T.J. Klune, the author of The House on the Cerulean Sea, once again outdoes himself with his latest published work, titled The Whispering Door. The journey begins with the death of its main character, Wallace, a lawyer, and an undoubtedly selfish individual. He is described as having been hostile and antipathetic to his employees and relatives during his relatively short lifetime, his funeral only attended by his bitter ex-wife and his compassionless business partners. It is revealed that Wallace refuses to cross over to the afterlife and remains trapped at a tea shop, which serves as a halfway point for souls crossing over to the hereafter. Throughout his stay at the shop, stuck between two worlds, that of the living and that of the “next,” he discovers both himself and his humanity with the help of a ferryman named Hugo.
The plotline progresses slowly and does not feature much action or any dramatic events. The book is, however, incredibly rich emotionally, particularly in terms of the author’s descriptions of each characters’ mental reflections. There is a lot of focus on the characters’ identities and their relationships, which rapidly grow stronger and evolve overtime at the tea shop. I really appreciated the characters’ loyalty to one another, and the reader cannot help but become attached to them. Klune does, however, guide and direct readers into forming specific opinions about multiple characters featured in the book; for example, just as the reader quickly comes to love most of the residents of the tea shop, Klune further guides them into immediately disliking certain individuals who visit Hugo, including the inspector and the fortune teller.
I really enjoyed witnessing Wallace’s character development. The writing offers a glimpse at Wallace’s inner thoughts and a front-row seat to the character’s emotional growth. There is a striking contrast between the Wallace portrayed at the beginning of the book and the Wallace that progressively emerges. As we learn more about the character, he becomes more complex, more human. As one of the characters aptly tells Wallace, “It took you dying to find your humanity” (p. 265). Klune tracks the individual’s moral and ethical progression, identifying the relationships and realizations that transform the character’s mindset. The plot becomes particularly interesting when the narrative hits a turning point: Wallace’s character development and journey to find himself are forced into hyper-speed as a higher divine being called “the Manager” gives him an ultimatum of seven days to cross over. Wallace has a week to correct and repair his legacy on earth, and he uses those last few moments to help others by bringing closure to as many individuals as he can. Through this resolution, the author offers a reflection on morality and the need to respect others in life.
If you are an emotional reader, beware. This book tells a story of heartbreak, love, and tragedy. Klune explores death and grief throughout his writing and even said in an interview that writing the novel was cathartic in terms of dealing with several of his own personal experiences involving mourning (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNjw9jf7hrs ). I would say that this could be equally true for the reader, and the novel can be insightful in understanding grief. The author presents emotions that the reader can identify with, and Klune enables us to see the world through his characters’ eyes. Under the Whispering Door is very well written in the way that one can completely experience the characters’ personal turmoil. The characters are confronted with intense emotional events, and the author manages to make these experiences come to life right on the page. The text additionally details different types of grief and the reactions to it. Klune perfectly expresses Wallace’s anguish at being a ghost alongside his increasing awareness of his own death. Similarly, he also completely captures Wallace’s relief as he settles into his new environment, where he is comforted by Hugo and the other characters.
Some passages are profoundly sentimental. For instance, one person refuses to move on to the afterlife in fear that their loved one will not be waiting for them on the other side. Hugo’s own grandfather, Nelson, will not cross over to the next world until he feels that his grandson has found peace and can safely be left behind in the realm of the living. This writing is tragic, yet it can also be comical and joyful. The characters at the tea shop live in harmony, and their lighthearted spats and teasing are a refreshing and humorous addition to the otherwise emotionally heavy text. The author manages to insert a cheerful tone even when dealing with incredibly grave and somber themes. However, this aspect of the writing can be confusing, and it is very difficult to pinpoint the type of audience that Klune is attempting to reach with his story, as some parts are relatively serious and dark whereas other parts are cheerful and almost childish. The author deals with some hard subject matter overall, so if you are seeking a purely lighthearted, carefree reading, I am not sure I would recommend this novel.
The author also brings up important philosophical questions which I thought were a pleasant addition to the novel. The story, using Wallace’s example as a jarring warning, serves as a lesson and reminder to live life to the fullest. The character gets so caught up in insignificant and secondary concerns, such as his profession and work, that he loses sight of the importance of kindness, meaningful interactions with others, and social relationships. I enjoyed the novel’s optimistic stance towards the afterlife as well. Wallace gets another opportunity to live in death and ultimately thrives in the purgatory that is the tea shop, finding the love and friendship he did not have the chance to experience during his time on earth. Wallace has regrets regarding the life he lived, but still, he is given the possibility to correct them.
My favorite part was the immediate bond between Hugo and Wallace and observing this relationship flourish throughout the story. A complex romantic relationship unfolds between the two, and I loved seeing the characters grow closer throughout the book. Both individuals are confronted with a star-crossed lover-type situation, as Wallace is a ghost and Hugo is mostly still part of the living and cannot touch the dead, which includes Wallace. For that reason, the relationship was particularly interesting to witness because the characters fell in love with each other despite this physical barrier. The longing of both characters culminates in a relatively predictable conclusion that unfolds in a deus ex machina type way yet remains satisfying considering that both Hugo and Wallace ultimately get the happy ending they deserve. Overall, I would recommend this relatively short novel to anyone unafraid to shed a few tears as they follow along Wallace’s emotional quest to find love and humanity.