His previous book, The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) , was praised for both its endearing characters and its charm, two traits that I can confidently say have returned in Under the Whispering Door. The book features well-rounded characters and takes time to explore their various histories and motivations. How could I not? Helping people when they need it most, when they think all is lost? Of course I’d agree to it (235).”) And as Wallace slowly falls in love with him, he learns that same kindness.įor those familiar with Klune’s other work, such a strong cast of characters should come as no surprise. Empathetic to a fault, imperfect, but most of all: kind. Hugo. Hugo is not just the ferryman who helps the deceased cross, he is the heart and soul of the novel. There’s Nelson, the old grandfather who died many years ago but stays around anyway (“We think we have time for such things, but there’s never enough for all we should have said”) (232). And last but definitely not least, Hugo. It’s an ending, sure, but only to prepare you for a new beginning” (120)). There’s Mei, a new and energetic Reaper who guides the deceased to the tea shop and comforts them (“Death isn’t a final ending, Wallace. But Wallace is granted no such luxury.īy the end of Under the Whispering Door, Wallace works out that “’s about the people, and what we’re willing to do for one another” (318). And the people are precisely what brings life to the novel. Wallace’s arrival at Charon’s Crossing happens with the same grace as sticking your ice-cold hands into a warm bath: painful, and accompanied by a strong reflex to remove yourself from the situation. Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats is a soft and warm space filled with mismatched furniture, vined plants, and a powerful scent of spices.

And all this takes place in a cosy tea shop in the woods, that functions as a waystation for the recently deceased. What follows is a tale of grief, love, and learning to deal with the messiness and mysteriousness of living. T.J. Klune’s latest book tells the story of Wallace Price: a cold and uncaring lawyer, who only in death realises that he hasn’t truly lived. Under the Whispering Door is a book about death, but it’s not a book about dying.

The whispering door book