Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Tor (2021), Edition: Air Iri OME, 384 pages
Description
Welcome to Charon's Crossing. The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through. When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he's definitely dead. But even in death he's not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days. Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.
Media reviews
Culturess Daily
If ever there was an author to watch out for, [Klune] is definitely that author.
Library Journal
A delightful tale about chosen families, and how to celebrate differences.
Shelf Awareness
This inclusive fantasy is quite possibly the greatest feel-good story ever to involve the Antichrist.... The House in the Cerulean Sea will delight fans of Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series and any reader looking for a burst of humor and hope.
Light from Uncommon Stars
There is so much to enjoy in Under the Whispering Door, but what I cherish the most is its compassion for the little things―a touch, a glance, a precious piece of dialogue―healing me, telling me that for all the strangenesses I hold, I am valued, valid―and maybe even worthy of love.
Booklist
This is a sweet narrative about the value of asking questions and the benefits of giving people (especially children) a chance to be safe, protected, and themselves, regardless of what assumptions one might glean from, say, reading their case file.
Kirkus
Lambda Literary Award-winning author Klune (The Art of Breathing, 2019, etc.) has a knack for creating endearing characters, and readers will grow to love Arthur and the orphans alongside Linus... fans of quirky fantasy will eat it up. A breezy and fun contemporary fantasy.
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Quirk and charm give way to a serious exploration of the dangers of complacency in this delightful, thought-provoking Orwellian fantasy from Klune.... This tale of found family is hopeful to its core. Readers will revel in Klune’s wit and ingenuity.
The Washington Post
It’s a witty, wholesome fantasy that’s likely to cause heart-swelling.
Locus
TJ Klune is doing powerful work that inspires and impresses. He is a gift to our troubled times, and his novels are a radiant treat to all who discover them.
Booklist
Klune's latest is a sweet tale of grief and second chances, and a ghost story about not giving up on even the most lost of souls.
Library Journal
The latest by Lambda Literary Award winner Klune is a winning story about grief, loss, and moving on. Readers will cry and be charmed by his wonderful characters.
Publishers Weekly
Tenderness, wit, and skillful worldbuilding elevate this delightful tale. Fans of queer fantasy won’t want to miss this.
User reviews
LibraryThing member jillrhudy
Thanks to Tor/MacMillan publishers for sending me an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have never cared for afterlife books but this one is sweet without being cloying. I didn’t enjoy "Under the Whispering Door" as much as "The House in the Cerulean Sea," but Klune has an
Klune is already unparalleled in celebrating the power of the found family, in my opinion.
This is the story of Wallace Price, a cold-hearted businessman who doesn't change his wicked ways until he finds himself in a strange halfway house after death. A Limbo of a therapeutic tea shop, where you learn what you need to learn until you move on to. . .whatever place is next. Wallace experiences a Grinch/Scrooge conversion experience and becomes a completely different person. The depth and breadth of the transformation is believable only if you believe that love can change a person that much. A nice infusion of humor adds life and realism to this redemption story.
You can't help but fall for a book with a great dog in it, at least I can't. It feels almost as if the author is cheating. Emotionally, I'm kind of a hard-nosed reader. I can handle anything but a fantastically drawn dog and then it's pass the tissues.
I felt as though Klune was writing me into a kind of alternative religion with this absorbing queer fable of the afterlife, with universal salvation and a higher power that earthly gods must obey. I was happy and content in this world.
I have never cared for afterlife books but this one is sweet without being cloying. I didn’t enjoy "Under the Whispering Door" as much as "The House in the Cerulean Sea," but Klune has an
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astonishing gift for writing what Matthew Arnold called Sweetness and Light, even if it does not reside in any one character fully but instead manifests itself when characters together have that redemptive and transforming quality.Klune is already unparalleled in celebrating the power of the found family, in my opinion.
This is the story of Wallace Price, a cold-hearted businessman who doesn't change his wicked ways until he finds himself in a strange halfway house after death. A Limbo of a therapeutic tea shop, where you learn what you need to learn until you move on to. . .whatever place is next. Wallace experiences a Grinch/Scrooge conversion experience and becomes a completely different person. The depth and breadth of the transformation is believable only if you believe that love can change a person that much. A nice infusion of humor adds life and realism to this redemption story.
You can't help but fall for a book with a great dog in it, at least I can't. It feels almost as if the author is cheating. Emotionally, I'm kind of a hard-nosed reader. I can handle anything but a fantastically drawn dog and then it's pass the tissues.
I felt as though Klune was writing me into a kind of alternative religion with this absorbing queer fable of the afterlife, with universal salvation and a higher power that earthly gods must obey. I was happy and content in this world.
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LibraryThing member Capucinette
MASTERPIECE! I loved every single page of this book. I needed to read a story like this! Under the Whispering Door is the story of Wallace Price, an arrogant man who scared everyone so much because of his ugly personality and bad temper. He's a wealthy lawyer who thought he was better than everyone
It's the first time I've hated a character that much. There is no way for a reader to not hate Wallace Price. But throughout the book, luckily he has come to realize his abhorrent behavior and be aware of all the bad things he has done to people. Under The Whispering Door is the story of death seen from another angle. Death is not meant to be seen as the end but rather as the beginning of a new story and there is no reason to be afraid of it. Everyone has to go through this. What also caught my attention in the book is the Manager (the one who opens the doors and allows the dead to cross over from this world to another). His description simply made me think of Papa Legba. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and is responsible for opening doors. First book of T. J Klune that I read and I absolutely love it and it was with pleasure that I added The House of the Cerulean Sea to my list! Do you want to have a more open idea about death? Read this book.
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else. Death took him by surprise on a Sunday as he tried to work a little more so as not to waste a day. Work first right?. Wallace therefore found himself dead, attending his own funeral where not even a dozen people showed up to pay homage to him. This is what you get when you are as unpleasant as a person. Fortunately for him, Meil the reaper brings him to Hugo who is a ferryman. He is the one who is supposed to help him accept his death and cross over to the other side to continue on his journey. It's the first time I've hated a character that much. There is no way for a reader to not hate Wallace Price. But throughout the book, luckily he has come to realize his abhorrent behavior and be aware of all the bad things he has done to people. Under The Whispering Door is the story of death seen from another angle. Death is not meant to be seen as the end but rather as the beginning of a new story and there is no reason to be afraid of it. Everyone has to go through this. What also caught my attention in the book is the Manager (the one who opens the doors and allows the dead to cross over from this world to another). His description simply made me think of Papa Legba. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and is responsible for opening doors. First book of T. J Klune that I read and I absolutely love it and it was with pleasure that I added The House of the Cerulean Sea to my list! Do you want to have a more open idea about death? Read this book.
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LibraryThing member oldandnewbooksmell
Trigger Warnings:
Author's Note: This 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.
Wallace meets his reaper, Mei, at his funeral. Instead of leading him directly to the
With the help from Mei, Hugo, Hugo's Granddad, Nelson, and failed service dog, Apollo, Wallace finally starts to learn about all the things he missed while living.
But then the Manager, a powerful being who employs Hugo and Mei, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace a week to cross over, Wallace sets out to live the life he should have done all along.
TJ Klune is really becoming one of those authors that I know will take my heart, shake it up, and then hand it right back to me and expect me to just be okay! I fell so in love with The House in the Cerulean Sea and this one was no different for me. Klune can really make you care about these grumpy, rude, boulder on their shoulders men who you walk alongside as chunks and fragments get chipped away and they become a whole new person.
Under the Whispering Door sheds light on subjects that many find hard to talk about: death and grief - especially as bluntly (though with some humor) as Klune does. Klune takes both and makes them a journey: a deeply emotional, joyous, ridiculous, bound to make your heart soar, journey. This novel does a wonderful job at reminding you that death isn't the last stop, just a new beginning.
"... Death isn't a final ending, Wallace. It is an ending, sure, but only to prepare you for a new beginning."
At the end of this, I felt almost lighter, as if weights were taken off my shoulders. Under the Whispering Door is an opportunity to find closure as well as another look into our mortality.
"We live and we breathe. We die, and we still feel like breathing. It's not always the big deaths either. there are little deaths, because that's what grief is..."
This is a cozy, feel good novel that will still squeeze your heart and create tears in your eyes. It's bittersweet from beginning to end, and I wouldn't change a thing.
Author's Note: This 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.
Wallace meets his reaper, Mei, at his funeral. Instead of leading him directly to the
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afterlife, she brings him to the outskirts of a small village, off the path, through the woods, to a tea shop tucked between the mountains. There, he meets Hugo, who, to the locals, is the tea shop's owner, but to the souls who need help crossing over, he's the ferryman.With the help from Mei, Hugo, Hugo's Granddad, Nelson, and failed service dog, Apollo, Wallace finally starts to learn about all the things he missed while living.
But then the Manager, a powerful being who employs Hugo and Mei, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace a week to cross over, Wallace sets out to live the life he should have done all along.
TJ Klune is really becoming one of those authors that I know will take my heart, shake it up, and then hand it right back to me and expect me to just be okay! I fell so in love with The House in the Cerulean Sea and this one was no different for me. Klune can really make you care about these grumpy, rude, boulder on their shoulders men who you walk alongside as chunks and fragments get chipped away and they become a whole new person.
Under the Whispering Door sheds light on subjects that many find hard to talk about: death and grief - especially as bluntly (though with some humor) as Klune does. Klune takes both and makes them a journey: a deeply emotional, joyous, ridiculous, bound to make your heart soar, journey. This novel does a wonderful job at reminding you that death isn't the last stop, just a new beginning.
"... Death isn't a final ending, Wallace. It is an ending, sure, but only to prepare you for a new beginning."
At the end of this, I felt almost lighter, as if weights were taken off my shoulders. Under the Whispering Door is an opportunity to find closure as well as another look into our mortality.
"We live and we breathe. We die, and we still feel like breathing. It's not always the big deaths either. there are little deaths, because that's what grief is..."
This is a cozy, feel good novel that will still squeeze your heart and create tears in your eyes. It's bittersweet from beginning to end, and I wouldn't change a thing.
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LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
Review to come bring the hankies when you read this
Wallace is greeted by a reaper at his funeral and instead of going onto an afterlife he is hanging around an odd tea shop. A ferryman is running the tea shop helped by the reaper that collected him there is also the ghost of the ferryman’s
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley
Wallace is greeted by a reaper at his funeral and instead of going onto an afterlife he is hanging around an odd tea shop. A ferryman is running the tea shop helped by the reaper that collected him there is also the ghost of the ferryman’s
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grandfather and the ghost of his dog. Wallace was a self-absorbed jerk in life but bit by bit that changes as he deals with being dead. Something happens and I will not say what but now Wallace has a week left to his existence in the tea shop as he is learning to be a better person and go through the final door. This book left me crying in public more times than I like to think about. It is a sweet story that tugs on the heartstrings and some people may not want that if they are dealing with grief in their lives. Needless to say at some point this story will bring a tear to your eye and if you can forgive a book for doing that then this is a great read. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley
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LibraryThing member tuusannuuska
This is a book about loss, grief, and what comes after.
Wallace is a lawyer who lives for his work. He’s a bit (a lot) of an asshole, one who has no sympathy for anyone, and then he dies. He comes to at his funeral, attended only by his three business partners, an ex-wife, and a woman called Mei
Before moving on to the afterlife, he gets to spend time at a waystation of sorts, so that he can come to grips with the life he’s lived and the man he came to be. The waystation is a tea house run by a man named Hugo, and during his stay Wallace gets to know not only Hugo and Mei, but also Hugo’s grandfather Nelson and Hugo’s dog Apollo (both of whom are also ghosts.)
During his stay at the tea house, Wallace changes into someone who knows to regret his past actions, and to see the people around him for who they are. He learns to acknowledge what a giant asshole he was, and he learns to regret his actions. He also learns what it means to do the right thing.
This book is about coming to terms with the cycle of life, with the insurmountable sorrow at the loss of a loved one, with the knowledge that all our days are numbered and it doesn’t matter how much you fight it, the final door is going to open for us all in the end, and there’s no choice but to step through.
I love Klune’s sense of humor, his characters, his worlds and the theme’s he covers. I knew going in that he has some very personal experience in the areas of loss and grief, but it could not have been more obvious reading the book that that is in fact the case. I feel like I spent more time crying my eyes out reading this than I did with dry eyes, yet somehow this was also able to make me laugh out loud several times.
This might be my favorite Klune novel to date.
Wallace is a lawyer who lives for his work. He’s a bit (a lot) of an asshole, one who has no sympathy for anyone, and then he dies. He comes to at his funeral, attended only by his three business partners, an ex-wife, and a woman called Mei
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he’s never seen before. No one has anything good to say about him and it turns out the stranger is none other than the Reaper there to collect his soul. Before moving on to the afterlife, he gets to spend time at a waystation of sorts, so that he can come to grips with the life he’s lived and the man he came to be. The waystation is a tea house run by a man named Hugo, and during his stay Wallace gets to know not only Hugo and Mei, but also Hugo’s grandfather Nelson and Hugo’s dog Apollo (both of whom are also ghosts.)
During his stay at the tea house, Wallace changes into someone who knows to regret his past actions, and to see the people around him for who they are. He learns to acknowledge what a giant asshole he was, and he learns to regret his actions. He also learns what it means to do the right thing.
This book is about coming to terms with the cycle of life, with the insurmountable sorrow at the loss of a loved one, with the knowledge that all our days are numbered and it doesn’t matter how much you fight it, the final door is going to open for us all in the end, and there’s no choice but to step through.
I love Klune’s sense of humor, his characters, his worlds and the theme’s he covers. I knew going in that he has some very personal experience in the areas of loss and grief, but it could not have been more obvious reading the book that that is in fact the case. I feel like I spent more time crying my eyes out reading this than I did with dry eyes, yet somehow this was also able to make me laugh out loud several times.
This might be my favorite Klune novel to date.
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LibraryThing member BethYacoub
I knew I HAD to have TJ Klune's next book as soon as I finished reading the very last page his previous book...which I absolutely love with every fiber of my being... called The House in the Cerulean Sea. That book had me feeling the gamut of Feels and those characters... ohhhh those characters...
Now, Under The Whispering Door had much of what's needed to be considered a memorable read for me. There was a unique premise that was both palatable and easy to grasp. There were loveable/quirky characters. The writing was touching and I even cried a bit... ok, maybe I cried a bit more than a bit (especially towards the end). The dialogue was good but not as organic as it was in his last book. It might not be fair to compare the two books but it's hard not to when The House in the Cerulean Sea was mind-boggling amazing... I still think about it randomly and smile.
Okay, back to the book at hand... the crux of Under The Whispering Door tackled the VERY difficult (and often extremely polarizing) topic of "What Happens After We Die"? I really enjoyed Klune's ideas on the subject and I loved how he incorporated a crew of (loveable yet sadly not quite morally gray enough) characters that had varying degrees of involvement (powers?) in aiding those on the road to the After-Life. I'll start with management. I felt that the Manager who oversees all was not relatable or likeable, which was most likely written to read as such since this reader is a mere human BUT His(?)... its(?) whole demeanor and almost complete lack of empathy for we creatures in his care was off-putting and it just felt "Wrong" somehow. Another near miss for me was our MC Wallace. Wallace was an almost instantaneous convert from Lifetime Selfish Morally Bankrupt Douche ---> loving, empathetic, caring, brave and selfless being. His rapid transformation felt unlikely and disingenuous which made suspending reality with respect to (new) Wallace a bit difficult. Of course then there were the times when he was so charming I wanted to squeezly squish him in a great big bear hug and pinch his cheeks raw... I loathed him, I loved him, (at times) I couldn't care less about him SOOO Wallace was a wash for me. The other characters however fell more squarely in the Absolutely Cherish category. I adored Mei and of course our Ferryman Hugo as well as Hugo's very charming, rapscallion grandad Nelson. I also found myself enjoying each and every part with Cameron in it... what a diverse and textured cast TJ gave us!
Then there's the beautific LGBTQ representation. It's inspiring and understated all at the same time. I especially love how Klune manages to make every type of Loving relationship (whether it be the love of a friend, family member or paramor) feel "Right" even when I have no idea how things went from indifference---> amorous Kismet... 0 - 180 in what felt like three heartbeats' time. One minute he's a stubborn ass and the next minute he's a love interest? I don't know... I merely went with the flow even when the pace was jerky. BUT at the end of this one of a kind ride I found that I was quite satisfied. SO even with some pacing issues, minor character annoyances and some sections that came off as cliche... it all sorted itself out in the end.
Overall:
This highly anticipated book came right off of the heels of Klune's WILDLY successful previous book, The House In The Cerulean Sea, making conditions prime for comparison between the two. Is that fair? Probably not but I found I couldn't help myself. When you love a book so much it hurts, the author that gifted you with said book can feel larger than life to you... a veritable God, right? Well this author might not be God but he writes about matters such as divinity, higher Beings, what The Call of the Afterlife must be like, Love in the face of impossible situations and what makes a life Good and Worthy ... as if he has some kind of inside information we don't have and he even does so with flair. Don't get me wrong, Klune isn't flowery or verbose... his writing sits snuggly in the Goldilocks Zone, it's juuust right.
NOW, is this book worth your time and emotional investment? Will it play your heartstrings like a literary virtuoso? I say yes on both accounts BUT it is not without its hiccups like spotty pacing and some cliché moments WHICH makes me slightly sad yet still VERY thankful to have been able to get my hands on it at all. Yes there were a few clunky, sluggish bits but the flow never stuttered to a halt or made me feel like skimming so it all worked out in the end
Bottom line: this book is good... a tad slow in places and a touch cliche at times but otherwise this is a solid (tear jerking) read!
~Enjoy
*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
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man can Klune write a good character!! Anyway, this book made me feel (almost) all of those (often) pesky things called Emotions just not on the same scale WHICH is fair since this book delves into darker and headier topics such as: Death, Grief, Hopelessness, Powerlessness, Suicide, Contrition, Depression and all manor of Dejectedness. I apologize for that made up word but it fits... so I think I'll keep it. Now, Under The Whispering Door had much of what's needed to be considered a memorable read for me. There was a unique premise that was both palatable and easy to grasp. There were loveable/quirky characters. The writing was touching and I even cried a bit... ok, maybe I cried a bit more than a bit (especially towards the end). The dialogue was good but not as organic as it was in his last book. It might not be fair to compare the two books but it's hard not to when The House in the Cerulean Sea was mind-boggling amazing... I still think about it randomly and smile.
Okay, back to the book at hand... the crux of Under The Whispering Door tackled the VERY difficult (and often extremely polarizing) topic of "What Happens After We Die"? I really enjoyed Klune's ideas on the subject and I loved how he incorporated a crew of (loveable yet sadly not quite morally gray enough) characters that had varying degrees of involvement (powers?) in aiding those on the road to the After-Life. I'll start with management. I felt that the Manager who oversees all was not relatable or likeable, which was most likely written to read as such since this reader is a mere human BUT His(?)... its(?) whole demeanor and almost complete lack of empathy for we creatures in his care was off-putting and it just felt "Wrong" somehow. Another near miss for me was our MC Wallace. Wallace was an almost instantaneous convert from Lifetime Selfish Morally Bankrupt Douche ---> loving, empathetic, caring, brave and selfless being. His rapid transformation felt unlikely and disingenuous which made suspending reality with respect to (new) Wallace a bit difficult. Of course then there were the times when he was so charming I wanted to squeezly squish him in a great big bear hug and pinch his cheeks raw... I loathed him, I loved him, (at times) I couldn't care less about him SOOO Wallace was a wash for me. The other characters however fell more squarely in the Absolutely Cherish category. I adored Mei and of course our Ferryman Hugo as well as Hugo's very charming, rapscallion grandad Nelson. I also found myself enjoying each and every part with Cameron in it... what a diverse and textured cast TJ gave us!
Then there's the beautific LGBTQ representation. It's inspiring and understated all at the same time. I especially love how Klune manages to make every type of Loving relationship (whether it be the love of a friend, family member or paramor) feel "Right" even when I have no idea how things went from indifference---> amorous Kismet... 0 - 180 in what felt like three heartbeats' time. One minute he's a stubborn ass and the next minute he's a love interest? I don't know... I merely went with the flow even when the pace was jerky. BUT at the end of this one of a kind ride I found that I was quite satisfied. SO even with some pacing issues, minor character annoyances and some sections that came off as cliche... it all sorted itself out in the end.
Overall:
This highly anticipated book came right off of the heels of Klune's WILDLY successful previous book, The House In The Cerulean Sea, making conditions prime for comparison between the two. Is that fair? Probably not but I found I couldn't help myself. When you love a book so much it hurts, the author that gifted you with said book can feel larger than life to you... a veritable God, right? Well this author might not be God but he writes about matters such as divinity, higher Beings, what The Call of the Afterlife must be like, Love in the face of impossible situations and what makes a life Good and Worthy ... as if he has some kind of inside information we don't have and he even does so with flair. Don't get me wrong, Klune isn't flowery or verbose... his writing sits snuggly in the Goldilocks Zone, it's juuust right.
NOW, is this book worth your time and emotional investment? Will it play your heartstrings like a literary virtuoso? I say yes on both accounts BUT it is not without its hiccups like spotty pacing and some cliché moments WHICH makes me slightly sad yet still VERY thankful to have been able to get my hands on it at all. Yes there were a few clunky, sluggish bits but the flow never stuttered to a halt or made me feel like skimming so it all worked out in the end
Bottom line: this book is good... a tad slow in places and a touch cliche at times but otherwise this is a solid (tear jerking) read!
~Enjoy
*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
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LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got an eGalley of this book through NetGalley to review.
Thoughts: This was incredibly well done, I really enjoyed every minute of it. This is a sweet story about life, death, friendship, and love that has a lot of humor in it as well.
Wallace
The writing and story are fairly simple but there is enough mystery to pull the reader easily through the story. I loved the quirky characters in here and loved all the discussion about what it means to live your life well. There is humor in here too, as well as a number of heartwarming scenes too. This is a story that will make you laugh out loud, then have you in tears on the next page.
So far I have absolutely loved every T.J. Klune book I have read. I have read “The House in the Cerulean Sea” and the first book in the Tales of Verania series. The last couple books I have read by Klune (The House and this one) have been so comforting and entertaining, he is just such an amazing writer!
My Summary (5/5): Overall I adored this book. It's just so quirky, heart-warming, comforting, humorous, and thoughtful. I love the way this book made me feel so happy and enjoyed all the introspection about life, death, and a life well lived. I will continue to immediately pick up any Klune book I see released!
Thoughts: This was incredibly well done, I really enjoyed every minute of it. This is a sweet story about life, death, friendship, and love that has a lot of humor in it as well.
Wallace
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isn’t a very nice guy; he is a lawyer who lives for his job and is incredibly demanding of those around him...and then he is dead. He finds himself being shepherded to a Reaper, the teashop-owningHugo. Suddenly, everything Wallace thinks he knows about life is changing.The writing and story are fairly simple but there is enough mystery to pull the reader easily through the story. I loved the quirky characters in here and loved all the discussion about what it means to live your life well. There is humor in here too, as well as a number of heartwarming scenes too. This is a story that will make you laugh out loud, then have you in tears on the next page.
So far I have absolutely loved every T.J. Klune book I have read. I have read “The House in the Cerulean Sea” and the first book in the Tales of Verania series. The last couple books I have read by Klune (The House and this one) have been so comforting and entertaining, he is just such an amazing writer!
My Summary (5/5): Overall I adored this book. It's just so quirky, heart-warming, comforting, humorous, and thoughtful. I love the way this book made me feel so happy and enjoyed all the introspection about life, death, and a life well lived. I will continue to immediately pick up any Klune book I see released!
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LibraryThing member TheYodamom
Wallace is a self centered, egotistical, cruel, selfish, lawyer, ex husband, jerk and nobody misses him when he’s dead. He even drives the reaper and ferryman to the end of their rope.
Wallace find himself at his funeral. Confused, in denial, he listens as his partners drib him as a horrible
This is a wonderful heartbreaking, heart wrenching journey. Wallace has issues on his issues. Hugos job is to help him move on to the next thing. Time, questions, soul searching and trust slowly change things. An impossible romance blooms.
These characters are amazing. Wallace (jerk), Hugo (yum), Mei (spunky), Nelson (patience), and Apollo (adorable 4 legged friend) Watch them do their job, make connections and bond had me laughing crying and cursing.
I enjoyed this read, it was very emotional. This was an unexpected joy, so unique.
Wallace find himself at his funeral. Confused, in denial, he listens as his partners drib him as a horrible
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person, his ex wife spews hatred, there are no good words. This must be a dream right ? Nope. The Reaper comes for him, and escorts him to a tea house where he’s offered tea by the Ferryman Hugo. This is a wonderful heartbreaking, heart wrenching journey. Wallace has issues on his issues. Hugos job is to help him move on to the next thing. Time, questions, soul searching and trust slowly change things. An impossible romance blooms.
These characters are amazing. Wallace (jerk), Hugo (yum), Mei (spunky), Nelson (patience), and Apollo (adorable 4 legged friend) Watch them do their job, make connections and bond had me laughing crying and cursing.
I enjoyed this read, it was very emotional. This was an unexpected joy, so unique.
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LibraryThing member tamidale
If you’re looking for an imaginative read, this newest book by TJ Klune will certainly fit that description. Klune spins a unique take on death and what happens in the days following.
We’ve all heard of the grim reaper and heaven and hell, but each of us most likely has a unique view of the
Wallace, our main character, has died of a sudden heart attack. Wallace was a high-powered attorney and is very much similar to Ebenezer Scrooge. His entire life was consumed with work. He had no special relationships and was not well liked.
When he wakes up one day and realizes he has died, he just can’t accept it. Mai, a reaper, shows up to help Wallace, taking him to a house where he will stay until he is ready to make his crossing. The house belongs to Hugo and he is the one that helps people get ready to cross over. Other residents in the house are Nelson, Hugo’s grandfather and Apollo, Hugo’s dog. All of these characters help to soften Wallace’s heart and open his eyes to the life he had lived.
My favorite part of the book was the interaction between Wallace and Nelson, along with Apollo. I love a story with a good dog in the midst. This is a story with great characters, much imagination and an a hopeful ending.
Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan-TOR/Forge for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.
We’ve all heard of the grim reaper and heaven and hell, but each of us most likely has a unique view of the
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afterlife, whether you are Christian or not. Klune steers away from any religious ideas about death and refers to it as crossing over to a different place.Wallace, our main character, has died of a sudden heart attack. Wallace was a high-powered attorney and is very much similar to Ebenezer Scrooge. His entire life was consumed with work. He had no special relationships and was not well liked.
When he wakes up one day and realizes he has died, he just can’t accept it. Mai, a reaper, shows up to help Wallace, taking him to a house where he will stay until he is ready to make his crossing. The house belongs to Hugo and he is the one that helps people get ready to cross over. Other residents in the house are Nelson, Hugo’s grandfather and Apollo, Hugo’s dog. All of these characters help to soften Wallace’s heart and open his eyes to the life he had lived.
My favorite part of the book was the interaction between Wallace and Nelson, along with Apollo. I love a story with a good dog in the midst. This is a story with great characters, much imagination and an a hopeful ending.
Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan-TOR/Forge for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.
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LibraryThing member MontzaleeW
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
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!
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
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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!
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Under the Whispering Door, the latest by T. J. Klune is going to go down as one of my favorite books of 2021. I simply love Mr. Klune’s storytelling and his characters. He makes you feel so much for characters you shouldn’t like. Plus, he handles very sensitive topics with care.
In fact, in
The icing on the delightful cake that is Under the Whispering Door is his characters. Wallace, Hugo, Mei, Nelson, and Apollo are everything you want them to be. Quirky, endearing, and yet flawed in a way that makes them real, they capture your heart. At the same time, their relationships with each other make you feel hope for humanity, as they are a fantastic reminder of what healthy relationships can be.
Under the Whispering Door brings so much to the table. Not only is it funny and adorable, but it also provides you with moments of peace and clarity about a topic no one really wants to discuss. This is one book that will make my permanent library, the highest compliment I can give any book.
In fact, in
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Under the Whispering Door, Mr. Klune takes a topic that is my number one cause of panic attacks and makes it so beautiful and so peaceful that I felt my body physically relax while reading. Mortality (and what happens after) is a subject with which all humans struggle. Yet, Mr. Klune’s idea of mortality and the afterlife is nothing but a gift.The icing on the delightful cake that is Under the Whispering Door is his characters. Wallace, Hugo, Mei, Nelson, and Apollo are everything you want them to be. Quirky, endearing, and yet flawed in a way that makes them real, they capture your heart. At the same time, their relationships with each other make you feel hope for humanity, as they are a fantastic reminder of what healthy relationships can be.
Under the Whispering Door brings so much to the table. Not only is it funny and adorable, but it also provides you with moments of peace and clarity about a topic no one really wants to discuss. This is one book that will make my permanent library, the highest compliment I can give any book.
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LibraryThing member Carol420
It’s a story about grief, a tale filled with love but also tinged with sadness. Even though the story is a somewhat tragic one...it’s still uplifting...and yes, it hurts at times...but it’s the very definition of the word “bittersweet”. We meet Wallace Price, a Scrooge-like character who
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starts out as a lawyer with no empathy and little concern for others. It’s not his life that will concern us... it’s his journey after his death that is the heart of the story. The plot in this story moves very slow...maybe too slow for some readers, but hang in there. You won’t be sorry. You’ll journey to the tea shop where these souls and we the readers, will gather to meet the owner, or the cosmic entity who enforces the rules of the afterlife. In short, it’s a story about grief...life, love and the human connection that will always live on as long as there remains someone that loved you and remembers you. Show Less
LibraryThing member kimkimkim
Such much to think about. T.J. Klune invites you to look at death from so many perspectives with grace, charm, wit and wisdom.
LibraryThing member kevn57
Three years ago, someone had asked if they could move the dial up to seventy degrees. He’d laughed. Warmth led to laziness. When one was cold, one kept moving.
Outside his office, the firm moved like a well-oiled machine, busy and self-sufficient without the need for significant input, exactly as
From this 1st page quote alone I though,t along with the rest of this scene, I'd figured out this story.
I believed that this was a redemption story, It reminded me of Bob Cratchit.
The door of Scrooge’s counting-house was open that he might keep his eye upon his clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond, a sort of tank, was copying letters. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk’s fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. But he couldn’t replenish it, for Scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room; and so surely as the clerk came in with the shovel, the master predicted that it would be necessary for them to part.
Poor Bob, even more pitiful was Patricia, at least Bob had a sportive family.
From there I guessed that Wallace would live again. It was a pretty good story and I liked the characters once Wallace stopped being such a contemptible person. I like that it was his ambition and drive that actually ruined his marriage and his life. I liked that he learned just like Scrooge, that work isn't what life is about.
Enjoyable story and characters, but nothing really new except for the love story.
Outside his office, the firm moved like a well-oiled machine, busy and self-sufficient without the need for significant input, exactly as
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Wallace liked.From this 1st page quote alone I though,t along with the rest of this scene, I'd figured out this story.
I believed that this was a redemption story, It reminded me of Bob Cratchit.
The door of Scrooge’s counting-house was open that he might keep his eye upon his clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond, a sort of tank, was copying letters. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk’s fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. But he couldn’t replenish it, for Scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room; and so surely as the clerk came in with the shovel, the master predicted that it would be necessary for them to part.
Poor Bob, even more pitiful was Patricia, at least Bob had a sportive family.
From there I guessed that Wallace would live again. It was a pretty good story and I liked the characters once Wallace stopped being such a contemptible person. I like that it was his ambition and drive that actually ruined his marriage and his life. I liked that he learned just like Scrooge, that work isn't what life is about.
Enjoyable story and characters, but nothing really new except for the love story.
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LibraryThing member dcoward
dnf - the main character was very unlikeable. This seemed much like house on the cerulean sea, but not as good.
LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.
The skin around my eyes remains stiff from tears because this book made me SOB, but in the best of ways. This is a beautiful, extraordinary book that will crush your heart and put it back together, too.
Wallace is a jerk. He's like Scrooge
But Wallace doesn't want to move on. He stays. He rages, he grieves, and slowly, he starts to change. And fall in love.
I fell in love, too, with every character. The deep feels of this book remind me of Becky Chambers's novels--stories that truly capture the complexity and the goodness of people and somehow manage to reaffirm your belief in humanity. I like that this took the Scrooge trope and made it more realistic--there's no overnight change. It's gradual, it's painful, it's full of regret. Ultimately, it's a queer love story, too, and again, one that feels realistic (because honestly, anyone and everyone can and will fall in love with Hugo).
This will be one of the best books I've read this year, and probably an all-time favorite.
The skin around my eyes remains stiff from tears because this book made me SOB, but in the best of ways. This is a beautiful, extraordinary book that will crush your heart and put it back together, too.
Wallace is a jerk. He's like Scrooge
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brought into the modern-day--a high-powered lawyer who is callused, cold, and not the slightest bit loved. When he keels over dead, he attends his own funeral and rages, unseen, at the way his ex-wife and law firm partners disrespect him. A reaper arrives--a young woman, Mei, who can see and hear him, and takes him to a strange tea house in the middle of nowhere. It's a waypoint for the recently dead to come to grips with their new state of being before they move on through a door set in the fourth-floor ceiling. The purveyor is Hugo, a man with a knack to choose the right tea for anyone--and also, a ferryman, a person with a genuine, empathetic heart. He helps the recently-dead move on.But Wallace doesn't want to move on. He stays. He rages, he grieves, and slowly, he starts to change. And fall in love.
I fell in love, too, with every character. The deep feels of this book remind me of Becky Chambers's novels--stories that truly capture the complexity and the goodness of people and somehow manage to reaffirm your belief in humanity. I like that this took the Scrooge trope and made it more realistic--there's no overnight change. It's gradual, it's painful, it's full of regret. Ultimately, it's a queer love story, too, and again, one that feels realistic (because honestly, anyone and everyone can and will fall in love with Hugo).
This will be one of the best books I've read this year, and probably an all-time favorite.
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
Wallace Price is a successful lawyer, partner in the prestigious firm he and his partners built, and he's a rather terrible human being. Cold, harsh, never kind, sometimes actively cruel.
And then one day, he dies, quite suddenly, of a heart attack, all alone in the office on a Sunday afternoon. For
There are many ferrymen, in various places around the world, because one Ferryman couldn't handle all the dead who need help adjusting, and passing through the Door.
The newly dead don't always pass through quickly; some take several days to adjust and be ready. One person stayed two weeks. Wallace is going to smash that record all to heck. He's got a lot to learn about himself, about who he was and who he could be, and the true nature of life and death. Along the way, he comes to find the Ferryman very attractive, both physically and in personality and character.
But while Hugo the Ferryman is the immediate boss of the tea shop/way station, there's a Manager over him. It's clear from comments by Hugo, Mei, and Hugo's (deceased) grandfather, Nelson, that the Manager is quite dangerous and rather unpleasant. When Wallace has been, increasingly comfortably, ensconced in the tea shop for several weeks, while learning more about the business of the afterlife, including husks--people who refused to cross over and tried to leave the grounds of the tea shop--the Manager pays a visit, and tells Wallace he has to cross over in seven days, or the Manager will see to it that he does.
The characters are all interesting and engaging, and revealed gradually along the way. Most of all, though, we see Wallace undergoing the character development he should have while he was alive, and chose not to, in pursuit of money and power.
I found this an altogether charming and engaging book.
It should be noted that Hugo has a dog, Apollo, who is A Very Good Boy, and since he is already dead at the start, and is present as a ghost, he can't die in the course of the story.
Recommended
I bought this audiobook.
And then one day, he dies, quite suddenly, of a heart attack, all alone in the office on a Sunday afternoon. For
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the next few days, he's frustrated that no one can see or hear him. Finally, at his funeral, someone does--his Reaper, come to collect him. The Reaper, a young woman named Mei, is on her first solo job, but she's good at it, and she brings him to Charon's Tea and Treats Shop. It's a real tea shop, but it's also the home base of Hugo Freeman, the Ferryman. Or at least, a Ferryman.There are many ferrymen, in various places around the world, because one Ferryman couldn't handle all the dead who need help adjusting, and passing through the Door.
The newly dead don't always pass through quickly; some take several days to adjust and be ready. One person stayed two weeks. Wallace is going to smash that record all to heck. He's got a lot to learn about himself, about who he was and who he could be, and the true nature of life and death. Along the way, he comes to find the Ferryman very attractive, both physically and in personality and character.
But while Hugo the Ferryman is the immediate boss of the tea shop/way station, there's a Manager over him. It's clear from comments by Hugo, Mei, and Hugo's (deceased) grandfather, Nelson, that the Manager is quite dangerous and rather unpleasant. When Wallace has been, increasingly comfortably, ensconced in the tea shop for several weeks, while learning more about the business of the afterlife, including husks--people who refused to cross over and tried to leave the grounds of the tea shop--the Manager pays a visit, and tells Wallace he has to cross over in seven days, or the Manager will see to it that he does.
The characters are all interesting and engaging, and revealed gradually along the way. Most of all, though, we see Wallace undergoing the character development he should have while he was alive, and chose not to, in pursuit of money and power.
I found this an altogether charming and engaging book.
It should be noted that Hugo has a dog, Apollo, who is A Very Good Boy, and since he is already dead at the start, and is present as a ghost, he can't die in the course of the story.
Recommended
I bought this audiobook.
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LibraryThing member foggidawn
Wallace is a lawyer and a real jerk. When he dies of a heart attack at age 40, nobody's sorry to see him go. As he attends his own funeral as a ghost, a Reaper named Mei approaches him and takes him to a sort of waystation for the recently departed: an eclectic teahouse run by a man named Hugo,
This was light and fun and just what I needed after a season of intense book reading and evaluation. I couldn't help but notice a few small inconsistencies, but they didn't throw me out of the story. I had a hard time liking Wallace and accepting his change of nature -- it seemed to come too quickly and easily to me. I also didn't buy the romance, because I felt that Hugo deserved better (which ties in to my previous point). Plus, I had some issues with the ending. But when I let those things drift away and immersed myself in the book, I found it very sweet and pleasant.
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whose real job is helping souls pass on to whatever is next. As Wallace interacts with Hugo, Mei, and the other denizens of the teahouse (both living and ghostly), he reevaluates his life and learns to be more empathetic. But he still has to move on... right?This was light and fun and just what I needed after a season of intense book reading and evaluation. I couldn't help but notice a few small inconsistencies, but they didn't throw me out of the story. I had a hard time liking Wallace and accepting his change of nature -- it seemed to come too quickly and easily to me. I also didn't buy the romance, because I felt that Hugo deserved better (which ties in to my previous point). Plus, I had some issues with the ending. But when I let those things drift away and immersed myself in the book, I found it very sweet and pleasant.
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LibraryThing member grandpahobo
Just an amazing book. Its a bit sappy at times, but not so it would deter from the story. If I could give it 10 stars, I would.
LibraryThing member eas7788
Elisa loaned this to me. It is the sweetest book about death and grief I've ever read. SOmetimes it got too sweet for me. It tried a little too hard and some of its beats were to obvious. However, It's tough to pull off a third person limited pov when your main character transforms during the book,
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and it did a good job with that. It worked hard on varied representation. And it was sweet, as I said, which is hard! Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
I was not convinced by any of the characters in this book. Walters too abrupt turn around, and the stated but largely undemonstrative competence of Mei and Hugo. In addition I felt large waves of emotional manipulation. The writing and pacing makes for a decent read and quirky gay romance is cool,
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but that wasn't enough to make this a recommendable read for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member eesti23
"If wishes were fishes, we'd all swim in riches."
"Death isn't a final ending, Wallace. It is an ending, sure, but only to prepare you for a new beginning."
"Death has a beauty to it. We don't see it because we don't want to. And that makes sense. Why would we want to focus on something that takes us
"Death is cleansing. The pain of a mortal life is gone."
After reading The House in the Cerulean Sea, I was waiting for Under the Whispering Door from the moment I heard about its upcoming release. Under the Whispering Door doesn't even come close to how good The House in the Cerulean Sea is, but that was going to be a super hard thing to achieve. There is, however, a unique story here with good messages and loveable characters. It made me view death in a different light and made me hope that there is someone like Hugo and Mei waiting to guide me through the process.
"Death isn't a final ending, Wallace. It is an ending, sure, but only to prepare you for a new beginning."
"Death has a beauty to it. We don't see it because we don't want to. And that makes sense. Why would we want to focus on something that takes us
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away from everything we know? How do we even begin to understand that there's more than we see?""Death is cleansing. The pain of a mortal life is gone."
After reading The House in the Cerulean Sea, I was waiting for Under the Whispering Door from the moment I heard about its upcoming release. Under the Whispering Door doesn't even come close to how good The House in the Cerulean Sea is, but that was going to be a super hard thing to achieve. There is, however, a unique story here with good messages and loveable characters. It made me view death in a different light and made me hope that there is someone like Hugo and Mei waiting to guide me through the process.
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LibraryThing member Al-G
Charon Crossing Tea and Treats is a quaint tea shop in a small town, with one exception. It's owner, Hugo, is a ferryman who helps souls transition from death to afterlife and so, while the patrons cannot see them, the shop is also populated with ghosts who are preparing to cross into eternity.
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Klune's story is extremely engaging and well written and is at once about both life and death, about love and loss, and is poignant and joyful all at the same time. His characters are engaging and well developed as the book progresses and he does an outstanding job of building empathy. The story draws from mythology, philosophy and religion but isn't strictly bound by any of them. One of the most thought-provoking aspects (and there are plenty of different ones) is around one of the primary characters, Wallace, who is divorced, alone, wealthy but friendless and whose life is devoted entirely to his work. The question we are left to reflect upon as the story progresses is how do we prepare for afterlife when we haven't lived in this life. Klune's work urges the reader to reflect on tough questions and prods us to look at life, and death, from different perspectives. Even his characters are unique in many ways and create a family that is diverse and compassionate as Charon Crossing serves as a way station for spirits on the way to eternity. Show Less
LibraryThing member electrascaife
When Wallace dies suddenly of a heart attack, it's evident that no one will miss him much. He wasn't the nicest person on the planet, not by a long shot: selfish and entitled, with not a drop of empathy anywhere in his (disem)bod(y)(ied soul). When a reaper takes him to a sort of waystation between
It started out slowly for me, but I'm *so* glad I stuck with it because by the end it has become a definite favorite. This book is a heartbreaking hodgepodge of zen-like dialogue, hilarious hijinks, a warm-and-fuzzy love story, and gut-wrenching self-discoveries. It's about death and love and grief in many forms, but it's not a sad read, overall. Honestly, it's difficult to fit this novel into any particular category, so I'll just shelf it under Books I Love with All My Heart.
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worlds that doubles as a small-town tea shop, Wallace spends his time ranting and raving at the shop owner/ferryman, Hugo, until, gradually, he becomes more aware of what's happened to him, what it means to be dead, and what it means really to live. It started out slowly for me, but I'm *so* glad I stuck with it because by the end it has become a definite favorite. This book is a heartbreaking hodgepodge of zen-like dialogue, hilarious hijinks, a warm-and-fuzzy love story, and gut-wrenching self-discoveries. It's about death and love and grief in many forms, but it's not a sad read, overall. Honestly, it's difficult to fit this novel into any particular category, so I'll just shelf it under Books I Love with All My Heart.
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LibraryThing member sparemethecensor
There are some teens for whom this will be the first novel like this they have ever read, and for them, it will be a really beautiful eye-opener. It will stick with them. For those of us who have read this novel before in its other iterations, it won't. I credit Klune for doing this novel again
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with its positive LGBT worldbuilding. I do not think I will remember it six months from now. But it isn't for me -- the teens who this is for, they probably will. Show Less
Awards
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2021)
LibraryReads (Annual Voter Favorite — September 2021)
Language
Original publication date
2021-09-21
Physical description
384 p.; 9.21 inches
ISBN
1529087988 / 9781529087987
Other editions
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune (Hardcover)