This was one really slow and confusing read. First time reading a book from this author. Hard to keep my attention. I had to start listening to the audiobook Just to be able to try to follow along. not saying it is a bad story, just saying it was hard for me to follow what really was going on.

Wasn't what I thought it was going to be. A bit confusing and hard for me to get into. The premise originally did catch my eye, though. I'm sure someone out there would enjoy this. The writing wasn't necessarily bad either. I just wasn't the target audience as it turns out.

I so wanted this novel to be a blockbuster but, unfortunately, it fell short for me. The concept sounded like a doozy: crew resorting to cannibalism when they are shipwrecked in the Arctic with only a few survivors. The captain being called back to rescue his friend who has gone missing in those same ill-fated waters as before, and ice ghosts trying to stop them. Spooky stuff indeed.

But this novel just felt really convoluted. I commend the author for her writing style and really doing a great job of writing this novel from the point of view of a late 19th-century guy, but that made the story hard to follow in parts due to the strange verbiage and the over-explanation of things.

There were for sure parts of the novel that were intriguing and captivating, but a large part of the novel felt very slow and uneventful, and the conclusion to the story was very unsatisfying.

This novel felt less like a horror novel and more like a grief and guilt-stricken man being haunted by his past and trying to overcome his personal demons en route to saving his friend. Just not what I was hoping for.

This one wasn’t for me but I will still recommend the title. Good story and well written. Thank you to the publisher for the copy..

DNF @25%

I really want to try to get through my NetGalley backlist, but I just wasn’t vibing with the writing in this book unfortunately. I only got one chapter in - it felt way too long - and I just couldn’t go through with it anymore 😬

As you can tell from the 2-star rating, Where the Dead Wait was a disappointment for me. It's my first time reading Ally Wilkes and honestly, I just don't think their style is for me. I'm thankful for the audiobook actually, because I may not have made it through otherwise. The narrator was great, as he somehow made his voice delivery just pompous enough to match the writing.

I won't discuss the plot, as I had to reference the Publisher's synopsis numerous times in order to figure out what was happening. I'll let you read that for yourself. I came here for Winter Horror, and yeah, I mean that was here, but it was so far buried under details and blah, blah, blah, that it wasn't enjoyable for me. IMO, it's overwritten.

I can't stress enough how much I wanted it to be over...

With this being said, I recognize that I am being fairly snarky right now, and it's most likely not 100% warranted, but I need to be honest about my experience. Otherwise, what are we all doing here?

Our experiences with books are completely subjective though, so just because this didn't work for me, DOES NOT mean it won't work for you! If you read the synopsis and it sounds intriguing, pick it up. You could end up finding a new favorite Arctic Horror novel here.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Even though this didn't work for me, I never write off an author after only one book ((pun intended)). This one just didn't suit my tastes. Nevertheless, I would be interested in checking out more work by Ally Wilkes.

I feel like I really want to like this author. The stories are intriguing and the writing is good but for some reason, I struggle to be interested. I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction so maybe I just need to wait for the right book.

I really wanted to love this. I think the historical setting really took me out of the story. The writing was great, but I feel maybe the story was not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Where the Dead Wait by Ally Wilkes is everything you think it will be: it’s 100% a creepy, oppressive, atmospheric, slow burn. I’m a big fan of nautical horror, and I especially enjoy when characters are facing freezing and/or harsh conditions. That said, it’s not this novel’s fault that I wasn’t fully invested in this story, rather, I think I might’ve recently burned myself out on this particular genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was absolutely incredible and I haven't stopped thinking about it in the two months since I finished it, and probably won't any time soon. The absolute wretch of a protagonist and his devastatingly toxic relationship to Stevens (and his own life and self-worth) really scratched a (possibly unhealthy) itch that few books manage to do. My childhood fear of scurvy has been rekindled, and I hope Wilkes continues writing about messy queer folks making bad decisions in extremely cold environments.

As someone who doesn’t typically love historical horror/fiction- I wasn’t sure how this one would hit me, but as it turns out this was fantastic. I love a creepy narrative that manages to make you feel cold even while you’re warm in your home.

Thanks so much @netgalley & @Atria!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books as well as Ally Wilkes for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #AtriaBooks #WhereTheDeadWait #AllyWilkes
Title: Where the Dead Wait
Author: Ally Wilkes
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: December 5, 2023
Themes: Survival horror, desolation, extreme cold,
Trigger Warnings: cannibalism, gore, extreme conditions, psychic-mediums, ghosts, racism, alcohol use, anxiety and other mental health issues, assault, sexual assault, homophobia

Well that was awesome. This was my first book by Ally Wilkes but I can’t wait for more!
This book took a little work to get into but it was well worth it! This harrowing story is about William Day, a disgraced Arctic explorer. Thirteen years later, Day is back out on another expedition and facing the same situation. Another sailor has gone missing. Maybe this time will work out and Day will restore his good name. But there are other problems onboard the ship. There’s a reporter intent on exposing the truth about the first expedition, the wife of the missing officer is onboard and she claims to be a medium. Will the truth set them free or will the dead have their say?
This is a book that requires some patience. It’s a slow burn of the very highest calibur. There is nothing as amazing as a really good, slow burn. I was slavering to get to the gory parts. I love cannibalism. I loved how each heinous event was portrayed in no hurry. I love horror that keeps me on the edge of my seat. I think it’s called survival horror. Whatever it’s called, I love it. Ally Wilkes is an absolute master of creating atmospheric horror, if you can be patient enough to let her.
This book isn’t for everyone. As I have mentioned, it takes its time to get its hooks into you. There are a lot of characters to keep track of. It requires a lot of paying attention and is not a quick read. For me, it was like painting a picture a little at a time. I really loved watching the image slowly appear. This isn’t for everyone though, I understand.
Keep at this one. It’s worth every word. I’m going to go read Ms. Wilkes’ first book, “All The White Spaces”.

Snowy isolated survival 1800s story with cannibalism—exactly what I want to read! One of my favorite subgenres and Wilkes seems to have nearly mastered it. I found eveything in this novel worth noting, but I do wish that certain themes had been more deftly delved into (i.e. ethics of cannibalism in a survival setting) though Wilke does handle it with the horrific severity it needs. There just a part of the novel that, once finished, seemed to be lacking and I still can't parse what it was. I don't know if the build up was lacking or the final execution, but I still feel a piece isn't there. Exceedingly reminiscent of The Terror by Dan Simmons (though mercifully lacking the platypus pond.) Overall, it was a great read and addition to the arctic horror subgenre that is desperately seeking new material always.

Dense and atmospheric. Wilkes does a great job describing intense cold, and this book felt a lot like All the White Spaces (only opposite side of the globe).

I am a huge fan of arctic horror so this is the second book by Ally Wilkes that I've read and it didn't disappoint! The unforgiving landscape, the creeping dread and the characters that were easy to sympathize with made this an amazing read. Thanks for the ARC! Will certainly be looking forward to more reads from Ally

I feel like the book was way too long. I struggled to finish it and found myself bored the entire time. I was also very confused. I wasn’t sure what was going on and struggled to retain any of the information.

"Canst thou draw out a Leviathan with a fish hook?"

Where the Dead Wait is an absolute triumph! Wilkes creates such dynamic and interesting characters. They're believable, well suited to the time period and very empathetic.

Wilkes weaves past and present narratives with such a deft hand, foreshadowing without giving too much away.Wilkes has really sharpened her storytelling skills and delivers a tight, moody, horror filled mystery. She captures the terror and intrigue of the arctic and the hubris of the colonial Era so well. There are moments of terror, paced well between building dread. Where the Dead Wait is jam packed with very fine details that will thrill and please those familiar with arctic expeditions and geographies.

A great read from start to finish, I look forward to getting a hold of a print copy as soon as it's out!

TW: Language, drinking, racism, murder, sexism, animal deaths, gory scenes, blood, sexual assault, depression, anxiety, homophobia

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:William Day should be an acclaimed Arctic explorer. But after a failed expedition, in which his remaining men only survived by eating their dead comrades, he returned in disgrace.

Thirteen years later, his second-in-command, Jesse Stevens, has gone missing in the same frozen waters. Perhaps this is Day’s chance to restore his tarnished reputation by bringing
Stevens­­—the man who’s haunted his whole life—back home. But when the rescue mission becomes an uncanny journey into his past, Day must face up to the things he’s done.

Abandonment. Betrayal. Cannibalism.

Aboard ship, Day must also contend with unwanted passengers: a reporter obsessively digging up the truth about the first expedition, as well as Stevens’s wife, a spirit-medium whose séances both fascinate and frighten. Following a trail of cryptic messages, gaunt bodies, and old bones, their search becomes more and more unnerving, as it becomes clear that the restless dead are never far behind. Something is coming through.
Release Date: December 5th, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 380
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Loved the plot
2. The writing is so enthralling
3. The gory scenes were so gross
4. Very atmospheric
5. Queer rep

What I Didn't Like:
1. The 1,000 times people suck their teeth in
2. Some parts would ramble on
3. Book too long

Overall Thoughts:
I was super excited to get the arc copy of this book because who wouldn't love a book with horror set in the Arctic. It sounded amazing.

As others have said the different timelines/ different ships / different crew members made this book a very confusing adventure. Oftentimes I would have to remember whose crew was this guy on and what timeline was he a part of and who's eating who. It all made for such a confusing book. I didn't hate the characters and I found most of them pretty likeable. The Stevens character was insane and very ruthless.

There we're moments in this book where my mouth dropped at how horrific things went down. From people sawing off legs of characters before the person was even completely dead.

"Eat the world"

I had a good time reading the book and loved the writing style the author gave us.

I enjoyed the romantic style of Day and Stevens, when usually I don't like romances in my horror/thrillers/mysteries, so that was an exciting development. I think the author described the desperation and need of a person wanting that kind of connection with another person in a place of isolation. It felt fitting.

Final Thoughts:
Omgosh I really enjoyed this book. The story was so atmospheric. I loved the way the writing described scenes and made me feel like I was actually in the Arctic with the characters.

I absolutely 100% think this book was about 150 pages too long. I got about 300 pages into this book before I was like okay let's wrap it up it just felt like it was rambling at that point. There just was so much unnecessary things put into it about the characters I didn't care about.

I gave this book four stars but if I believed in half stars or quarter stars I would definitely put it down as more like 3.75 stars just because of the rambling part and there were parts that were pretty boring.

I would check out the other book from this author.

Also added note if you liked this book or like similar things then you have to check out the movie Ravenous- "In a remote military outpost in the 19th century, Captain John Boyd and his regiment embark on a rescue mission which takes a dark turn when they are ambushed by a sadistic cannibal." It's a fantastic weird fun movie.

To be invited to read an early copy of this felt like such an honor and I was thrilled. I began before publication day and found myself incredibly bored. I decided, however, that the timing might not be right and I chose to set this aside to revisit later.

That time has come. Unfortunately, I now know that timing was not the issue. While Wilkes captured the atmosphere quite well, this slow burn horror is just too drawn out and too dry for my liking.

Where the Dead Wait, Ally Wilkes' second polar gothic novel, follows disgraced captain William Day as he searches the arctic for his former shipmate and best friend. As the story progresses, we learn that their relationship was faaaar more complex than that, and that the story England knows of Day's expedition isn't the whole truth.

Wilkes' novel is a compelling examination of guilt, shame, and survival. I adored its themes and how the author explored them. Additionally, the novel's strongest asset is its horror. Our first introduction to Day's red tent was my favorite scene. I feel like I can picture it so clearly — that horrifying red tent, the only splash of color in the otherwise white and grey land. It's very good and very spooky. Where the Dead Wait is also clearly for fans of polar history. If you're an Arctic expedition nerd, the novel will reward that nerdiness in spades. I got my circumpolar map out and everything, it was a good time.

For me, the biggest issue with Where the Dead Wait is that it's a bit confusing. Normally, I adore confusing books that keep me engaged and mentally challenge me. However, when this book was confusing I just found it frustrating. It took me out of the story instead of pulling me deeper. A bit more clarity — without sacrificing that spooky mysterious aura — would've made me enjoy the novel a lot more.

That said, I feel really positively about this novel and what Wilkes does here by engaging in the gothic tradition. It's complicated in a way I appreciate immensely, refusing to provide easy answers or take the easy way out. I found the characters compelling, and appreciated the nuance and care Wilkes brought to the setting. While I didn't enjoy every part of my reading experience, I'd still recommend the book to any of my horror and/or polar fan friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sending this ARC for review consideration! All opinions are my own.