Helpful Score: 3
TJ Klune novels provide a truly unique reading experience, from the title and cover to the quirky cast of characters. This is certainly true of Under the Whispering Door, the author's newest novel.
It tells a story centered in death and grief. This difficult, often taboo, topic is addressed as only TJ Klune can. Main character Wallace Price, a workaholic attorney, dies unexpectedly and is shocked when a reaper transports him from his funeral to a cozy tea shop nestled in the mountains, run by Hugo. The people he encounters there (living and dead) will change him far beyond his expectations.
The storyline swings from sad, heavy sections to farcical interludes, such as Wallace attempting to change his clothing. While these abrupt changes in tone take some readers out of the story, I feel they provide a "relief valve" to the tension and weight of the primary subject. As an avid tea drinker, I really appreciated the role tea played in this story.
My feelings about this book are very similar to those for The House on the Cerulean Sea: this wasn't an outstanding read for me personally, but I'm so thankful it exists for people for whom this is a life-changing, life-affirming read. While my beliefs about death and what comes after don't align with those in this novel, I hope this will provide comfort and peace to other readers.
The audiobook narration of Kirt Graves expertly led me through this long and emotional novel. His range of distinct voices made it easy to track the cast of characters.
Thank you to Macmillar Audio and NetGalley for the review copy of the audiobook.
It tells a story centered in death and grief. This difficult, often taboo, topic is addressed as only TJ Klune can. Main character Wallace Price, a workaholic attorney, dies unexpectedly and is shocked when a reaper transports him from his funeral to a cozy tea shop nestled in the mountains, run by Hugo. The people he encounters there (living and dead) will change him far beyond his expectations.
The storyline swings from sad, heavy sections to farcical interludes, such as Wallace attempting to change his clothing. While these abrupt changes in tone take some readers out of the story, I feel they provide a "relief valve" to the tension and weight of the primary subject. As an avid tea drinker, I really appreciated the role tea played in this story.
My feelings about this book are very similar to those for The House on the Cerulean Sea: this wasn't an outstanding read for me personally, but I'm so thankful it exists for people for whom this is a life-changing, life-affirming read. While my beliefs about death and what comes after don't align with those in this novel, I hope this will provide comfort and peace to other readers.
The audiobook narration of Kirt Graves expertly led me through this long and emotional novel. His range of distinct voices made it easy to track the cast of characters.
Thank you to Macmillar Audio and NetGalley for the review copy of the audiobook.
Helpful Score: 2
If I am honest with you, the covers of Klune's book attracts me like a moth to the flame. If I wouldn't know anything at all, it would be that the covers speak to me. Luckily for me, the stories do as well.
When I started on this one though, I almost stopped. It was about death and what happens after. I have somewhat recently suffered from a close death in the family. I have not been able to fully recover from this. I wasn't sure if I could handle a book like this. I stayed with it and all I can say is that it was beautiful. My heart ached but also did a little sigh. And when the book ended, I literally shed some tears for how much the story touched me.
I would also like to discuss a bit on the LGBTQ. I've noticed a lot of authors are throwing it in their books and doing a horrific job of it. It is like they are trying to show they are "woke" or politically correct but they do a dismal job of it. Klune, on the other hand, knows how to write it properly and he does it with such class. Other authors should take note.
When I started on this one though, I almost stopped. It was about death and what happens after. I have somewhat recently suffered from a close death in the family. I have not been able to fully recover from this. I wasn't sure if I could handle a book like this. I stayed with it and all I can say is that it was beautiful. My heart ached but also did a little sigh. And when the book ended, I literally shed some tears for how much the story touched me.
I would also like to discuss a bit on the LGBTQ. I've noticed a lot of authors are throwing it in their books and doing a horrific job of it. It is like they are trying to show they are "woke" or politically correct but they do a dismal job of it. Klune, on the other hand, knows how to write it properly and he does it with such class. Other authors should take note.
