Under the Whispering Door

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was SO FUCKING GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!! The character development was PERFECTION!!!!!!!! You know a writer is GREAT when you start the book hating the main character, and end the book wanting them to have the World!!!!!!!! The writing itself was ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL!!!!!!!!! The comedic timing was WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!! All in all I absolutely ADORED THIS!!!!!!!!!!!! T. J. Klune is an Absolute MASTER WRITER!!!!!!!!!!

I can't tell you how excited I was that I was chosen to review the audiobook for this novel. I absolutely loved Cerulean Sea but just could not enjoy the audio due to the narrator.

This book translates beautifully to audiobook. The story is easy to follow, the narrator uses voices that beautifully mesh and are distinct enough that you know without any kind of indicator exactly who is talking. The story is paced well and is written in such a way you're not confused about what exactly is happening.

As for the story itself, it is the type of beautiful story you would expect from TJ Klune. His storytelling is masterful, his characters so perfectly flawed. As much as you want to hate Wallace, you can see pieces of yourself and the people you hold dear in him. You don't even notice it as you slip from wondering why Klune would create such a detestable character into actually rooting for him. He uncovers and pokes at all of the raw places of our hearts that are love, loss, and family.

If you are interested in a story that would be the lovechild of Ghost and Good Will Hunting... try this out.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a difficult book to review because it's obvious that the subject matter is very personal to Klune (his husband died in 2016 after a horrible illness). I would have to be made of ice not to be affected by the passages in which characters remember their loved ones or decide it's time to move beyond the tea shop/way station and face the great unknown. Unfortunately, other than those emotionally powerful scenes, much of the book consists of hokey clichés about life and death, with Klune's trademark slapstick humor awkwardly shoehorned into the mix. I liked the secondary characters, but found Wallace's redemption arc to be unconvincing and Hugo's personality to be blandly perfect. While I could feel the pain they experienced at the star-crossed nature of their relationship, I never quite understood why Wallace was “it” for Hugo. But then again, love doesn't always make sense. I've never been a huge Klune fan, although I was surprisingly moved by [b:The House in the Cerulean Sea 45047384 The House in the Cerulean Sea T.J. Klune https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569514209l/45047384.SY75.jpg 62945242]. This book firmly returns him to the category of “authors others love, but you don't get.”

In death, Wallace had never felt more alive.

[4.2] give me a story that delves into life & death and my eyes will sweat, guaranteed or your money back. and tbh i cry whenever i get even the slightest bit introspective so yeahhhhh many tears were shed in the reading of this book

Books, Coffee & Passion

Under the Whispering Door tackles a very heavy serious topic: death. Basically, there's death, grief, and what comes next unpacked in this story. Honestly, if I hadn't read The House in the Cerulean Sea and if this book wasn't written by TJ Klune, I don't know if I would read it considering the serious themes in it. But I'm so happy I didn't miss this one.

This story is a journey. Wallace's journey: alive, dead, and then to what comes next. I was hooked by the storytelling from the first page. Wallace was not a good person when he was alive and suddenly, very unexpectedly in his opinion, he is dead. He meets a reaper at his own funeral that takes him to the ferryman. The man who is going to help Wallace cross: Hugo. Hugo owns a tea shop in the middle of nowhere in the cutest house that remains intact defying gravity. The thing is... Wallace is not ready to abandon life and Hugo will help him through it, to get Wallace to where he needs to go.

TJ Klune is a master at creating amazing characters. The cast of characters in this book is fantastic. Wallace, the flawed lawyer that didn't care for anyone other than himself and his job; Hugo, the ferryman with a huge heart and anxiety; Mei, the funniest, in your face, loud Reaper; Nelson the most mischievous, hilarious character ever and Apollo the clumsiest, sweetest dog. I loved every single one of these characters. All of them were so different from each other and yet they fit together perfectly. Wallace's character growth while he was dead, the emotional journey, the connections he forges with other characters, how he falls in love with Hugo... everything was so well done. I couldn't stop reading it. The story was beautifully written, it's cozy and whimsical, sad and heartbreaking, funny and sweet, deep and emotional. I loved every second of it. The plot may be a little predictable but the journey is everything.

On a very personal level, as someone who doesn't deal well at all with death, loss, and grief, Under the Whispering Door will stay with me for a long time. A must-read.

Having read The House in the Cerulean Sea (which I loved) and now Under the Whispering Door, I've noticed a certain Pixar-esque sensibility to T.J. Klune's writing – there's a dynamic premise, a gentle touch, a colorful cast of characters, and a thoughtful message. The tone borders right on the edge of being too syrupy sweet, but Klune injects enough turmoil and heft into the proceedings to never cross over into cloyingness.

I did have some difficulty getting behind Wallace's redemption arc here, as his introduction paints him in such a vile light that it made it hard to believe his personality could undergo such a 180 in such a short time. As such, I did not find this book to be as effective or affecting as The House in the Cerulean Sea, but it is still well worth your time. I really enjoy Klune's writing and I look forward to reading whatever he pens next.

See this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.