Where the Dead Wait, by Ally Wilkes
William Day is a sailor, a member of a crew that became stranded in the remote Arctic and had to take Extreme Action. He was rescued, but the notoriety and horror of what he had to do to survive haunts him almost literally.
He’s then forced to travel North again, to find another missing crew, and perhaps a former comrade. William Day returns to face those ghosts in person.
I’ve honestly never encountered a book like this before. Yes, I’ve heard of groups famously stranded in remote places and forced to do terrible things, but this isn’t just that. It’s a tale of loneliness, exploration, fear and the most deeply-buried feelings… It’s a powerful book.
Day is the most honest of narrators, in that he’s only an officer by ‘dead man’s boots.’ He’s not educated or upperclass but he knows what he’s experienced; he can’t act by the book, because there’s no rules that could possibly cover what he has to go through. In one of the wildest parts of the world, the Admiralty’s power falls beneath the simple necessity of staying alive.
The story itself is hypnotic, with writing that dances like ghosts in the ice as - like Day - I was never sure what was real, hallucination or memory. Putting the book down felt painful, as I had things to do in my own life but didn’t want to leave that ship for even a moment. The chase to find survivors feels like it’s against the clock in many ways, and as every crew-member reacts, I honestly felt part of it all. Even if a woman on board isn’t the best idea.
There’s so many layers to Day’s tale, from his own damnable acts to his feelings for the one other survivor. The friendship between men is explored in all its Victorian mystery, and the weight of expectations is as heavy as the ice that threatens to trap them at every turn. Issues of class, race, gender and faith are all present, but handled so deftly that they are simply normal aspects of life to deal with… until they fall away in the face of basic humanity.
Where the Dead Wait is remarkable, beautiful and terrifying. I definitely recommend it, but do brace yourself: the journey isn’t easy, but it’s certainly worth it.