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Where the Soul Goes
1989: Floods and record rainfall have turned the United States into little more than a drowned world. People left and right lose their wills to live and are coming down with a degenerative disease called The Ash. It burns people up from the inside out, numbing the senses, erasing memories, turning people into nothing more than crumbling, shambling echoes of who they used to be.
Eliot Lamb, a once successful chef, is terrified when he discovers he has the Ash. Just when he thinks there is nothing left for him, he encounters Death in the form of his deceased protegee, Alexis. She has a proposition that might turn the tide against the Ash for the human race and he's the only man for the job: find four people and change their lives. Inspire them. Eliot is skeptical but convinced only after a run-in with the FBI forces him out onto the road with a well- meaning plumber sidekick, Terry.
As they journey from flooded New England to the swamps of the American South and across the fog-saturated midwest, Eliot and Terry are pursued by an agent hell-bent on finding the source behind a string of domestic terrorist bombings that seem to be connected to the Ash and a man of the cloth convinced that Eliot is a devil in need of cleansing. For Eliot, the road ahead gets murkier and murkier as the person he once was slips through his fingers with every bite he takes.
Inspired by Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and Simon Stalenhag's dystopian tales, Where The Soul Goes explores the abyss of human connection through the culinary arts amidst an alternate 80's backdrop.
Eliot Lamb, a once successful chef, is terrified when he discovers he has the Ash. Just when he thinks there is nothing left for him, he encounters Death in the form of his deceased protegee, Alexis. She has a proposition that might turn the tide against the Ash for the human race and he's the only man for the job: find four people and change their lives. Inspire them. Eliot is skeptical but convinced only after a run-in with the FBI forces him out onto the road with a well- meaning plumber sidekick, Terry.
As they journey from flooded New England to the swamps of the American South and across the fog-saturated midwest, Eliot and Terry are pursued by an agent hell-bent on finding the source behind a string of domestic terrorist bombings that seem to be connected to the Ash and a man of the cloth convinced that Eliot is a devil in need of cleansing. For Eliot, the road ahead gets murkier and murkier as the person he once was slips through his fingers with every bite he takes.
Inspired by Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and Simon Stalenhag's dystopian tales, Where The Soul Goes explores the abyss of human connection through the culinary arts amidst an alternate 80's backdrop.
430 pages, Paperback
Published September 9, 2025
2 people are currently reading
2980 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Silva
22 books173 followersKatherine Silva is an ace Maine horror author, a connoisseur of coffee, and victim of cat shenanigans. Her favorite flavors of the genre mix grief and existentialism which she combines with her love of the New England wilderness in her works. She is a three-time Maine Literary Award finalist for speculative fiction. Katherine is also editor-in-chief of Strange Wilds Press. You can find out all about her work at katherinesilvaauthor.com.
For event booking or questions, please email Katherine at kasilva@katherinesilvaauthor.com
For event booking or questions, please email Katherine at kasilva@katherinesilvaauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 17, 2025
I would happily read anything written by this author just for her ability to set the stage and to create an interesting world without ever getting super info-dumpy.
If you like the vibe of the cover, it encapsulates the vibe of the book incredibly well. The story is a (mostly) quiet horror road trip with a touch of the noir, a touch of the 80s' nostalgia (takes place in an alternative 80s' reality), and a lot of heartbreak, sounds a bit weird right? That's because it is, but it works. It deals heavily with the complex nature of relationships and the weight of past mistakes.
It left me with feelings that are still lingering with me days later. 4.5 rounded up.
If you like the vibe of the cover, it encapsulates the vibe of the book incredibly well. The story is a (mostly) quiet horror road trip with a touch of the noir, a touch of the 80s' nostalgia (takes place in an alternative 80s' reality), and a lot of heartbreak, sounds a bit weird right? That's because it is, but it works. It deals heavily with the complex nature of relationships and the weight of past mistakes.
It left me with feelings that are still lingering with me days later. 4.5 rounded up.
October 2, 2025
“humans spend so much time withering like dandelions, wishing you did the things you wanted to do but then let fate and circumstance decide everything for you as time picks your petals. It’s so fucking annoying to watch day in and day out.”
WHERE THE SOUL GOES is an alternate history story with an apocalyptic setting. Rain, floods and a disease known as the Ash wreak havoc on a world trying to hold on to civilization. Here we meet Eliot, the head chef and owner of Tempo, an upscale restaurant. I will warn you to not read this while hungry, I would have given quite a lot to be able to eat each meal and drink each drink that was discussed in the book while reading the respective passage.
I’m not giving anything else away, but there were small breaks in the nightmare to show how special everyday life is. This story had me resetting my perspective on how I do things. It reminded me of a quote from Insomnia by Stephen King- “Everything I do, I rush through, so I can do something else.” It just makes you prioritize what is important.
This story shines a light on being Ace and the feelings of having to hide your sexuality and pretend. It felt so personal and raw.
Katherine’s writing style is elegant and flows so beautifully that I found myself rereading paragraphs just to let it digest and sink in. I made so many highlights of incredibly thought provoking quotes. I really didn’t want the book to end.
This is your wake up call. This is where horror showcases its empathy. In a world on the brink of collapse, will you be the light?
WHERE THE SOUL GOES is an alternate history story with an apocalyptic setting. Rain, floods and a disease known as the Ash wreak havoc on a world trying to hold on to civilization. Here we meet Eliot, the head chef and owner of Tempo, an upscale restaurant. I will warn you to not read this while hungry, I would have given quite a lot to be able to eat each meal and drink each drink that was discussed in the book while reading the respective passage.
I’m not giving anything else away, but there were small breaks in the nightmare to show how special everyday life is. This story had me resetting my perspective on how I do things. It reminded me of a quote from Insomnia by Stephen King- “Everything I do, I rush through, so I can do something else.” It just makes you prioritize what is important.
This story shines a light on being Ace and the feelings of having to hide your sexuality and pretend. It felt so personal and raw.
Katherine’s writing style is elegant and flows so beautifully that I found myself rereading paragraphs just to let it digest and sink in. I made so many highlights of incredibly thought provoking quotes. I really didn’t want the book to end.
This is your wake up call. This is where horror showcases its empathy. In a world on the brink of collapse, will you be the light?
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August 11, 2025A big thank you to the publisher for an ARC of the book for a blurb!
WHERE THE SOUL GOES forefronts endurance and connection in an apocalyptic setting, revealing the ways in which hope can be found through the most unexpected encounters, and the way sometimes only in death and dying do we receive the guidance we've all been searching for and rediscover the once lost desire to live—a story both refreshing and melancholic.
WHERE THE SOUL GOES forefronts endurance and connection in an apocalyptic setting, revealing the ways in which hope can be found through the most unexpected encounters, and the way sometimes only in death and dying do we receive the guidance we've all been searching for and rediscover the once lost desire to live—a story both refreshing and melancholic.
September 8, 2025
Where the Soul Goes is a striking novel. It’s compelling, it’s sad, it’s heartfelt, and it’s hopeful. On the surface, this is a dystopian 1980’s drenched road trip story, but it’s so much more than that. This novel reckons with what it means to be human and what we leave behind when we are gone. What it means to be inspired and the dangers of suppressing who we are or being suppressed by others.
It’s about creativity and sharing that creativity with others. I felt so inspired reading this novel and it gives me hope that we can persevere this incredibly tough times we’re in, because even though this novel is set in 1989, it has never been more relevant.
This book will also make you hungry. Like seriously, the food in his book sounds incredible. I want some of the hot fish and the hot dog from the beginning of the book.
Where the Soul Goes is my new favorite Katherine Silva book and it’s one of my favorites of the year. Silva is a master of grief horror. Please check this book out.
Thank you to Truborn Press and the author for an eARC for review!
It’s about creativity and sharing that creativity with others. I felt so inspired reading this novel and it gives me hope that we can persevere this incredibly tough times we’re in, because even though this novel is set in 1989, it has never been more relevant.
This book will also make you hungry. Like seriously, the food in his book sounds incredible. I want some of the hot fish and the hot dog from the beginning of the book.
Where the Soul Goes is my new favorite Katherine Silva book and it’s one of my favorites of the year. Silva is a master of grief horror. Please check this book out.
Thank you to Truborn Press and the author for an eARC for review!
September 26, 2025
Beautiful and heartbreaking. Review to come
August 13, 2025
As a writer, I seldom read a book where I'm like... I wish I had thought of that. Not because I wish I had written the book, but because the world within is so well-developed it feels like you could go there and be a part of it. Katherine's latest, a hefty tome, but worth every damn page, is a garden of rain-soaked culinary delights. As dreary as the story can be, there are these islands of pure, unapologetic humanity scattered within, popping with sumptuous details; these islands are the ties that hold the story together.
The characters are fantastic, well-developed, and sport an emotional range that had me connecting with all of them in some way. The main character's malaise, both emotional and disease-related, drives the story in a haunting manner that is as delicious as the foods described within. Eliot's condition is fascinating, and not something I've ever seen before, and I've seen and read a ton of horror. The character of Eliot reminded me of the chef in The Menu, but more relatable, and not a total psychopath.
There are so many fantastic scenes in here, that it's hard to highlight my favorites, from drippy swamps, BBQ joints surrounded by zombie-esque hordes, to a strange cult, there's a little bit of everything in this sprawling road trip tale of grief.
When I finished, it was all I could do to not go and ask permission to write a story in this world. And that's the highest praise I can give. Where does the soul go? In Katherine's case, on the page, obviously.
The characters are fantastic, well-developed, and sport an emotional range that had me connecting with all of them in some way. The main character's malaise, both emotional and disease-related, drives the story in a haunting manner that is as delicious as the foods described within. Eliot's condition is fascinating, and not something I've ever seen before, and I've seen and read a ton of horror. The character of Eliot reminded me of the chef in The Menu, but more relatable, and not a total psychopath.
There are so many fantastic scenes in here, that it's hard to highlight my favorites, from drippy swamps, BBQ joints surrounded by zombie-esque hordes, to a strange cult, there's a little bit of everything in this sprawling road trip tale of grief.
When I finished, it was all I could do to not go and ask permission to write a story in this world. And that's the highest praise I can give. Where does the soul go? In Katherine's case, on the page, obviously.
August 24, 2025
Where the Soul Goes is a haunting, visceral journey through an apocalyptic wasteland where survival is measured not in days, but in moments of connection. Through the eyes of an ACE-identifying character, Where the Soul Goes explores the quiet, often overlooked struggles of love, intimacy, identity, and loss.
As communities fracture and reform, food becomes more than sustenance—it’s memory, ritual, and the last sacred thread binding the living to each other... and to whatever lies beyond. Blending introspective emotional depth with rich, sensory storytelling, Where the Soul Goes is a post-apocalyptic tale like no other—where the end of the world might just be the beginning of understanding.
Received as an ARC from the publisher.
As communities fracture and reform, food becomes more than sustenance—it’s memory, ritual, and the last sacred thread binding the living to each other... and to whatever lies beyond. Blending introspective emotional depth with rich, sensory storytelling, Where the Soul Goes is a post-apocalyptic tale like no other—where the end of the world might just be the beginning of understanding.
Received as an ARC from the publisher.
October 20, 2025
Where The Soul Goes by Katherine Silva is a story that gave me such an intense book-hangover that a full month after finishing it, I'm sitting down for the who-knows-what-number of time to try to write up my review, determined to get something down this time. Needless to say, Kat has done it again! What a book!
This is a story with so much heart wrapped up in an absolutely terrifying world. The title is so perfect for its content, but also, while reading, your soul will seep into these pages, and the story won't let you go without leaving a mark.
Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/where...
This is a story with so much heart wrapped up in an absolutely terrifying world. The title is so perfect for its content, but also, while reading, your soul will seep into these pages, and the story won't let you go without leaving a mark.
Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/where...
November 21, 2025
This book is unclassifiable...and I mean that in a good way. It's part road trip, part dystopia, part horror, and part food travelogue....but it's all heart and love. That's the primary emotional force here. Silva loves her characters and you can feel that in the prose. The world building is not overwhelming and feels organic to the story. The reader discovers the texture of the landscape as Terry and Elliot begin their journey...and I wanted nothing more than get back to reading every time I was snatched away. There is grief and sadness here, but also hope and happiness. And the question of the title is a profound one that this reader muses on personally, so I enjoyed all the more for that. Highly recommended.
November 30, 2025
Writers beware - this is the kind of book that will make you question every bit of your own understanding of language. Silva’s skill is masterful while appearing effortless on the page. The lyricism in the words are present in every aspect of the story and you feel the world so clearly as you journey with Eliot and Terry.
Such a wonderful exploration of grief, fear, love, creativity all wrapped up in a heartbreaking road trip narrative. Everyone - but especially every writer - should read this book.
Such a wonderful exploration of grief, fear, love, creativity all wrapped up in a heartbreaking road trip narrative. Everyone - but especially every writer - should read this book.
September 16, 2025
Where The Soul Goes takes you on a journey that is uplifting and beautiful while also exploring grief, regret, and radical acceptance. From culinary descriptions that will make your stomach rumble to an absolutely killer playlist in the chapter titles, this immersive sensory experience will gently take you by the heart, not letting go until you turn the very last page.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews