Under the Whispering Door

I was a major fan of The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune, so I was very excited to pick this one up. I’ve noticed a lot of similarities between the two books. Unlike Cerulean Sea, this story is full of grief, death, and the new beginnings that come after. We follow Wallace, a recently deceased man, who is known for his selfish and unpleasant behavior. Wallace is brought to a tea house, where he meets the Ferryman, Hugo, whose purpose is to help those who have passed cross over. And that is just the beginning of the adventure that Klune puts you on, as Wallace is introduced to new friends, new lovers, reflecting on his decisions while alive, and the new emotions he now feels in death. Kline excels at writing feel good stories with amazing characters that you’re sure to fall in love with. I think Mei, the Reaper, responsible for bringing the dead to the Ferryman, is my favorite character. She’s fun and full of spunk. This fantasy world easily captivated me and the humor and banter between the characters is entertaining and appreciated. The lesser positive thing I will mention is there were parts of the story that have a slow burn, so that may be hard for some, but I hope you decide to push through until the end. The story is full of important life lessons, both in life and in death. I absolutely sobbed at the end. Like, ugly sobbed. This is another 5/5 ⭐️ for me, and I’m starting to believe that there isn’t a T.J. Klune book that I’m not going to like.

TW: greif, discussions of death and dying,Wallace Price is a lawyer that you love to hate. He is mean and cold. Cares little for anything but his job. The people and relationships in his life have always taken a backseat to his career. Unfortunately for him, his last moments are spent in his office.Wallace emerges at his barely populated funeral only to discover that he isn't as well liked as he thought he was. In fact, hardly anyone is at his funeral and the few people that did show up are speaking of him very poorly. Wallace is shocked he isn't loved better than this.Wallace meets a sweet grim reaper, Mei and she takes him to a house in the woods to meet a ferryman named Hugo. Hugo is a kind and gentle soul who adores tea. We also meet Hugo's dead grandfather named Nelson, and Hugo's rambunctious ghost do named Apollo. Both Nelson and Apollo provide quite a bit of the comic relief in this dark comedy.This is Wallace's journey to discover what his life actually meant and what he was missing from it. Wallace is a character that experiences a ton of growth throughout this story as he finds a place to be happy.This book is significantly darker then House on the Cerulean Sea as we deal with heavy issues concerning life and death. I think this book was really well done but it doesn't hold the same kind of reverence that House on the Cerulean Sea does for me. It was really fun that the author included Easter eggs in this book from House on the Cerulean Sea.This book also is huge on the found family trope, which is really consistent with TJ Klune's other books. Found family is one of the signatures of his story telling and you are always guaranteed to find friendships that feel like home when you pick up one of his books.I really enjoyed this overall but the dark undertones made this a heavier read. I still really loved it, but not quite as much as House on the Cerulean Sea. If you enjoyed this previous books, Under the Whispering Door is a must read for any TJ Klune fan.Thank you to Netgalley for an early ARC of this book.

TJ Klune has become a favorite author of mine since reading House in the Cerulean Sea, and now Under the Whispering Door. His character development and dialogue is entertaining, thought provoking, and memorable. There are so many thoughts and quotes I have from his books now, it’s just lovely. I love that Klune (almost) exclusively includes queer relationships and people, just like most authors do with cis/het characters and no one questions them. It doesn’t matter if a character has flaws, little experience with relationships, etc…Klune’s characters are real and I really appreciate them. I can’t wait to devour his next book.

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.

Beautiful and comforting story. The writing style is very nice as well.

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

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

This was an unexpected experience. I enjoyed every moment on every page. The characters, the plot and a perfect ending.

Dieses war saß zweite Buch von TJ Klune, das ich gelesen habe. Ich kann es kaum beschreiben aber es gibt was, an seinem Schreibstil, was ganz magisch ist. Man lacht, man weint, man denk nach und man erkennt sich selbst in der Geschichte. Man verliebt sich in alle Charaktere und versinkt in den Plot. Ich bin ein großer Fan von TJ Klune geworden und ich werde immer seine Bücher weiterempfehlen.Ich habe das Buch in O.V. gelesen, zur Übersetzung auf deutsch kann ich leider nichts sagen.