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@bookquoth “It’s never enough, is it? Time. We always think we have so much of it, but when it really counts, we don’t have enough at all.” 👻🚪 . . This was another sweet, heartwarming, & moving novel from tjklunebooks. I enjoyed the story he shared with us, but I did have one pretty strong dislike 🙊. 👻🚪 . . Wallace Price finds himself at his own funeral. A Reaper is there to collect him. He’s upset and angry and scared and obviously hesitant, but he follows Mei as she takes him to Charon’s Crossing, a tea shop that is essentially a waystation for the recently deceased. Here is where Wallace is to come to terms with his own death, with the help of ferryman Hugo, and move through the five stages of grief before he’s ready to move on through the passageway to whatever comes next. Wallace was not the nicest person during his human existence, but can he fix that after death? 👻🚪 . . I loved the themes explored in this story. I loved that it was mostly set in a tea shop—yum! I enjoyed Wallace’s character growth and transformation. I loved all the other characters, so fully formed and described, just as in The House in the Cerulean Sea. 👻🚪 . . However, I noticed this in both books, and it seemed more prominent in this one, but I feel like I am being lectured to through the dialogue of the characters. The author’s points are overly-emphasized throughout the dialogue and overly-explained at times, to the point where it didn’t seem like the characters would actually talk that way in casual conversation. I feel because of that, it felt dumbed-down (and maybe that’s why these feel like children’s books and not adult books sometimes?), and as a reader I wasn’t left to do much thinking of my own. So maybe it’s an unpopular opinion, and I’m sorry it’s not a entirely glowing review, but I was curious if anyone else felt this way? I feel like it was hard for me to get through—and maybe I was being a brat—because I was tired of being lectured to…😬. The ending sure was surprising though, so that helped make up for some of it! 👻🚪
Under the Whispering Door - by Tj Klune
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About the Book
"A ... queer love story ... 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 ... an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home"--Book Synopsis
A NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND INDIE BESTSELLER
An Indie Next Pick!
A Locus Awards Top Ten Finalist for Fantasy Novel
A Man Called Ove meets The Good Place in Under the Whispering Door, a delightful queer love story from TJ Klune, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The House in the Cerulean Sea.
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.
Review Quotes
A NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND INDIE BESTSELLER
An Indie Next and LibraryReads Pick!
A Locus Awards Top Ten Finalist for Fantasy Novel
A 2021 LibraryReads Favorite
"Is it possible to fall in love with someone's imagination? If so, consider me fully smitten. TJ Klune creates worlds where fear and threat can be conquered by kindness, and a tender, queer heart is more valuable than any weapon or power." --David Levithan "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." --Library Journal "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." --Booklist "TJ Klune is a master storyteller." --The Mary Sue "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." --Locus Praise for The House in The Cerulean Sea
A NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER!
A 2021 Alex Award winner!
An Indie Next Pick!
One of Publishers Weekly's Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2020
One of Book Riot's "20 Must-Read Feel-Good Fantasies" I loved it. It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket. Simply perfect. --V.E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author It will renew your faith in humanity." --Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of the Shannara series "It's a witty, wholesome fantasy that's likely to cause heart-swelling." --The Washington Post "The House in The Cerulean Sea is a modern fairy tale about learning your true nature and what you love and will protect. It's a beautiful book." --Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author "1984 meets The Umbrella Academy with a pinch of Douglas Adams thrown in. Touching, tender, and truly delightful, The House in the Cerulean Sea is an utterly absorbing story of tolerance, found family, and defeating bureaucracy."--Gail Carriger, New York Times bestselling author of Soulless
"Sweet, comforting, and kind, this book is very close to perfect. The House in the Cerulean Sea is a work of classic children's literature written for adults and children alike, with the perspective and delicacy of the modern day. I cannot recommend it highly enough." --Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of Every Heart a Doorway "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." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) 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. --Kirkus "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." --Booklist "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." --Shelf Awareness A delightful tale about chosen families, and how to celebrate differences. --Library Journal "If ever there was an author to watch out for, [Klune] is definitely that author." --Culturess Daily
About the Author
TJ KLUNE is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, The Extraordinaries, and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it's important--now more than ever--to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories.Additional product information and recommendations
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