“Under the Whispering Door” is a beautiful story of life and the afterlife, grief and growth.

It took me a few chapters to fully get into the story, but once I did, I was enraptured. Klune’s world building and presentation of the afterlife and the in between was beautiful. The characters are complicated, but I grew to love them all by the end. This is the first of Klune’s works I have read and I absolutely plan on reading more.

If The House in the Cerulean Sea is like Good Omens, Under the Whispering Door is like the show Pushing Daisies in both the feel of this book, in the similar themes, and just the vibes. And I loved every second of it.

Under the Whispering Door follows Wallace, a lawyer who isn’t exactly anyone’s favorite person, or even someone anyone likes. The first chapter is literally him firing one of his employees while she’s telling him the hell she’s been going through lately. And then, Wallace has a heart attack and dies. He finds himself at his own funeral and watches as very few people show up and those who do don’t have a single good thing to say about him and he doesn’t understand why. Thankfully, Mei, the reaper who has come to take him to what's next for him gets him out of there. And that’s when Wallace finds himself at Charron’s Crossing, a tea shop owned by Hugo the ferryman who will be helping Wallace prepare to cross. But what Wallace and the other’s didn’t expect to happen was for them was not only did Wallace change, but they all fell in love with each other. Wallace and Hugo have this amazing chemistry that made Wallace actually stop and think about his actions and do better and in turn be a better person. Mei is amazing and by far my favorite character in this book, in part because I understand a lot of how she feels and the fact she has abandonment issues with her family for being the person she is. Then there’s Nelson, Hugo’s grandfather who’s honestly great. Apollo is Hugo’s dog who has passed and is just a joy. There’s so much pure goodness in this book and the jokes were great. It’s so weird how it’s very much like The House in the Cerulean Sea and yet not at all. I think it’s that warm feeling that this book gives you, a sense of comfort and belonging that really leaves you loving it. I honestly hope to read more by this author as soon as possible because I’m learning his books are very much my comfort books. They simply fill me with joy and happiness which is honestly big for this time.

I honestly think my only complaint is the synopsis of this book. It’s completely wrong. It says it’s about Hugo helping Wallace live his life in seven days. This book so much more than this and it’s very misleading. I kept reading and being like “Okay so that’s not happening?” and was utterly confused until the last 20% of this book, where that sort of happens but in a completely different way than how you expect. I think it should focus on the fact Wallace is learning to be a better person and when the Manager feels he’s overstayed his welcome, he gives Wallace seven last days before he must pass over. Wallace must work through the grief of his life and righting wrongs he either directly caused or wishes to see fixed before he leaves and with Hugo, Mei, Nelson, and Apollo, they set to work doing just that. But what happens when Wallace stumbles upon a way to help those known as husks before he leaves and fights to be allowed to give them a second chance just as he’s supposed to cross himself?

I highly recommend this book. It’s fun, it talks about grief in a comforting and realistic way. Hopefully this becomes as much as a cult classic as The House in the Cerulean Sea because it completely deserves it.

Absolutely exquisite. There was so much love and life in this book about death. Klune's writing is beautiful and the story was so well done. Each character, including the ghost dog, was so well written. I sobbed like a baby.

* I received an early copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *

I absolutely adored “The House in the Cerulean Sea,” which is why I jumped at the chance to read “Under the Whispering Door.” While the plot is completely different, “Whispering Door” holds a lot of the same charms and similar themes. However, for me it didn’t hit quite the same way.

First, it’s very slow going to start off, and not in an enticing way. It takes a long time to introduce Wallace, kill him off, and them get him to the tea house where the story REALLY begins, and even then it meanders quite a bit. I took about five days to read the first half (a lot for me), and only then got sufficiently engaged that I finished it the next day.

The non-Wallace main characters are wonderful and charming, with their own little quirks, and we see how they help transform Wallace... except it all feels a little too easy or unbelievable? The first chapter explicitly shows what a self-absorbed jerk Wallace is, but it feels almost like it’s a different Wallace that enters the tea house.

Finally, and I don’t want to say anything that might be a spoiler, but I hated everything about the ending. I screamed at the book and then grumpily endured the last few pages of the chapter. Oh well.

Overall, this is a charming look at death and the meaning of life. I overall enjoyed it, despite some pacing issues and the ending. As with “Cerulean Sea,” this book has a diverse and inclusive cast of characters who are delightfully wholesome. But for whatever reason, it pales in comparison to it.

After the widely celebrated success of "The House in the Cerulean Sea," "Under the Whispering Door" had a lot to live up to. Good news: if you loved HITCS, you will probably also swoon for this one.

Wallace is a bit of a Mr. Scrooge: controlled by power and money, and devoid of any meaningful relationships. One day, he falls to his demise and dies of a heart attack at his law office. A spunky and amiable Reaper named Mei shows up to guide him to a waystation, where he is to travel to the afterlife guided by a man named Hugo. The waystation (depicted in the cover art) is a quirky tea shop that borders the natural and supernatural. While Hugo aids spirits in crossing into eternity, he also serves tea and baked goods to the local villagers. Wallace is quite upset about dying, but finds comfort in the daily rhythms of the shop and is surprised to discover that Mei, Hugo, and Hugo's late grandfather Nelson become the first friends he has ever had. Unfortunately, the waystation was never meant to be a permanent home and Wallace is given one more week to say his goodbyes before moving into the afterlife.

This book is sooooo cozy; TJ Klune is master of world building and has created an absolutely charming cast of characters to inhabit it. The undeniable themes of the book are death and loss, and are handled with a certain amount of saccharine humor. Some might describe it as cheesy, or too one dimensional. It's true that everything is resolved with a beautiful bow on top which might be frustrating to some readers. However, it might help going into the book knowing it is intended to bring comfort not answers. This is meant to be enjoyable, escapist, and whimsical. I cried my eyes out at the end because I came to care so much about Wallace, Hugo, Mei, and Nelson. Some scenes were equally hilarious (if you know, you know). This book isn't perfect and I could write more about some of my sticking points (the oddly fast romance between Hugo and Wallace, the inconsistencies in the Manager's character development) but I am willing to overlook them because of all the feels this book gave me.

I can't wait for others to read this one - I'll be thinking about it for a long time and even though some lines were saccharine ("A river only ever moves in one direction") I can't stop thinking about them.

Content notes: suicide, death, death of parents, grief

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

T J Klune is fast becoming one of my favourite authors of all time - I have yet to read a book of his that I don't like. The House in the Cerulean Sea is one of my favourite books that I have read this year, and I'll be honest, I wasn't sure how this one could live up to it.

But boy oh boy did it.

Under the Whispering Door broke my heart in every way possible and stitched it back together piece by piece. I was a weeping mess by the end of it, and as soon as I finished I wanted to start it all over again. Every character was written sensitively and complexly, and they all felt utterly unique. Nancy, Nelson and Apollo were all faves, but Mei was in another league. She was funny, kind, compassionate and I absolutely adored her - I could have read an entire book just about her. There are a few other side characters that particular stood out, and one in particular is responsible for me using up all of my tissues drying my tears.

Of course, we have to talk about Wallace and Hugo. Wallace starts the book as an absolute jerk; when he dies of a heart attack, its hard to feel any pity for him. His funeral is attended by five people, and Mei, who turns out to be his reaper. She takes him to the next stage in his journey: a small tea shop on the edge of a town, run by Hugo, the ferryman who is supposed to help guide him to the other side. Here, Wallace starts to discover that he might have been living his life all wrong, and that maybe his afterlife can be different.

These. Two. God, my heart swells just thinking about them. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone but these two had some of the finest characterisation and development that I have read in a while. Wallace in particular shone, and I felt so attached to him, but Hugo too was an absolute pleasure to read about.

This is a book about grief, a book about love, and a book about moving on. There are several passages that I want engraved onto my heart because I love them so much - Klune's has a way of writing that just takes my breath away. He seems to reach into your soul and pull out the exact beautiful words to describe how something feels, and it is truly breathtaking. I am in utter awe of his talent, and this book is a beautiful perfect example of just how well he can write. I have nothing but praise for him, and I cannot wait to see what he delivers next. This book truly won its way into my heart, and it is one that is going to stay with me for a long, long time.

This book tackles death with humor, love, grief, and an incredible amount of sass. Created with a vibrant cast of characters, Under the Whispering Door tells the story of Wallace Price, a demanding and cruel man who finds many unexpected things within Charon's Crossing Tea and Treats, including that he is actually dead. This book draws you in with whimsy and humor and then continuously surprises on the journey. I loved this story so so much, it was a delight to read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Boy was I excited for this book. I loved House in the Cerulean Sea and was very happy to hear that Under the Whispering Door was not far away.

The book is about Wallace Pierce, who is a successful man, but hard and mean. Everything should be on point, on time and correct. Then he dies, and he finds that the afterlife is not what he expected.

The story about acceptance, grief and love, in the most TJ Klune-kind of way. It's sweet and plays your heartstrings like a fast song on a ukulele.
The characters are wonderful, and my favorite is by far good ol' Nelson with his whimsical ways.

I'm really looking forward to the official release of this book, I NEED IT.

Wallace Price is kind of a jerk. He’s selfish, egotistical, and sometimes just plain mean. When he drops dead of a heart attack, the lawyer is convinced that it’s all a big misunderstanding. Until the Reaper shows up.

Mei brings Wallace to Charon’s Crossing, a teashop on the outskirts of a small town set deep in the woods. There, Wallace meets his ferryman, Hugo, who is responsible for helping Wallace cross over. But Wallace isn’t ready to abandon the life he barely got a chance to live.

When the Manager shows up and gives Wallace one week to cross, Wallace sets out to live a lifetime in seven days.

Under the Whispering Door almost entirely revolves around the idea of death. Many of the characters are dead, and the ones that are not are inextricably tied to death. Wallace, of course, has died. Hugo and Mei are alive, but work for the Manager, who seems to, well, manage the business of death.

Refreshingly, this book never strays from the idea that what comes next is something to look forward to, not be afraid of. While there are dark moments to this book, it always ends up pointing towards the light (figuratively, if not literally). At the end of the day, Hugo explains to Wallace, the life he knew is just a brief point on a very long and beautiful journey, and there’s something about that idea that’s very comforting.

A beautiful and moving story of found family, love, and loss, I would highly recommend this book.

This was exactly the book that I needed so thank you Netgalley and Tor for providing me with a copy. Last year, I was obsessed with the smash hit, The House in the Cerulean Sea because it is such a heartwarming and uplifting story that was perfect for the beginning of the COVID era. Under the Whispering Door is exactly what we need during this period of COVID; a tale about death that is at the same time warm, funny, sad, and hopeful. I fell in love with all the characters very easily (Mai, what's up?). They were all beautifully crafted, full of beauty and faults. The relationship between Wallace and Hugo was just lovely and organic. We need more LGBT+ love stories like this instead of tragedies, which I get that Wallace is dead but we are subverting that trope here and it is perfect. I loved this universe's version of the afterlife, drawing from all over in order to create something wonderful, making me want to believe that there is something amazing waiting for all of us. This book made me laugh and cry and I did not want it to end. I made myself take forever to read it so I could savor it.

I wish I had the ability to move you all with this review the same way the book moved me. I laughed out loud in my breakroom, and I wept silently in my bed.

This book was flawless. It is about grief and the many ways in which we process it. But it's also about what we choose to do with the time we have left. It's about love and friendship, joy and family, life and loss.

Every character is so real that the need to reach out and hug them is almost visceral. I love them all, even with all their flaws.

Under the Whispering Door is my favorite book of the year and I cannot imagine it being displaced. It was even better than House in the Cerulean Sea - and I never thought that could be topped.

I've preordered the audiobook. I can't wait to immerse myself back into this cozy, extraordinary tea shop. Join me. You won't regret it.

Very sweet and well written. Tis author has a way with words that many do not. The writing always flows so well. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher!

The House by the Cerulean Sea was one of my favourite books from last year. It had everything I loved: found family, whimsical fantasy, amazing characters. It had everything. So I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this. I didn’t want to get my hopes up and be disappointed. It’s not like lightening could strike twice, but Klune showed me otherwise.

The topic is a lot more serious this time around, but with the same tropes Klune has a talent for. He knows how to write distinctive characters and bring their voices to life, and because most of the novel is set in one place, it was like watching a play. It’s very dialogue heavy and isn’t afraid to contemplate on deep topics about the meaning of life and death, etc. Klune has such a way with words that really takes the reader away. I truly loved all of these characters. They could’ve been real people with how raw they felt. Wallace coming to terms with his own death, and Hugo struggling with the responsibilities of being a Reaper were the heart of the story, and Klune’s balance of humour and emotional topics were perfect for the type of story he was telling.

(Spoiler) The only issue I had with the book was the ending. It felt like a bit of a cop out. I love a happy ending as much as the next person, but for Wallace to come back to life and be given a second chance to live just felt too easy, especially when this is a book on death and how everyone has to die. It didn’t work for me, personally.

Overall, this is a beautiful book on life, and death, and the people we meet a long the way. Klune crafts a tale that whisks you away on an emotional journey that will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

Thank you to TJ Klune, NetGalley, and Tor Books for this ARC. After the absolutely wonderful House in the Cerulean Sea; I was ecstatic to be given a chance to read this story in advance of publication. It certainly did not disappoint. This book included all of the things I loved about House in the Cerulean Sea: found family, quirky characters, a great sense of humor, an arc of redemption, and a great setting. Not to mention, another extraordinary cover. Readers should note that this book centers on those who have died and their passing over to the Beyond. If they are sensitive to child death or suicide, they should proceed with caution. Somehow, TJ Klune managed to take a book about death and still leave me feeling warm and hopeful. I look forward to more books by this author.

I am so, so, so sorry but I don’t think I can finish this book. I had initially put this book down for a few days to think on it and see if I could come back to it, but I just don’t think I can. Maybe one day down the road?

The thing is? This book is beautifully written. I think the beginning is a little slower like The House in the Cerulean Sea where you just want to meet all the characters and feel impatient to move past the intro, but you have to wait to get to that point. It’s worth the wait.

This story FEELS like the Scrooge from The Christmas Carol but if he were gay (or maybe bi??) and set in a pleasant little Howl’s Moving Castle-esqe tea shop. And I adore that!!!

Look, I love TJ Klune’s books more than anything but I just found this book to be much sadder than I was anticipating and even knowing this book is about Death and the between, I just couldn’t bring myself to finish it. I felt like I was going through an existential crisis and maybe I have depression that needs to be checked out, because this story is ROUGH and won’t be for everyone. In a way, this book feels like his book Murmuration, but one step more. And I wasn’t ready. That’s a me thing and I have nothing against this book.

I’m sure this book is lovely and it will resonate with many readers. I’m sure it will for me when I am ready to finish reading this book one day. I adore the characters and wish them all the happiness in the world. They deserve it.

So thank you to the publisher for approving me for this book!! I just wasn’t ready, and I don’t know if I ever will be.

Like so many, I loved the author's "House in the Cerulean Sea", and I have to say it was one of the BEST BOOKS ever. So this latest offering, "Under the Whispering Door", had a very high bar to try to meet. Does it succeed? Mostly, but I have a few minor quibbles... First, I have to say that the beginning was a bit slow & meandering. Second, the subject matter is a bit "dark", but that is the PLOT. Here we have a not too nice character, Wallace - now deceased - finding himself at a tea shop/way station for the departed, where he will encounter a ferryman named Hugo and some other rather interesting characters to assist him in his "journey" (who doesn't like a "ghost dog"!). There is, as before, a "found family", soul-searching, acceptance and romance, but again this time things are darker by design. Still, I was a crying mess at the end. LOVED IT - ALL THE STARS! A huge thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC.

A wonderful story that lives up to my expectations of TJ Klune. What do you do when you wake up and find yourself dead? You make the most of it! Full to the brim of Cerulean references, heartwarming moments, existential crises, and tea, lots and lots of tea! Under the Whispering Door takes the old myths of Charon (the ancient Greek Ferryman of the dead) and builds a whole cast of characters whose job it is to take the dearly departed and help guide them onto whatever comes next.

This is another sweet and sentimental one from TJ Klune, though it lacks the style and magic of The House in the Cerulean Sea. He’s great with found families and reformed protagonists, but this particular formula is going to wear out sooner rather than later.

As always, TJ Klune manages to create a story that makes you laugh and cry at the same time. I'm a huge fan of this author because he has such a talent for writing amazing, complex, colorful characters that I can't help but love. Each character in this book will captivate you.

An adventure to reflect on life, on death, on those who are not on this plane, but also to think about those who still accompany you in life and who you love with all your heart and soul.

This book brings you everything: a beautiful friendship between Wallace and Hugo (which little by little blooms into a wonderful romance) and a book with tense and restless moments that have you wondering what will happen in the last pages.

T.J Klune stop making me cry challenge failed. Literally this man has me in a chokehold with his writing. The humor, the warmth. I want to live in every single world he builds. His characters are brilliant and complex and diverse. What an amazing book. This book made me want to live life which for a depressed person that constantly struggles is a pretty dang good outcome.