Under the Whispering Door
A NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND INDIE BESTSELLER
An Indie Next Pick!
2021 Barnes and Noble Best New Books of the Year
2021 Hudson Booksellers Best of the Year
About this book
Under the Whispering Door is a contemporary fantasy with TJ Klune's signature "quirk and charm" (PW) about a ghost who refuses to cross over and the ferryman he falls in love with.
When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.
Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.
But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help, he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.
When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.
By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this absorbing tale of grief and hope is told with TJ Klune's signature warmth, humor, and extraordinary empathy.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books
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Praise & News
“There is so much to enjoy in Under the Whispering Door, but what I cherish the most is its compassion for the little things—a touch, a glance, a precious piece of dialogue—healing me, telling me that for all the strangenesses I hold, I am valued, valid—and maybe even worthy of love.”
—Ryka Aoki, Light from Uncommon Stars
“A warm hug of a book about a Grinch of a man who dies and a ferryman, who helps the dead in their journey onwards. Under the Whispering Door is a kind book, full of faith in the goodness of people, full of kind people showing how compassion is a strength. It broke my heart with its unflinching understanding that grief never goes away, never empties, only settles into the room of your soul like a strange souvenir. And then it healed me in the next breath.”
—Cassandra Khaw, author of Nothing But Blackened Teeth
“Tenderness, wit, and skillful worldbuilding elevate this delightful tale. Fans of queer fantasy won’t want to miss this.”
—Publishers Weekly
“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
"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