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A review by jessicareadsit
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
5.0
Under the Whispering Door is a poignant, thought-provokingly brilliant interpretation of the afterlife that is guaranteed to thaw even the most frigid of hearts.
Perhaps what I enjoyed most about this novel was T. J. Klune's interpretation of a modern-day Charon. Fans of Greek Mythology have come to associate Charon with the river Styx however in this retelling, Charon's Crossing is depicted as a tea house that is home to a benevolent trickster of a grandfather, a benign reaper, and a pet specter. The icing on the proverbial cake was the ingenious rendition of Charon, as Hugo Freeman, a gay person of color.
I relished that the author doesn't delve into the metaphysics of death but instead centers around understanding death and its inevitability. One of the most profound moments for me was when the main character realizes that his time is up and he laments all the things he wished he did. It's a reminder to grab life by the horns and live it to the fullest.
"If we worry about the little things all the time, we run the risk of missing the bigger things."
This novel puts forth the philosophical viewpoint that death is not the end but merely a new beginning. The author did not try to exert religious ideals but instead focused on spirituality and having faith in the unknown.
The main character, Wallace Price, was a modern-day Scrooge, married to his job and oblivious to everyone else but himself. Watching Wallace's redemption, and his ability to find humanity in death sends a deep message of it never really being too late to change, to be a better person.
T.J. Klune is truly a gifted storyteller! His ability to talk about one thing, while meaning something else is sublime. Any writer that can describe the ritual of tea drinking while imparting valuable life lessons is nothing short of spectacular.
"The first time you share tea, you are a stranger. The second time you share tea, you are an honored guest. The third time, you share tea, you become family."
#MoraloftheStory- "Make the most of the time you’re given."
Thank you to the author, Tor Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc. My review is available on my blog from 21-09-2021 here:
Perhaps what I enjoyed most about this novel was T. J. Klune's interpretation of a modern-day Charon. Fans of Greek Mythology have come to associate Charon with the river Styx however in this retelling, Charon's Crossing is depicted as a tea house that is home to a benevolent trickster of a grandfather, a benign reaper, and a pet specter. The icing on the proverbial cake was the ingenious rendition of Charon, as Hugo Freeman, a gay person of color.
I relished that the author doesn't delve into the metaphysics of death but instead centers around understanding death and its inevitability. One of the most profound moments for me was when the main character realizes that his time is up and he laments all the things he wished he did. It's a reminder to grab life by the horns and live it to the fullest.
"If we worry about the little things all the time, we run the risk of missing the bigger things."
This novel puts forth the philosophical viewpoint that death is not the end but merely a new beginning. The author did not try to exert religious ideals but instead focused on spirituality and having faith in the unknown.
The main character, Wallace Price, was a modern-day Scrooge, married to his job and oblivious to everyone else but himself. Watching Wallace's redemption, and his ability to find humanity in death sends a deep message of it never really being too late to change, to be a better person.
T.J. Klune is truly a gifted storyteller! His ability to talk about one thing, while meaning something else is sublime. Any writer that can describe the ritual of tea drinking while imparting valuable life lessons is nothing short of spectacular.
"The first time you share tea, you are a stranger. The second time you share tea, you are an honored guest. The third time, you share tea, you become family."
#MoraloftheStory- "Make the most of the time you’re given."
Thank you to the author, Tor Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc. My review is available on my blog from 21-09-2021 here: