dick to a decent person wasn't the smoothest, but I'm going to chalk it up to the fact that those in the afterlife didn't immediately judge him (outwardly anyway), without ever giving him a chance to experiment with other versions of him that he could be.

The whole trying to fix shit from the past life bit (towards the end) felt bogus. I mean, you did what you did, Wallace, you can't choose to go back and try to score brownie points. We can’t fix shit that we broke in the past, we can only choose to do better in the future, that’s the reality we have to live in and so do you. I also wasn’t completely sold on Hugo, he felt like a caricature and too good to be true. Arthur (Parnassus) was way more real to me.
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END OF SPOILERS

The pace flags a little midway into the story. Also, the fake omniscient and the inspector seemed like unnecessary characters - they served a specific purpose and there was no need for them to make multiple appearances.

The way it ends is going to polarize everyone - you'll either love it or think it's a cop out. I'm not sure, there is middle ground. And personally, while I usually dislike conclusions like these (trying really hard to be vague here lol), I was rooting for this to happen and I'm SO GLAD it did!!

The only kinda serious bone I have to pick with is that, in some ways, the story feels similar to House in the Cerulean Sea and this gave me a feeling of deja vu. Not complaining, I loved that book. But I wouldn’t want to continue seeing patterns across Klune’s stories.

My recommendation is that you don’t go in all moony eyed about House In The Cerulean Sea. I did, which is a little unfair to this book, and I had to adjust my expectations to be able to enjoy this one as a standalone read that doesn't have anything to do with Cerulean.

If House in the Cerulean Sea was a warm hug from a loved one, Under the Whispering Door is a pat on the head from a favourite teacher.

P.S: In my hurry to "find out what happens", I'm kinda concerned that I didn't catch ALL the easter eggs (I KNOW there were some, I caught a couple). Definitely doing a reread later this year, especially if I can find a really good audiobook for it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC, I appreciate it. All opinions however, are my own.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

I expected to like this book a lot more than I did based on the premise of a man, Wallace, not understanding he is dead until the reaper comes to collect him.  I really enjoyed both the set up and the epilogue of this book.  The epilogue in particular made me teary.  That said, I found this book to have a slow pace and I really did not get enough depth about any of the characters outside of Wallace.  I thought the romance developed too quickly.  I did not like how Wallace's journey ended and I hated both the Alan and Nancy subplots.  I did however love the tea shop, how the teas matched the taster, the dog, and the grandfather.  Basically this story felt too easy overall with not enough nuance or development.  It also had a lot of repetitive dialogue.  I can see how this would work for other readers even if this is not one I would reread or buy for others.  Arrrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Macmillian-Tor/Forge!

"Faith is hard, especially in the face of the unknown."

First, what I struggled with:
The slower pace and I didn't love and feel the depth of the characters, as I did with his previous novel. This book didn't pack the punch I was expecting, but I think it did a lot of good things.

What I liked:
This book gave me scrooge vibes with a great redemption arc. I thought, this book was meaningful and help many suffering through grief. From the cast of characters who find family with each other, to showing us the power of patience, understanding and empathy. I think that everyone fears death and this book tackles that and grief in a way that's accessible to young and old, with a nod to an after that can give us comfort.

Going on, it has LGBTQIA+ representation that I appreciated and had a great voice of narration.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read but not a favorite.

3.5 stars

Although he’s wealthy and successful, Wallace Price has few if any friends. When he wants something, he uses the threats or fear to get it, and he certainly doesn’t help anyone without the promotion of reciprocity. The sparse attendance at his funeral, his ex-wife in near celebration, is only expected. One guest, Mai, though, is a surprise, someone Wallace has never met before.

Wallace is beginning to think something is not right. How can he be at his own funeral? Could he be dead? Mai, a Reaper, is there to help him understand that he Is In fact dead, and she’s taking him to Charon’s Crossing to meet the ferryman, Hugo. That is Charon’s Crossing, the tea shop, where Hugo will help him prepare for the next step on his journey: crossing through the door.

In the face of death, Wallace can admit that he was, in fact, quite a horrible human..when he isn’t trying to understand the strange physics of being a ghost or railing against the unfairness of his situation. Yet, with the help of Hugo, Mia, and the other residents of the tea shop, the ghosts Nelson, Hugo’s grandfather, and Apollo, his dog, he finally learns the kind of person he wants to be. Unfortunately, his time at Charon’s Crossroads is only temporary.

The book has a diverse, interesting cast of primary and secondary characters, with Wallace’s journey of self-discovery at the forefront, and while not all are easy to love, they all contribute to the narrative. Desdemona, a self-described medium, wears anachronistic clothing, but there are modern conveniences like microwaves and caller ID. It almost feels like the decades are compressed ultimately giving the book a timeless feel.

At times, I thought the book tried to hard to be meaningful and profound through characters’ conversations; I thought it achieved that effect in more subtle moments. It certainly affected me emotionally. Several times, I had to stop reading because I was ugly crying so hard! (Not a bad thing!) And the more so think of the underlying themes, the more I value the book and its message.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy quirky stories about redemption and found family!

Wallace is a very successful attorney, he is selfish and basically lives to work. After a heart attack he dies and has barely anyone at his funeral.

Wallace realizes he must really be dead when a reaper comes to collect him. He is taken to a read shop where they ferryman Hugo waits to help him cross over. However Wallace is angry and not ready to go.

Hugo helps Wallace start to learn about the things he missed in life and reflect. Wallace has a week to crossover and is determine to live the life he missed in during those days.

This book is an emotional roller coaster. This story deals with coming to terms with death and what it really means to be alive. This charming will touch your heart and make you cry all at the same time!

A huge thank you to NetGalley for my ARC. You can get this on September 21st.

This is one of those reviews where I can’t express in words how much I loved this sweet book. All the books by TJ Klune, I simply want all of them now.

You will fall in love with every single character in this book. It is full of life (funny for a book about death), love, kindness, understanding and compassion. It makes me think of what The Good Place became in the end. A story about life and death and how we approach both with an open heart. Like his last book, The House in the Cerulean Sea, the characters are wonderfully written and I became very attached to them. It is also LGBTQIA friendly and features a great love story. I can’t rave about these two books enough. I hope you will pick it up and enjoy it as much as I did. This is a comfort read, and I know I will be going back to them both in future.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley

I think this is my new favourite book by TJ Klune.

A story of a ghost and a ferryman falling in love? How could I not love it.

Shortly after Wallace passes away suddenly, Mei the reaper shows up to take him to meet Hugo the ferryman whose job it is to help people cross over.

Wallace Price is incredibly unlikeable in the beginning and I didn’t have much sympathy for him. However as the story goes on and he grows, he becomes such a better person!

Hugo is perfection and I love everything about him. We can’t forget Mei, Nelson and of course Apollo!

Wonderful characters, a great plot, humour and tons of emotion - there is so much to love about this story and I don’t want to spoil a thing. I definitely recommend picking it up.

Thank you to MacMillan-Tor/Forge & NetGalley for sharing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So I sat down and demolished this book in one sitting.

This book was so devastatingly heartbreaking yet still so heartwarming and funny. The journey that Wallace goes through from being picked up by Mei, his Reaper, at his own funeral to feeling at home amongst the ferryman Hugo and his family is beautiful to experience.

There were so many tears shed while reading this book. It really digs deep into peoples fear of death and the unknown and how that’s okay and perfectly normal to feel. By the end, I was just swarming with comfortable sadness and hope. I haven’t read his other book yet, but I’m so excited to experience that (much less heavy) story asap!

First and foremost, I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor Books for granting me access to review this book.

I will be honest by saying that part of my experience reading this was impacted by my high expectations. I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea, so I was expecting great things from this new novel. While this wasn't bad by any means, in the end, I thought this was just an okay book. It was hopeful and bittersweet, but I didn't get the connection to this that I was looking for, and here is why. As a side note, I would highly recommend listening to Wait For It from Hamilton while reading this.


Writing:

I have no complaints or criticisms about the writing as I found it rather easy to digest. My only complaint really is that because of the nature of the plot, I felt like the book was a bit slow-moving.


Plot:

Under the Whispering Door presents a rather simple premise at its core. A man dies and is forced to rethink his life while grieving his death with the help of a ferryman, a reaper, a stubborn grandfather, and a ghost dog. In other words, this is about how to move on and ghost 101. I think, for me, it was its simplicity that lead me to have a bit of a lukewarm response to this. I wanted this to give me more feelings and a sense of wholesomeness. That could just be me projecting my feelings for The House in the Cerulean Sea though, so please take what I say with a grain of salt.

There were aspects of the plot that I did find interesting, such as the tea shop. I also liked the humorous moments as they helped lighten the plot even though some fell a bit flat for me. What I will also give the author is that he really makes you think. This book brings forth questions such as, 'if you die unexpectedly, can you say that you had a good life that you lived to its fullest?' What put me in a bit of an odd place in terms of how I feel about this book would be the ending. As I was reading, I was taking away a specific message, and the ending pretty much tore that apart. That is on me though, and I cannot guarantee that many other people will have the same opinions as me.

Another aspect of the book that I personally could have done without was the addition of Alan. Now, I am not going to go into it because of spoilers, but this plotline did nothing for me but add unnecessary drama even though it was used in order to further the plot in other ways.


Characters:

Wallace, our main character, for a good chunk of the beginning of the book was, to say the least, not a nice guy. I understand that in order for someone to have some positive development and for them to realize their faults, you generally have to make them unlikable and unsympathetic. That did impact my experience as even when he started to make this realization and started being a better person, I didn't really believe him because it was such a rapid shift, and I wasn't entirely invested in his development either. I also wish that we got a better idea as to what Wallace looked like. He was described as being tall and thin and looking like death, but in my head, I just kept picturing him as a generic middle-aged man.

A large part of the book focuses on the developing relationship between Wallace and Hugo. While I wasn't mad about it or thought anything was grossly wrong with the way it was written, I found that we didn't really get much interaction between them. I found that Wallance interacted more with the other character than he did with Hugo, with whom he is supposed to create a romantic connection. Despite that though, I was still happy with the conclusion.

The best part about this book though, by far, was Nelson. Nelson is Hugo's grandfather who has yet to move on and lives to torment those around him (but in the best way possible). To use a bit of an outdated word, Nelson was an absolute hoot. He was the comedic side character that this story so dearly needed in order to offset the more grim aspects. Another character whom I found to be more interesting than our main character was The Manager. Again, can't go into too much detail here because of spoilers, but he radiated strong David Tennent vibes and it was great.


Concluding Thoughts:

I am not fully sure what you are supposed to take out of this book. Live life like the next second will be your last? Live your life to the fullest so that when the time comes you aren't entirely full of regret? Dealing with grief and moving on? All of the above and much more? This book goes into many deep topics that some people probably don't want to read about, but it was done well enough that you didn't feel bogged down by it.

Now, I saw well enough because there were some aspects that didn't entirely work for me, and others I wished were covered more. Overall, this was an okay book primarily due to me not having a strong enough connection to it. I would recommend that you pick it up and see how you connect to it, and if you had the same feelings as me. If you are looking for something along the same lines as this, I would recommend you watch Ghost Whisperer. While it is not a book, it deals with the same subjects of loss and grief with an emphasis on the people left behind.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this book!
I had very high standards for "Under the Whispering Door" after reading and (like so many others) LOVING 'The House in the Cerulean Sea", and it's safe to say it didn't disappoint! The first thing I noticed about this book was its familiar writing style which I love, and is one of the reasons I think you'll be a fan of this book if you enjoyed "Cerulean Sea".
I wasn't immediately engaged in this story despite a lot of intriguing aspects, which was a problem that followed me throughout the book and the reason it took so long for me to finish- it felt like there wasn't much happening which I wasn't a fan of in this instance. The chapters felt very monotonous and whilst it could be said that this was intentional, it unfortunately caused me to drop a star. I particularly noticed this as there were a lot of conversations between the characters that seemed to be portraying a very obvious point without allowing the reader to interpret the authors intention.
The characters, however, meant this was still a very enjoyable read. There are a number of main and side characters in this story, but each one was fleshed out with a clear backstory and motives. I also loved the unique relationships these characters shared with one another, particularly the blossoming romance. The dynamics between them made for some HILARIOUS scenes, I haven't found a book this funny in a long time. The well developed characters also made for surprisingly emotional scenes within this book, particularly the last few chapters. If you want a good cry this book is definitely worth the read!
Overall, I didn't love 'Under the Whispering Door" quite as much as "The House in the Cerulean Sea", but I would still thoroughly recommend it and think it was a very strong follow up to such a successful book.

Happy release day to TJ Klune for Under the Whispering Door!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan/Tor for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

T.J. Klune could write a novel based on the phone book and I would read it, and every character would be nuanced and have a rich background and undergo a fabulous transformation and we would all cry at the end and live happily ever after.

I would see the ending coming a mile away and the story would feel a bit recycled and the sentiments would not be new, but damnit, I need to feel all warm and fuzzy sometimes! I like to laugh the laughs and I like to feel the feels and this book had both in spades!

Plus, I will certainly give Klune credit for handling grief and acceptance with grace and sensitivity. MASSIVE kudos to him for an appropriate content warning at the beginning (take note Matt Haig. It's not hard!).

PLOT
Man A is a cold, officious bureaucrat who has to make some sort of journey. Man A goes to a place he's never been before, indeed a place he never imagined existed. Man A meets Man B. Man B is kind and beautiful and odd and self-aware but beneath the surface, he has his own insecurities and fears. Man A becomes a MUCH better person for knowing Man B, and Man B acknowledges his insecurities and rejoices in finding Man B, as they are truly so much better together, completing each other really! They both come into their own and are truly beautiful beautiful people! Then, some bureaucratic bullshit threatens to upend their lives, and weirdly, even more bureaucratic bureaucracy saves the day. Man A and Man B live happily ever after.

If you guessed this is the plot of Under the Whispering Door, you are correct! If you guessed this is actually the plot of The House in the Cerulean Sea, you are also correct!!

Because this was a recycled story, I took off a half a star. Because I love TJ Klune so damn much, I refuse to take off more. I loved this book just as much as I loved THITCS. The details absent from my cold, indifferent plot synopsis are that this is a unique story about a tea shop as a way station between our world and the beyond, and a cute, quirky ferryman who helps you to cross. OK, why not? You do you, TJK!

CHARACTERS
Wallace Price
"You don't question the why? Why the hell not?"
I despised this man in the beginning, not only because I was supposed to, but because I did not identify with him in the slightest. And of course, he was an asshole.
Obviously, they were so overcome, unable to find the right words to say in order to sum up a life well-lived. Wallace didn't blame them for that. How did one even begin to encapsulate all that he was?
I think this was expertly done (if slathered on a bit thick), as his character development was spot on and he morphed into the character I admired for his introspection:
It was safety. It was reality. It was what he knew. It was all he knew, he realized with dismay. What did that say about him?
and identified with the most:
He didn't know when he'd become so desperate for contact.
(you don't know me, I won't get into why I identify so much with this)
I questioned how Wallace had not, at any point in his life up to his death, been surrounded by anyone... ANYONE who made him want to be a better person (but, I'm being cynical; obviously, he hadn't met the love of his life yet!). But I liked that Wallace made me ask those big questions: What does it take to wake us up to the ways in which we are living poorly? Does fate put us right where we need to be even if the timing is off? Is it rational to give a book a five star rating just because the character you hated the most in the beginning ends up being the one you love the most in the end?

Hugo
"For someone who's a ferryman, there's a lot you don't know."
"Isn't it great? I'd hate to know everything. There'd be no mystery left. What would be the point?"
I loved him as much as I was, of course, supposed to; as much as I loved Arthur Parnassus. He was, of course, a black Arthur Parnassus. I can't sugar-coat that. Hugo was this story's version of the character that we should all strive to be more like; selfless and always kind and understanding. He's so good, he makes everyone around him better.
"Why do you care so much?"
"Because I don't know how else to be."
I've got too many quotes to type concerning their conversations, as well (SOOOOO MANYYYYYY!!!). Wallace and Hugo were great together! Their love story was perfection. I won't *spoil* any of that sweetness.

Nelson
"Eh?... Can't hear you. Must be going deaf. Woe is me. As if my life wasn't hard enough already. No one should talk to me for the rest of the night so I can collect myself again."
Wallace's quest for humanity would not have been possible in part without Nelson.
"That's a strange way to look at things. I'm not helping you because I expect you [to] give me anything. Honestly, Wallace. When was the last time you ever did anything without expecting something in return?"
He was also an adorable comic-relief grandad that every story should have; you can't not love him. He's never too much of anything, and he pretty much always said exactly the right thing.

Apollo
WHO'S A GOOD DOG?!

Mei
"Please let me be there when you say that to Hugo. I want to see the look on his face when you call him a hipster. I need it like air."
In my opinion, she was the only misstep of the whole book. I did not like her character. She was always trying to be funny but she was not. She's not original, she's not clever, she's not witty. She's obnoxious and showed on multiple occasions that she was not great at her job, but we're told by several people that she was, in fact, one of the best. She's also not deep. She was presented as an emotional core of this group, but I never felt much of anything when she spoke. And I'll be honest, when she spoke I felt like TJK was trying to MAKE me feel something.

The Manager
"I don't know how you put up with it. Love seems positively dreadful."
This was, in my opinion, the only sort of confused part of the book. The Manager was supposed to be boss-level bureaucratic, but then he was painted as kind of a child playing with an anthill, then he was painted as having humanity after all. When I had wrapped my head around him being strictly by-the-book, he admitted that he interfered with matters if they disrupted his "order" and it was unclear what order this was. He had laid out the rules to Hugo but he was going to basically break them for Wallace. Then he showed even he had bosses he had to answer to and then he went against them and broke the rules further! Or maybe not! Who knows what the rules are?! This was just a bit too confusing and also completely dependent upon what the plot needed at the time.

TO CONCLUDE
In the end, this was a story of selflessness.
"I see it now. It's not always about the things you've done, or the mistakes you've made. It's about the people, and what we're willing to do for one another. The sacrifices we make. They taught me that. Here, in this place."

It's about acceptance.
He still had regrets. He thought he always would. Nothing could be done about that now. He'd found within himself the man he'd thought he'd become before the heaviness of life descended upon him. He was free. The shackles of a mortal life had fallen away. There was nothing holding him here. Not anymore.

It's a fierce and mature love story.
"It's not about me... Or us. You've given me more than I could ever ask for. Hugo, can't you see? I am who I am because you showed me the way. You refused to give up on me. Which is how I know you'll help all those who come after me and need you as much as I did."

It's also about loneliness and the dangerous places our minds go.
"It's easy to let yourself spiral and fall."
"It is... But it's what you do to pull yourself out of it that matters most."

You might find it too sappy or you might have heard all these sentiments, in paraphrase, before: TJK is not for everyone. But if you are in the mood for a sweet love story, and especially if you enjoyed THITCS, I urge you to pick this one up. I'll be buying this one and placing its beautiful cover right next to my beautiful copy of THITCS. And when I've had a shit day because life sucks, I'll know who to turn to.

This book unraveled like a fable in that you knew where it was going and you knew there was going to be a few poignant moments where a lesson might be learned. But there's also a solid anchor in the form of grief, death, depression, anxiety, and mentions of suicide and terminal illness.

I think what I most appreciated about this book was Hugo's very human patience. He is open to being whatever other people need from him, being empathetic, and just being present. He had such a calming and solid presence in the story that really served to settle the "wilder" personalities of Nelson, Mei, and Wallace. I also liked that we saw more depth to him as he shares stories of his past, his depression, his anxiety, his loss, his failures. The characters were complex in a way that felt like a gift: each layer was unlocked because we earned it.

It was a little slow, though, and I think that's because Wallace (our POV character) didn't know what he wanted/needed and so time just... Passed. Fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea will definitely enjoy this one as well.

I had really high hopes for this book since The House on the Cerulean Sea was my favorite book of 2020 and I wasn't disappointed. I loved this book. It's a contemporary fantasy about a man who's dead but isn't quite ready to be sent off to his final resting place. He's at a waystation in the form of a tea house and it's there that he learns all the things that he should have learned while he was alive.
The queer romance at the heart of this story is lovely and touching. The side characters are wonderful.
This is exactly the kind of soft, warm story that we need right now!

I have read reviews about this book describing it as a hug in book format and a big gay blanket and I wholeheartedly agree!

I was worried having read (and loved) The House in the Cerulean Sea that I was going into this story with my expectations set too high but I was not disappointed!

Highly recommended.

UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR tells a fantastical tale about Wallace Price, a "strictly business" lawyer and his experience with death. After a heart attack removes him from the realm of the living, he's led to a strange house/tea shop by a sarcastic young woman whom no one but Wallace can see. The owner of the tea shop is Hugo, a handsome and kind man who's job is to help Wallace accept his death and move on to the next stage. Hugo's prankster grandfather and friendly dog, both ghosts, also live in the tea shop. Wallace has a lot to learn about life and death from his new housemates along with some frequent customers of the tea shop and various other ghosts and facilitators of death.

Adult fans of THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA will find much to enjoy in this equally whimsical, humorous, and heartfelt but slightly more grown-up story. It involves a fun cast of characters (including a lovable dog), a clever fantasy world, plenty of comedy, and musings on life's most profound questions.

This is my third attempt to enjoy a Klune novel. I powered through THE EXTRAORDINARIES and put down CERULEAN SEA halfway through the audiobook. While I whole-heartedly appreciate the consistent centering of queer characters and normalization of queerness, I think Klune and I are just not compatible. His comedy style is decidedly too far from my personal taste, and I find his plots and worlds too clichéd, tropey, and/or familiar to receive the desired impact. Layer that on top of some of the controversies surrounding his work, and I think this will be my last Klune.

I will say, this is the most I've enjoyed one of his books, as it's more original than CERULEAN SEA and more grounded than THE EXTRAORDINARIES. I'm sure fans of his previous work will love UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR, but it was not for me.

64% DNF.

TJ Klune does the Found Family thing well, but in the end, I missed the kids of The House in the Cerulean Sea and found I did not care a WHIT about this set of charming misfits.

Also, I did not see ANY connection between Alive!Dick Wallace and Dead!Wallace. They are seriously like two different people. Whatever. Make him more of a jerk for longer. That's a story I might want to read to the end.