I absolutely think this was a case of “it’s me, not you” this is a well written, well paced, creepy novel! I think my struggle to get through it can be put down entirely to my own challenges reading historical horror- it was just super difficult for me to feel connected to the characters. That being said, I would absolutely watch an adaptation!!

3.5 rounded to 4.

Ally Wilkes hit on one of my favorite tropes: icy tundra horror.

Atmospheric, with the elements as deadly as the supernatural. The protagonists pressure to measure up and prove their worth amongst the cast proved motivating.

It did take me a long time to review this book. The beginning felt a little slow, and not in a boring way, but in a way that built a bit of tedium in wanting to get into the story.. It did take me quite awhile to come back to it, but once I did, it picked up from the middle to the end. The writing was engaging, and a great debut. I would recommend to others.

FULL DISCLOSURE:
I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review and won an early copy of the hardcover via a Twitter giveaway. Below are my collected thoughts on the title at hand.

SUMMARY:
Let's say Thomas Olde Heuvelt's Echo and John Ajvide Lindqvist's Let the Right One In happened to have a terrifyingly cold, ancient godlike, trans baby.

Let's also say a fictionalized version of Ernest Shackleton's South got on well with Dan Simmons's The Terror and they gave birth to a child obsessed with exploring the Arctic/Antarctic, becoming a survivalist against all odds, and was wholly familiar with the suffering and sadness of men.

And finally, let's say those two children—Baby Heuvelt-Lindqvist and Baby Shackleton-Simmons—grew up together, became the closest of friends, realized their romantic feelings for each other (well after they'd learned their respective relationship lessons and worked on themselves as individuals), become a couple, and had a baby of their own?

That child would look a lot like All the White Spaces, Ally Wilkes's debut novel published by Atria Books's imprint, Emily Bestler Books, in March 2022.

Wilkes, a Londoner who studied law at Oxford and worked as a criminal barrister for eleven years, and now works as the Book Reviews Editor for Horrified Magazine, has an impressive history in short fiction. Her work has appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Three Crows Magazine and FOUND: An Anthology of Found Footage Horror Stories, etc., making the success of All the White Spaces next to no surprise.

IN SHORT, BUT SWEET SUMMARY:
Shortly after World War I, Jonathan Morgan, a trans man who lost both his brothers in the conflict, decides to join an Antarctic expedition captained by James “Australis” Randall, world-famous explorer and Jonathan's personal hero. With help from Harry Cooper, one of Jonathan's brothers' closest friends, Jonathan stows away on the journey to the South Pole, eager to have the opportunity to live as his true self and prove that he has what it takes to make his own mark on the world.

The further the ship gets to Antarctica, the more comfortable Jonathan feels in his role on-ship; but tensions grow among the rest of the crew. Soon after, a disaster strikes, and the exploration team is left to their own survival skills and what's left of their stores in order to survive on Antarctica.

But no one would even think to send a rescue team for years. No one could have expected how much of a toll the Polar Night would take on the crew. And absolutely no one could have expected the Aurora to pull them out into the dark, prey on their fears, and ultimately? To kill.

MY THOUGHTS?
All the White Spaces encompasses so many genres—including horror, historical fiction, LGBTQ+ fiction, paranormal, and thriller—that you'd think there would be a weak link. But in Wilkes's skilled hands, nothing gets left behind.

Without a firm grip on research, a work of historical fiction could never succeed. If you have encountered any well-research fiction/nonfiction on the age of exploration, clothing, speech, LGBTQIA+ history, and/or the impact of WWI on Great Britain (especially London), you will instantly relax into the comfortability of fact that surges through the pages. Beginning with talk about the horrors of WWI early on in the novel, Wilkes effectively communicates that nothing will be smoothed over or made palatable if doing so would water down the meaning of what the facts are meant to convey:
"But Harry had been straightforward, hadn't spared me the details. While the shrapnel has mostly spared their faces (mostly), it was clear no one would be calling them handsome anymore. I thought about the ragged tearing of barbed wire, razor sharp on their tender skin, the mud, the mud, a chaos of shouts and screams and falling rain, the agonies of the men..."
Lacking this grounding in historical reality, the remaining elements would not have a foundation to build upon and the genre structure would come tumbling down.

Since this isn't an issue here, the way LGBTQIA+ people were treated in that time shines through clearly; one example of how well Wilkes treats this material is in the following passage, when Jonathan and his mother have received the news that his brothers/her (accepted) sons have died:
"With some difficulty, I realized I was starting to cry. I scrubbed my eyes furiously with the back of my hand. My mother was still looking at me: I had refused to cry in front of her—or Father—since I was very little.
'I'm sorry," I said, and my voice was so thick and deep I barely recognized it. 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.'
I put my hand on her shoulder. She was warm, and I could feel her birdlike bones through the fabric. She slapped me away with such force it rang across the room. The telegram lay on the floor."
It's almost as if there is no reaction that Jonathan's mother would consider appropriate. 'Feminine' tears aren't acceptable, nor are Jonathan's repeated apologies or his more 'masculine' attempt to comfort his mother through touch. The only thing she seems to want is to have her 'proper' sons back, probably in exchange for Jonathan as he's such a problem for her.
But by bringing Jonathan aboard, Wilkes allows her protagonist to slip into his true nature and finally feel euphoria:
"Standing as I'd been meant to, taking wider strides as I'd been meant to--climbing as I'd been meant to. No one would tell me to get down, not anymore. From up on the yards—the spars of the ship's three masts—the Fortitude was small, and I was a giant, laughing at the motion of the waves, the speed of our swooping progress."

With the exactitude of setting and characterization as a trans man, the thriller aspects of the story begin to build with page-turning, shivery delight. While Randall begins to discipline Jonathan, he adds in a description of sailing in snow: "Just think, Morgan, the middle of a blizzard: snow screaming around you, so thick it's darkness itself. No horizon, sky, stars, or moon—not even your own feet! The map's a big blank thing, and there are crevasses lurking. Moving is deadly—stopping might be worse." It's enough for an icy fist to grasp your beating heart and twist it round in your chest.

As for the paranormal horror? I won't give you a glimpse into what's hiding in the Aurora of the Polar Night. You'll find out soon enough and a taste of it now would steal the flutters of fear from your first reading. What I can say is that I read All the White Spaces late into the night for two reasons:
1) It's such a good story that I couldn't make myself stop and would often fall asleep with my iPad in hand.
2) I kept hoping (after a certain point) to find a place in the pages that would be safe enough for me to hide in till morning.

THE FINAL VERDICT
In the last pages of All the White Spaces, I felt myself stomping on the brakes. I wanted for this book not to end so badly, that I tried to actively slow down my reading pace. Did I succeed? Big no. I sprinted through to the end, looked up from that last page, and saw how disappointing reality was in comparison. (Would I want to trade places with Jonathan Morgan, though? Absolutely not!)

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a horror that's pure, invisible, bigger than anything has a right to be, and ultimately unknowable.
If you want well-paced thrills that turn corners faster than F-1 racers and deliver harder shocks than two hands on an electric fence, they're here.
If you're into historical fiction, especially the age of exploration, and you're not scared off by scares, you'll find a good read here, as well.
As a nonbinary-leaning-transmasc person, I can vouch for the accuracy of that content. It's handled appropriately and realistically. Jonathan's gender and sexuality isn't the central focus of All the White Spaces, but it does have the right to a large chunk of the story and takes up that space well without diminishing other aspects.

All around, I give All the White Spaces a "must-read" and urge anyone who still hasn't read this pitch-black, sub-zero, sharp-toothed, breathlessly petrifying book yet to get yourself a copy before winter ends.

A novel that had me thinking back to The Terror. I enjoyed the isolation of the cold arctic tundra, the psychological terror, survivalist nature and trans representation. This was slower paced than I would've liked but there's also a reckoning with personal demons that comes to the surface that made it worth the atmosphetic journey. I say take this one in slow and steady. It's an excursion of self more than a book of horror or mystety in my opinion.

I tried to get into this book, but I'm afraid it just never grasped my interest. I DNF'd it early on. Perhaps I'll try again later. But, unfortunately it really was confusing and lost my interest quickly.

I'm truly thankful to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book early. I wish I could provide a better review.

I really wanted to like this one but it just wasn’t for me. I ended up DNF’ing it.
Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it’s not for someone else.
I do really appreciate Netgalley and Astria books for giving me the opportunity to read this copy.

I had this ARC sitting on my TBR pile for quite some time (probably since December of last year) and finally got around to read it. I was intrigued by the setting which is not a place we usually see in the horror/thriller space, the added bonus for me was that a character was trans in a historical setting, all great pieces for a fantastic read. Unfortunately for me, I could not connect with the storyline-mostly to do with pacing and a very heavy handed explanation of setting and time. This book was a "not for me" situation but I think it would definitely appeal to an audience that loves a slow-burner book with historical qualities and an unlikely lead.

One of my formative memories as a horror lover is watching the X-Files episode Ice, set on abandoned arctic science station. All the White Spaces is gripping and well-written polar horror, and it explores the chilling (pun intended) effect of extreme conditions on the human mind. It follows Jonathan Morgan as he joins an expedition to Antarctica in order to prove himself after the tragic deaths of his two older brothers in World War I.

I loved the setting and the way Wilkes mixed historical accuracy with new ideas to create an entirely convincing alternate reality. She included a reading list at the end, and I’d invite those who were puzzled by the transgender rep in the book to look at a few of her sources—Jonathan is a very plausible character, and I was cheering for him the whole way.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

I thought the prologue made this book seem very promising. However, I could not get into this story at all. First off, its more of an adventure then horror story. I was expecting some creepy scenes but I just waited. Also, having the main character be trans added nothing to the story.

I love books set in the cold so I jumped at the chance to read All The White Spaces. While it was a good story, it was a very slow build and I thought it could do with a bit more trimming.

Well written and very atmospheric. The expedition itself was so interesting.
Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Set in an "imagined tail-end to the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration," All the White Spaces is the story of Jonathan, a transgender teen who stows away on a ship bound for Antarctica. The Fortitude's captain is James "Australis" Randall, a world-famous explorer and the hero of Jonathan's older brothers, who both perished in WWI. Jonathan hopes to cope with the loss of his brothers by fulfilling their lifelong dream of travelling to and exploring Antarctica.

Far beyond the watchful eyes of his parents and society at large, Jonathan can live as his true gender, but the freedom this brings is short-lived as, the farther south they go, the stranger the journey gets. When disaster strikes the Fortitude in the unforgiving Weddell Sea, the crew is forced ashore and has no choice but to overwinter in an eerie, abandoned, wrong-feeling settlement, not marked on any of their maps. As winter descends and darkness overtakes the vast continent, an unseen force begins picking them off one by one.

All the White Spaces is intensely atmospheric -- maybe one of the most atmospheric novels I've ever read. Ally Wilkes perfectly uses the setting itself as a source of horror -- the frigid plains of Antarctica that are at once so vast and so claustrophobic, the howling winds, the isolation, the unrelenting darkness, the Aurora Australis bathing everything with eerie light. The atmosphere is definitely this novel's greatest strength, and it's utilized to full effect.

Unfortunately, the pacing of the novel is off. It takes a long time to get going. The historical set-up is full of meticulous research, but also goes on a bit too long, leaving less time for the horror aspects. And the writing, while gorgeous, also feels somehow passive, which lessens the effect of the more exciting scenes when things do start to pick up.

It was difficult for me not to compare All the White Spaces to The Terror, and while this novel doesn't feel derivative, it does fall short of Dan Simmons' book. However, there is a lot about All the White Spaces to enjoy and appreciate: themes of grief, friendship, family, and acceptance; a chilling atmosphere; an insidious horror element; and fantastic trans representation. Recommended for readers who enjoy atmospheric, slow burn, historical-horror-adventure stories.

The cover and the plot intrigued me but I had a hard time getting into the book. The beginning was slightly confusing for me with the characters. I loved the different sections of the book but maybe because it was an ARC, there was no table of contents so I didn’t know what was coming. This book was just not for me but I know it will be great for others.

When I think a book is going for an overall feeling of terror and trauma, I don’t expect the vast amount of both to occur really late in the game. This book, while well-researched and well-written, suffers from uneven pacing and repetitive inconsistencies in tone that mangle what could have otherwise been a horrific and thrilling adventure and exploration novel.

What bothered me even more than this was how let down I was with the promised exploration of the transgender main character’s gender identity and how they (and others) all dealt with it. It seemed the topic only ever came into play when something epically awful involving the ship, the dogs on the ship, or the weather were not doing something awful on page. Jonathan, the main character, doesn’t even seem to think about the topic much, even though we are living this tale through his eyes and thoughts. I would expect a transgender stowaway on a ship to be constantly worried of discovery. I would expect anxiety, constant vigilance, constant fear of discovery; but it felt like (until later in the book) the only concern Jonathan had was with their childhood friend Harry seems to keep viewing him as a woman simply disguising herself as a man than a man who was born into the wrong body and has actively decided to embrace their gender identity.

All in all, the book had a lot going for it, but it could’ve been better.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. As per personal policy, this review will not be posted to any social media or bookseller websites.

3.5/5 stars
Read this if you like:
•icy settings
•horror stories
•historical details
•LGBTQ narratives

In the wake of the First World War, Jonathan Morgan stows away on a voyage bound for Antarctica, led by the famous explorer James “Australis” Randall. Jonathan‘s older brothers both died in the trenches and it was always their dream to go south. Now Jonathan is finally able to live as his true gender and honor the memories of his brothers by embarking on the trip they had always dreamed of. But Antarctica is unforgiving and disaster strikes the expedition before they’ve even reached the mainland. With winter approaching, desperation among the crew rises and something seems to be stalking the men. Something malevolent, unknowable, and inhuman…

This book was well written. Jonathan is a memorable narrator and seeing the journey through his eyes was enlightening. There are definitely moments of body horror in this narrative, from frostbite to burns, so be aware of that. If anything I feel even less inclined to go to Antarctica than I did before. I was impressed with the fact that even with such a large cast of characters, many of them stood out as distinct people. The monster stalking the expedition is creepy and definitely one of the best parts of the story.

My only complaint is that the pacing felt slow. I was surprised to see this is under 400 pages because it felt longer. Despite memorable characters and plenty of terrifying moments, the narrative dragged at times and I found myself setting it down for days at a time. The author’s research into Antarctic explorations is apparent but made for a dry story at times.

Thank you to @netgalley @atriabooks and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is probably going to get a lot of comparison to The Terror and such books, but I’ve never read them. I am fascinated by polar explorations and have watched a bunch of documentaries about it, so that’s probably going to be my field of comparison.
Or maybe the decent thing to do would just be to discuss the novel on its own merit without any comparisons whatsoever. Although…although, Shackleton.
But ok, seriously, this is a tale of a disastrous Antarctic expedition. With supernatural undertones. Because being on your own at the very edge of the known world in the harshest of weather conditions isn’t terrifying enough.
There were plenty of historical polar expeditions that went horribly wrong. In fact, even the ones that went well, probably had some horrific elements to them. Exposure, privation, isolation, etc.
So the setting pretty much lands itself perfectly to the genre. It’s meant to disturb. It might be best to read it at night. Maybe on a winter night for added atmosphere, with the wind howling outside and snow obscuring your views, perhaps hiding something. Something scary.

For the young protagonist of this novel, the trip is almost a pilgrimage. The war to end all wars has just ended. His beloved older brothers are both dead. All they ever dreamed about was Antarctica, so he picks up their dreams. He’s got a secret to hide, but he passes for a boy well enough, and once he builds up some muscles from heavy labor and proves himself to his shipmates, he graduates from a stowaway to part of the team.
His joy is short-lived, though. Soon, their ship proves its name of Fortitude wrong and leaves everyone stranded. Can you be claustrophobic in a space the size of Antarctica? You bet your warmest pair of woolen socks you can.
The nightmare doesn’t seem to end…and then there’s something in the snow, hiding in all the white spaces. Something watching them. Something evil.

Will they make it against all odds? Read and find out. It’s a very competent debut, well written, hugely atmospheric and trendily queer to boot. It didn’t quite engage me as much as I would have liked, but it may not be the book’s fault. Objectively, it was a good read. Thanks Netgalley.

My favorite kind of story is one in which the atmosphere just grips you by the neck, and this book has that in spades. A really distinctive voice you can't help but get sucked into. Excellent.

I tried so hard to get into this book but I just could not. It was very slow paced and felt like it dragged on and on. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and although sailing was interesting and fighting for survival I just don't think enough happened. The setting was eerie but not enough to keep you going. There were also so many characters to keep track of and none of them felt like they had any personalities. Even the main characters felt flat to me.

I am so glad I read this book, I can already tell it's going to be one of my favorite of the year and will probably remain a favorite book of mine for many years to come. I absolutely loved this book. It's what I wanted The Terror to be. This is literary horror at its best. The writing is excellent, the character work is truly superb, and the horror is really scary! I just thought that everything worked so well in this book. Jonathan's and Harry's grief and guilt following the loss of Rufus and Francis flowed so naturally into this existential dread and terror, combined with the unknowability of the Antarctic. I loved the idea that the evil or malevolent force was the weather itself, the land itself, the manifestation of man's inability to penetrate and to know this deep mystery. I thought all of the supporting characters were incredibly well-done, and the storyline with Tarlington has a very satisfying pay-off. This was definitely hard to read at times, especially with all of the illness and death of the dogs, as well as that absolutely harrowing scene of Randall getting his frostbitten leg sawed off. I love the idea that giving up hope is what made people susceptible to this evil force. Jonathan is one of my new favorite characters in literature. I look forward to re-reading this. I was also pleased to see that the audiobook narrator is a trans person, which I think is a great choice and I look forward to listening to the audiobook. I will definitely be recommending this to my patrons. The timing ended up working out nicely with the discovery of the Endurance recently, which is rekindling interest in historical Antarctic expeditions. I'm absolutely obsessed with this book and can't wait to read more from this author.

"the mysterious fascination of the unknown." - Ernest Shackleton, The Heart of the Antarctic

Jonathan stows away on The Fortitude, a ship bound for the Antarctic right after World War I. He has lost both his brothers in the war and their friend Harry has helped him find his way on the ship, led by James "Australis" Randall, well known in the world of arctic exploration.

Jonathan wants to "live as his true self - and true gender" on this exciting voyage as he sets out to explore Antarctica, which had always fascinated his brothers.

But soon the expedition, which started late in the season, is running into problems and supernatural forces seem to be trying to make sure the crew never leaves Antarctica.

This was a dark story. I have always enjoyed tales of the Antarctic and all the frozen climes of the world but I was on vacation reading this story and it was a bit dark at times. I still enjoyed it; just wished I'd saved it for another time.

I received this book from Atria Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.