Under the Whispering Door

Why is it significant that Nelson finally chooses to cross over at the time and in the way that he does? How does Nelson’s decision reflect the broader themes of the book?

Wallace Price is distrustful of the Manager from the first time that he hears of him and never quite comes to trust him by the end of the novel. What does Wallace’s hesitancy to trust the Manager reveal about their characters? What does it say about humanity’s relationship with gods or godlike beings, particularly those associated with life and death?

Compare and contrast the circumstances of different characters’ crossing over. For example, how does Nelson’s transition differ from Cameron’s? How does Alan’s compare to Lea’s? What does this say about free will?

In the final scene of the novel, the Manager watches over Hugo Freeman, Mei, and Wallace without them knowing. The shadow of a great stag also appeared to Wallace the first time he left the tea shop. What does the omnipresence of the Manager throughout the novel suggest about his character and his role in the function of the universe?

In the novel, Reapers are able to touch and be seen by people in the world of the living as well as the world of the dead, while Ferrypeople can communicate with but cannot touch ghosts. Why do you think Klune made the choice to allow Mei to touch Wallace while Hugo can’t? Why is it significant that there is this difference between the two jobs given to people who help ghosts cross over?

Klune has said that Under the Whispering Door was written as he wrestled with his grief after losing his fiancé in a manner not dissimilar from how Cameron lost Zach. How does a biographical reading of the text influence your understanding of the portrayal of grief throughout the novel?

When choosing a tea for Alan Flynn, Hugo picks a rare one that begins bitter but has notes of sweetness in the aftertaste. What does this choice imply about Alan and/or Hugo’s relationship with him? What does this say about Alan’s potential to change?

Mei finds it unusual that she found Wallace at his own funeral after he died. What does this reveal about Wallace’s character? What impact does his experience at the funeral have on Wallace’s understanding of death, grief, and mourning?