Often, whatever it is that you claim to value—family, friends, pets, books and other little things that spark joy—are relegated to the end of your priority list as your workload increases. Caught up in the rat race your days merge into one another and you run the risk of letting life pass you by. Klune focuses on this theme and tells interesting stories, making you think about all that you take for granted. I loved ‘The House in the Cerulean Sea’ and I picked up ‘Under the Whispering Door’ because I just knew this one would also be amazing. Klune’s writing is extremely nuanced and witty as well.
Under the Whispering Door is a whimsical fantasy novel about a man named Wallace Price who dies and becomes a ghost. But Wallace wasn’t done living. He had too much work left to do. As Wallace struggles to cross over to the afterlife—floating around in the teashop run by an empathetic ferryman called Hugo—he finally learns how to live. Cold, calculating, and cantankerous, Wallace wasn’t a very likable man when he was alive. He never realized the extent of damage he did to people around him. But death humanizes him, makes him realize there is no difference between him and the next person and that life doesn’t necessarily have to be about beating other people to get to the top. Kindness, Wallace learns albeit a bit late (or is it ever too late?), can (and does) go a long way. And if not in life, then in afterlife, he is determined to make it his guiding principle.
Klune has written a beautiful story of redemption after death that brims with witty one liners and scenes you want to go over again and again. There are many fun characters who never let the story get boring, even when there’s not much happening. Mei is a passionate and smart reaper who makes you double with laughter with her sarcasm and knife-wielding threats. Hugo’s grandfather, Nelson, is another ghost like Wallace who has been hanging around the tea shop for years. He teaches Wallace ‘how to be a ghost’ and scares visitors he doesn’t like at the teashop. Then, there’s the Manager who everyone fears and wants to avoid. His imminent arrival creates a tension that keeps you at the edge of your seat.
I must mention the cute love story between Wallace and Hugo (no, it’s not a spoiler). It’s very organic and doesn’t feel forced like many narratives where romance isn’t the primary focus. Klune, who is gay, makes sure there is good queer representation in his stories. Reading his books, I believe, can help create a positive image of the LBGTIQA+ community. Though Under the Whispering Door is a fantasy novel, it’s highly relatable and helps you better understand yourself and those around you. Definitely a must read.
Four stars
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/53205888-under-the-whispering-door
Fantasy fiction
Under the Whispering Door
TJ Klune
Published: 2021
Publisher: Tor
Pages: 376, Paperback
