Under the Whispering Door
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What happens when your coming of age story doesn’t happen until after you’ve died? In Under the Whispering Door, an angry lawyer who lost touch with his emotions long ago wakes up dead and is taken in by a reaper, a ferryman, and a crotchety grandfather to help him reconnect with his humanity before he goes into the light.
For the best reading experience, just stop there and go get the book. Come back afterwards to the review and let me know if you agree with my thoughts. I don’t have any real spoilers below, but I loved the experience of discovering a couple plot elements blind rather than knowing what to expect.
TJ Klune has somehow found the halfway point between the quiet angst of a regency romance and a study on grief and learning to let go. Wallace, a lawyer who chose his career and the ‘logical’ choice over human connection at every turn, dies in his office and wakes up a ghost. At his own funeral. His reaper eventually comes to collect him, but not before Wallace has gotten a nasty shock at how little he will be missed. Unwilling to move on the way things are, Wallace convinces the powers that be to give him a week to fix what he can.
Different readers will focus on different aspects of this story. To me it's clearly a slow-burn love story between two characters who can’t even touch each other. One of my friends said it seems more focused on the grief of the different characters and how they each learned to accept, let go, or move on from their loss. A member of my bookclub was more interested in the coming-of-age aspect, as the reader watches Wallace’s emotional intelligence grow by leaps and bounds over the course of the book. I have a suspicion that you can get what you need from TJ Klune’s writing. I struggle with the turning of the seasons and always feel deeply lonely as the days start getting darker, so it makes sense to me that I would focus on the quiet yearning for connection between two characters separated by forces beyond their control.
No matter what you want out of this book, Under the Whispering Door is a must-read for anyone who needs a safe place to take a break from the insanity of the real world for a while. If the character development is a little too linear at times it's a price I’m willing to pay for such a wonderful found family. The ending has just the right touch of bittersweet to prevent the book from feeling trite, and the casual hints of how the universe works ‘behind the scenes’ will fuel many a late night discussion. The gentle plot pacing allows you to sink in and just enjoy spending time with the characters, and TJ Klune does a great job balancing humor with commentary on the difference between living and having a pulse.
I paired this with a ginger turmeric tea blend I got from a local pop up last holiday season in honor of Hugo’s commitment to finding everyone the perfect cup. Its my current go-to tea - a great kick without any caffeine! If you like distinct tea, check out Bean Tree. I’ve enjoyed all of their flavors I’ve tried.
