Under the Whispering Door, the latest by T. J. Klune is going to go down as one of my favorite books of 2021. I simply love Mr. Klune’s storytelling and his characters. He makes you feel so much for characters you shouldn’t like. Plus, he handles very sensitive topics with care.

In fact, in Under the Whispering Door, Mr. Klune takes a topic that is my number one cause of panic attacks and makes it so beautiful and so peaceful that I felt my body physically relax while reading. Mortality (and what happens after) is a subject with which all humans struggle. Yet, Mr. Klune’s idea of mortality and the afterlife is nothing but a gift.

The icing on the delightful cake that is Under the Whispering Door is his characters. Wallace, Hugo, Mei, Nelson, and Apollo are everything you want them to be. Quirky, endearing, and yet flawed in a way that makes them real, they capture your heart. At the same time, their relationships with each other make you feel hope for humanity, as they are a fantastic reminder of what healthy relationships can be.

Under the Whispering Door brings so much to the table. Not only is it funny and adorable, but it also provides you with moments of peace and clarity about a topic no one really wants to discuss. This is one book that will make my permanent library, the highest compliment I can give any book.