Under the Whispering Door

Wallace Price, a rather mean, self-centered man, encounters Mei, a Reaper, at his own funeral, who’s there to bring him to Charon’s Crossing—the tea house way station for the dead, run by Hugo, a ferryman, who lives with his dog, Apollo, and grandfather, Nelson. A lively bunch on a typical day, but to Wallace, a totally bizarre collection of beings who can’t seem to give him the only thing he desperately needs—to be alive again. What Wallace doesn’t understand is there’s no going back. Once you’re dead, you’re dead, and your only choice is to move forward. What ensues is nothing short of magical. The house at Charon’s Crossing is an impossible feat of architecture with a cozy atmosphere and delicious tea and scones. Mei is a fierce, no-nonsense woman, Apollo loves to lick and have his stomach scratched, Nelson gets a kick out of practical jokes, and Hugo . . . well, Hugo is just about the most warm-hearted perfectly imperfect person ever that could be in charge of lost souls. Together, these eclectic characters help Wallace find himself in so many unexpected ways. Death is a difficult subject at best, even in a fantasy, and Klune handles it with both curiosity and great humor, as well as deep questions and introspection. There were times I laughed at Wallace and times I wanted to hug him, times when I thought he was ridiculous, and times when I understood his fear of leaving the world behind. And for most of the last third of the book I cried, because facing the unknown is terrifying and he is so brave and so full of love for the people who have become his friends. Under the Whispering Door is like an all-day pass to Disneyland, full of thrills and chills, death-defying drops and soaring adventures—the greatest ride of your life (pun intended). And through every moment, the biggest, most wonderful love you can imagine. TJ Klune has done it again. Get your ticket now, because you definitely don’t want to miss out.

Product review: book arrived on time and in good condition Book review: It was definitely a cute little story, it tried to get deep, but I guess how deep it feels really depends on how you personally view or question death. I appreciated the playful take on the afterlife and thought the concept had charm. That said, it didn't quite grab me the way The House in the Cerulean Sea did. While the characters had that signature TJ Klune depth and quirky warmth, I didn't feel as emotionally invested this time around. The pacing felt a little slower, and at times the story meandered more than it moved. It's a solid 3 stars with added star for product quality in general for me, a thoughtful, gentle read with heart.

I read this book awhile ago and absolutely loved it. But I’m coming back to write a review because not only is this a truly lovely and unique story with fun and complex characters. I read this book, absolutely loved it, and then a few months later experienced a colossal personal loss. This story has helped immensely with how I view and process my own grief. When I read this book originally, I didn’t even really register how much it touched upon loss and grief, because it does so in a really gentle and beautiful way. How this author approaches love and loss is truly just beautiful, and done in a way that never takes away from the story, that never tries to make itself big or huge (bc grief is always big and huge and constant, it doesn’t need to do that on purpose). So even if you haven’t or you have experienced a loss, this book is a joyful, fun, adorable, funny, impactful, and beautiful story that I highly recommend!

After weeks of waiting for Under the Whispering Door through my local library (support your libraries!), I was hesitant and excited to read it. I immediately opened it and found the Author’s Note that the book focuses on death, and there may be some triggers for readers. While I’m not triggered by death or discussions about it (y’all know I bring it up all the time with Stoicism), I knew I needed to be in the right headspace to appreciate the book thoroughly. I gave it a few days and dove in. TJ Klune did it again. He wrote another beautiful, moving, thoughtful book. As with his first novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, there was an excellent representation of characters. Each character served a purpose, and they all felt real. In Under the Whispering Door, we meet Wallace – a terrible human who dies unexpectedly. He (his soul?) meets Meiying – a Reaper – who takes him to a tea shop run by Hugo – a ferryman. Hugo and Mei help Wallace make sense of his death (and of others) and help coach him to make the transition beyond the whispering door. You meet lovely characters, like Hugo’s grandfather, Nelson (and their dog, Apollo), and some characters like The Manager instill curiosity and fear. You also meet Cameron, whose life and death dramatically affected his journey in the afterlife. I sobbed at the end of this book. Make sure you have a box of tissues, and you’re somewhere you can ugly-cry because this book has all the feelings. While death is traditionally a complex topic, I appreciate how Klune allows hope and light to come from what is usually a somber event. It’s easy to believe there is a little tea shop down a gravel road not too far from where you live right now. Under the Whispering Door tackles death, as the Author’s Note identifies in the beginning pages. In books, death is usually the outcome of war or disease or some flavor of tragedy, and that’s it. Klune went beyond the brevity of death and wrote a novel about what it means to live – even after you die.

Tiene buen tamaño, la portada es bonita y llegó en buena condición.

Klune ha evolucionado sus historias desde the house in the cerulean sea, este libro sigue ese patrón de transmitir moralejas sutilmente a través de la fuerza que tienen los personajes. Es una historia profunda si quieres ver más allá de lo que es la vida y la muerte. Pocos escritores condensan tan bien las lágrimas, las risas, la emoción del amor y la ligereza que le da el ritmo de la historia.

An enchanting tale of love and loss, beautifully told.

Chegou 13 dias ou mais antes do previsto, muito bem embalado e a história é tão boa quanto A Casa No Mar Cerúleo!

When I was given the opportunity to read the new TJ Klune book, I was beside myself with joy. The House in the Cerulean Sea is one of my favorite books, so my expectations were sky high. I immediately noticed that TJ Klune has his own distinct voice, full of warmth, friendliness and humor. As for the story: a nasty man, a lawyer, dies and ends up with Hugo, the ferryman of the dead. Under the Whispering Door did not disappoint in the slightest, I loved this book. It often made me laugh, it surprised me many times and it didn't bore me for a second. I couldn't stop reading, it was so addictive. I love it when a story pulls me in like that. I very much enjoyed the subtle wisdom that TJ Klune spread throughout the story, this is definitely a book to read with a pen an notebook nearby. In all honesty, this book was not as wonderful as The House in the Cerulean Sea, but it's impossible to write another book like that. Under the Whispering Door is still a lot better than most other books.