The White North Has Thy Bones

by Dorian Ravenscroft

Eight years ago, HMS Melpomene met disaster on her search for the missing Franklin polar expedition. A tiny handful of survivors returned home against all odds; now, one of them is to be hanged for a murder he claims no memory of committing. Among the spectators is ambitious London newsman, Harry Lambert, obsessed by the Melpomene story and the question of what could drive a hero of the Arctic to such an end.

His search for answers takes him to the door of Sidney Blakely, the survivors’ charismatic leader turned Spiritualist medium – a power granted to him, he says, in the thin-veiled North. Living with him is Lieutenant Taylor who claims a darker ‘gift’: to be a vessel for possession by spirits of the dead. Harry doesn’t believe a word of it. But as the true, bloody story behind Melpomene’s end unfolds, he begins to wonder.

Blakely’s revelations of desperate mutiny and a hierarchy out of its depth are shocking enough. But between these lines are whispers of unquiet ghosts, and more than ordinarily savage beasts. In the gaps between what is said and unsaid, what can be believed is as shifting and unstable as the ice itself.

Harry knows what Melpomene’s crew left in the Arctic. But what did they bring back?

Genres: Horror, Historical Fiction, Historical, LGBT, Adult, Fiction, Queer

Audible Audio

First published October 22, 2026

Reviews

[Teru · Rating 5 out of 5]

An act done by me against my will is not my act.

My fellow horror fans - queer historical horror fans in particular - gather around! We’ve got a real treat waiting for us right here. I’ll be genuinely shocked if this book doesn’t end up among my top five reads of 2026 😳
And yet again, I can’t talk much about it because WOAH is everything a potential spoiler! This is a ride you want to take as blindly as possible, trust me.
(Now watch me proceed to talk about it lol)

The Melpomene tragedy began in 1852 when the ship embarked on the polar exploration of the Nunavut territory, in hopes of finding the lost Sir John Franklin expedition. Melpomene herself carried a crew of nearly fifty men. By the end, after a slew of events, only five survivors remained, rescued in 1854 and brought home to England.
Now, in 1860, a newsman Harry Lambert hungers for the real story of what happened to the men, after one of them was just hanged for a terrible crime. And where better to get the answers than Sidney Blakely, another survivor who now curiously holds seances, claiming he’s able to communicate with ghosts?
Harry Lambert wants nothing more than the truth he’s sure was hidden from the public.
He might just get exactly what he wished for.

What follows is a brutal tale of survival in ruthless conditions, ghosts and lost souls, and toxic codependence that will make your head spin and your heart pound. And let me tell you, this freaking book takes the concept of unreliable narrator to a new level!

The horror here lies mostly in the complete isolation of a lost ship trapped in the icy waters for months on end. Isolation not only from civilization, but warmth and light as well. Knowing the chances of survival are thinning with every creak of the ice hugging the ship. Watching the fellow crewmates either lose their minds one at a time, or accept there might just be something else prowling around, hungry yet unseen.

I have to say, I completely fell in love with this particular historical setting! Looking at Google maps, tracking their entire journey, scratched an itch I didn’t even know I had 👀

And I know some of you perked up like meerkats at the mention of “queer” but stand down for a bit - yes, it’s very queer. No, there isn’t romance. It’s tragic, shocking, devastating, utterly brilliant, but for the love of god don’t go in looking for a budding romantic relationship. You would end up either simply disappointed... or a bit traumatized.

Well, now I don’t know what to do with myself. I finished this book yesterday late at night, sacrificing sleep because there’s NO WAY I was gonna put it down for the last wild 20 percent, and I still feel shell-shocked and trapped inside the story.
I’m sat. Sat and ready for more by Dorian Ravenscroft, because they have my full trust with this masterpiece.

(To create an even more immersive reading experience - put on ”Trapped in Ice - Franklin’s Lost Expedition” ambiance on YT, the eerie music and creaking ship sounds are fabulous!)

BIG thank you to the lovely author for being so kind and sending me the e-arc! These are my honest thoughts (as always). The pub date of The White North Has Thy Bones is October 22, 2026.

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Happy Publication day to this horrid little book that I adore✨

I am sitting here, a shattered and empty shell at the end of this wild, incredible and gory journey and find that I am at a bit of a loss what to do with myself.

It is 1860, and Harry Lambert, a reporter for the Chelsea Herald, is assigned to cover the execution of William Moore; a man who murdered his wife and brother in a crime as sudden as it was sensational. Adding to the sensation is the fact that Moore was also one of the few survivors of the Melpomene, an ill-fated Arctic expedition.

As Lambert digs deeper in his efforts to understand Moore’s motivations, his investigation leads him to Sidney Blakely, a former crew member of the Melpomene who has since reinvented himself as a spiritualist. Blakely agrees to tell his story for the first time, but, as with all things, his truth comes at a cost.

I have mentioned this before but stories featuring complete and inescapable isolation crawl under my skin in a way that nothing else can manage to do. However this book took that to the next level and had me feeling like I was holding my breath for hours. I think I could feel my pulse in my neck for most of the final 20% of this story as it came to such a dramatic conclusion.

This is an exceptional effort for a debut, I am kind of blown away if I am being honest. The tension is masterfully ratcheted up as the reader learns of the increasingly horrific tale of the Melpomene. The amount of knowledge and research that Ravenscroft has clearly put into the little details of this story is shockingly impressive.

If you are someone without much in the way of triggers or need for content warnings I would encourage you to go in to this as blind as possible for maximum impact.

I am so serious when I tell you that you need to understand that this is a historical horror that happens to have queer characters in it. It is NOT a traditional romance… If you are looking for something that is romance forward I would suggest this may not be the right book for that mood.

If there is any higher word of praise to give, please know I will 1000% be getting my grubby little hands on a physical copy as soon as humanly possible to display it like a little trophy of madness on my bookcase. This book was gory, bleak and tension filled and will easily land in my top reads of the year. This book has instantly made Ravenscroft an autobuy author for me, I am so excited to see what else they are capable of producing.

If you are after a tense historical horror told cinematically through dual time lines and unreliable narrators, this could be a big win!

I was generously provided an ARC of this book by the author and these are my honest thoughts ❤️

Planned release 22nd October


For a second I contemplate if I really want this. Revealing the truth about Melpomene–whatever that truth may be–will upset many in good society, those in the Admiralty most of all. But surely, for the good of the Empire, the rot must be cut out? The removal of a decayed tooth is never a pleasant experience; it is a mess of blood and pain, yet no sane man would welcome a mouthful of rotten teeth over a few moments of discomfort. I’ve read that a bad tooth can even poison the blood and kill. That’s what Blakely is, with his lies about William Moore and his sham seances. England will simply have to wince and clench its fists as I uproot him for its benefit. That it will benefit me too is merely a welcome accident.



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[bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A queer, historical, feral, horror debut that I would pitch as: Interview With The Vampire if instead of vampires they were the guys from The Terror and if Daniel Malloy was really shit at his job.

You. Yes, YOU. If I could recommend you one book for the entirety of the second half of 2026, this would be it. This is going to be HUGE, mark my words.

It’s rare to find a book that reaches this level of narrative complexity, AND is thoughtful and well-researched in regard to its historical elements, AND beautifully written, all while being just a goddamn hell of a time. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I had this much fun, was so utterly engrossed and entertained by a book. The horror is unnerving and brutal, yet balanced with hilariously melodramatic layers of interpersonal drama, and all framed by a genius web of biased narration that keeps the reader on its toes.

If you like toxic yaoi (peak toxic peak yaoi), unreliable narrators, and cannibalism, run do not walk to what is bound to be your new obsession. Dorian Ravenscroft is a writer to watch, and THE WHITE NORTH HAS THY BONES is a book to read and reread.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC. Disclaimer that I am friends with the author, but all opinions are my own. In fact, this is a rare moment in which I read this book and felt suddenly humbled and overwhelmed with honor to know the author of this book.

CW: violence, blood and gore, dead bodies, injury detail, gun violence, cannibalism, colonialism, homophobia (including and mostly internalized), classism, illness, murder, grief, suicide (off-page), suicide attempt (on-page), drowning, death, toxic relationship, alcohol, animal death, racism, emesis

[Drusilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness, what a book. Brilliant, utterly unsettling, and my goodness, that ending...
I knew from a few reviews that this was going to be pretty intense—I mean, an Arctic expedition that goes wrong—it’s obvious what comes to mind, especially when the book is labeled as horror. So, yeah, very gross and all that. Definitely not for the sensitive stomach.
But everything else this story has to offer—wow, I’m incredibly impressed.
Soooo, no romance, even though there are various intimate moments and a few sex scenes that fade to black. All of that is basically just background noise, and you definitely shouldn’t expect too much.
Honestly, I was actually surprised that there was so much emotion between the characters in the story—I would have expected less.
Anyway, if you want to read a wonderfully creepy murder mystery that’s intricately woven and full of surprises, then this book is perfect. I mean, you’re speculating the whole time about what the truth of this story actually is, and yet everything still came as quite a surprise—even though I had my suspicions.
And it's written absolutely beautifully—I love the style. I'm making a note of the author and hoping there will be more books like this.

Every time a ship went missing we sent another to look for ’em, and then someone to look for that ship, too. Wondered at what point the Admiralty would realise they were just making regular sacrifices to the Arctic. 🧐

‘Most of the men lost at least one appendage over winter. It was practically a rite of passage. I knew a lad who carried his littlest toe around his neck on a string like a charm ’til one of the mates stopped him.’ 🫣

Something that perturbs me about him is how happily he straddles the boundary between the sexes. He’s got the cheap allure and feline movements of a music-hall actress, paired with all the muscle and callouses of a labourer. 😳

[Vicki Herbert · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

The White North Has
Lost My Interest...

THE WHITE NORTH HAS THY BONES
by Dorian Ravenscroft

2.5 stars. This mostly queer seafaring story should have been in my wheelhouse because I love stories about Arctic exploration...

I split the rating down the middle. I read a little over 50% before it became a DNF. It had several factors that made this a tosser for me...

1. Way too many characters with their POVs. I kept checking back with the title of each chapter (several times) to remind myself who was giving their POV.

2. The gay thread seemed to be a plot all its own. I'm not one for love stories, and I just wanted to move past it and get to the meat of the story, and this story never really did.

3. Although the writing was beautiful, by 50%, it never really arrived anywhere. I kept waiting and waiting for something to happen to define the plot: Was it a gay love story, a horror story, or an expedition story?

4. This story seemed like a rip-off of THE TERROR by Dan Simmons, but lacking the interesting stories of the crew.

5. At the halfway mark, I was having a hard time connecting with any of the characters, so the story itself (whatever that was) became too boring to hang in there with.

On a good note, the writing was beautiful. It just never made the storyline memorable, and that's a shame.

If I were to give a helpful critique here, it would be to choose what you want this story to mainly say. Otherwise, it becomes a mishmash of ideas.

If you liked THE TERROR by Dan Simmons, you may like this story since it seemed to be trying to be a follow-up to that story.

[The Reading Frog (Less online ATM) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Dorian Ravenscroft, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) | Raven Books (UK) & NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review

Semi buddy-read with Teru (aka she has read it before, and I got to scream in her DMs)

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Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Re-readability: Yes, it would be a different experience
CW: I'd advise skipping them for the optimal reading experience, but if you have specific triggers or concerns, hmu.
Explicit | Blood, cannibalism, death/murder, gore, injury description, manipulation, toxic/abusive relationship, violence
Moderate | Fade-to-black sex scene, frostbite, gun violence, (internalised) homophobia and repression/denial, sexist thoughts, starvation, suicide, symptoms that mirror dissociation
Mild | Alcohol and morphine use, amputation, animal death, criminalisation of sodomy, death by hanging, lashings, racism against native/inuit people, use and abuse of opium
My chosen soundtrack(s): Where the Bough Has Broken - Hilary Woods | Death Is Not The End - Chelsea Wolfe | Bitter Duty - SAINt DAG

"A violent shiver derails his thoughts. He’s been shivering for days, despite the summer heat. He’s always cold now, down to his marrow. Sometimes he dreams he’s filled with ice, his veins frozen straits and sounds."

Representation
╰┈➤ Queer characters and dynamics
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Multiple gay/queer MCs
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ (Past) MLM dynamic(s)
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Unspecified, but one main character dresses somewhat gender non conforming
╰┈➤ Disability
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ MC with digit amputation, "he's missing the tips of his three longest fingers"
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ SC with leg amputation
╰┈➤ Mental health
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Though nothing is explicitly stated, multiple (main) characters deal with symptoms that mirror dissociaton/depersonalization and PTSD. There are also recurring thoughts of morbidity and suicidal ideation.


Themes
Accountability, active vs passive behaviour, blame-shifting, bodily autonomy/agency or the lack thereof, commodification/exploitation of tragedy and trauma, control, denial of the self, ego/hubris, grief, hopelessness, isolation, money, optics, poverty, power imbalanced dynamics, rank-based hierarchy vs actual social hierarchy, regret, responsibility, sensationalism, survival vs morality, the intrigue of mystery and mystique, the power of a name, truth.


Tropes/What to expect
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Interview with a vampire X Arctic expedition gone wrong
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ 3 POVs
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ The past haunts the narrative
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ A hunt for the truth
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Morally ???? characters
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Queer MCs
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ EXTREME BONE-CHILLING COLD

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What I liked/loved
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ I love an unhinged opener. Dropping us readers into the middle of a public hanging of one of the HMS Melpomene survivors was such a smart move. I was instantly invested and intrigued. This prologue alone convinced me that I would probably love this book. (Spoiler alert! I was absolutely right)
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ This book has such a unique premise.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ We follow Harry, a journalist trying to uncover what truly happened on the mysterious and infamous HMS Melpomene. An Arctic exploration ship that never got to sail home. Besides hopefully making some good money, Harry has some personal motivations that bring him to Sidney Blakely. As the survivor-turned-medium invites Harry to his home to tell his story, Harry starts to realise he might be getting more than he bargained for.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ For years, the survivors have been tight-lipped about the traumatic events they went through, and slowly, through Harry's interviews with them, we get to understand why.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I absolutely loved this premise and the format it was presented in. Sometimes I get frustrated by POV switches and potential cliffhangers, but in this case I was happy with whoever's story I got to read. It constantly kept me on edge without diminishing its enjoyability.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ What stood out to me is how this book reminds us that these stories are actively being told through interviews, yet each time seamlessly slips into the time frame being discussed. It reads like a POV taking place in the present. This was masterfully done and transported me alongside them to those horrid years of the Melpomene tragedy.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The prose is descriptive, poetic without feeling pretentious, and manages to highlight small details that become hard-hitting and devastating in the context of their sentences. Those additions do a lot of work in building a deep understanding and care for the characters depicted. It made them feel like real people. I found myself in awe of the creative and heart-aching ways show-don't-tell was utilised.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The writing style also does a great job with recurring symbolism, motifs and imagery that support the narrative and paint very vivid pictures.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ What might've blown me away the most is how the writing style translated the horrifying reality of being exposed to the extreme elements of the Arctic, which I will expand on in the next section.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The Setting. This story takes place around the midpoint of the 19th century, following Melepomene on its expedition North.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Never have I ever truly understood how absolutely horrifying the freezing cold is until this read. On an objective level, I understood it, but reading this book was like actually being there.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Much like the small details mentioned before that really emphasised the characters' realism, it did the same for the setting. The complete isolation, desperation, hopelessness, and the literal body horror the setting can inflict were terrifying to read about, even more so because of how they were described.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Ever thought about fresh, bleeding wounds letting off steam when met with icy air? How about your own sweat freezing painfully on your face, or perhaps your tears? Ever considered the possibility of skin bursting open from the razor-sharp winds? Ever feared your nose might freeze to your pillow even when wrapped in layers upon layers upon layers? Well, I hadn't either, but I sure am thinking about it now!
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The Arctic can be a brutal monster and doesn't give a damn if you try to reason with it, and I love how Dorian highlighted that with their writing style.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Don't even get me started on scurvy. Childhood me was right to fear it.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Another aspect where this book shines is with its characters. I was interested in every one of them.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ They all have distinct voices, and thus the POVs feel different from each other.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ The main characters are super complex and layered. My opinion of them was ever-changing. Even now, a few days after finishing it and letting it marinate, I still can't form a solid opinion on some of them.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Everything is nuanced, context matters, people have their reasons, and even though certain acts are unforgivable, the world just isn't that black and white. Morality is a convoluted concept, not definable by one universal truth, made even more complex in the brutal context of survival. That being said, be prepared for characters who are at their best morally grey, and at their worst fully morally corrupted black holes.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ The character dynamics are just as interesting and layered. Often, a heavy, tangible tension could be felt between varied duos or groups. Whether this tension is positive, negative, or a secret third thing you'll have to find out for yourself. What I can tell you is that they were always fascinating.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ What added even more to this tension was the huge contrast between Harry and Sidney when it came to (displays of) wealth and their way of carrying themselves.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The way in which the characters were different/opposites or similar to each other felt very poetic.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ The environment/setting (aka the extremely cold Arctic) and Melpomene are just as much main characters as the actual people are. Treating them as such enhanced their presence.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ I loved the paranormal, mystic, and spiritual elements.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Tense and mysterious, a page-turner till the end!
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ This book truly held me in its clutches and still hasn't let go. Those who saw my updates on this read know that I went a little insane and went full detective mode. I took lots of notes, went back to certain passages and spammed my friend Teru's DMs every half hour or so with madman-sounding theories and emotional reactions. I genuinely put everything on hold to finish this book.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Take this as my warning to clear your schedule once you start reading the last 25%. I promise you, you do NOT want to be interrupted when reading that last quarter.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Extremely immersive! I'm not exaggerating when I say I had some bodily reactions to this book. I was sick to my stomach, heartbroken, devastated, had an elevated heart rate, ruined the cozy cuddling vibes with my cats by being stressed and loud about it, and even cried. And yes, all of this is a good thing when it comes to the quality of a book, in my opinion.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ It surprised me! As stated before, I like being a little detective and tend to see plotpoints/reveals coming from a mile away, which is why it's worth mentioning that this book caught me entirely off guard multiple times! I was shocked, bamboozled, flabbergasted and at some point had to stare at the wall a little before continuing. I believe this says a lot about Dorian as a writer and how talented and unique they are.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ White North provided discourse on...
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ The commodification and (financial) exploitation of trauma/tragedy. The ethics of it, as well as the nuances that make it hard to fully condemn it. I won't go into it much further (even though there is a whole essay on it sitting in my notes), but this is an aspect I highly enjoyed and am still thinking about.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ How groups behave and organise themselves in hopeless situations, and how rank does or doesn't weigh in on these decisions. It adds a sociological aspect to this read.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Hubris/ego and how those aspects not only shape one's own fate, but those of others as well.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Greed, imperialism and colonisation. Though not a huge plot point, the racism against an indigenous population while simultaneously taking from their land and adapting their ideas/costums to conquer that land to stamp their name on it more efficiently/safely is horrifying yet realistic. I'm really glad this was addressed and elaborated on in the author's note.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ (Bodily) autonomy or the lack thereof, as well as agency, control, and power (imbalances).
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ What it really means to be a survivor. Explored in a way that isn't afraid to highlight the less-than-rosy parts or what comes after.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ The comfort of dissociation, desensitisation and distancing from awful situations.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ When warmth (in both its meanings) is a rarity, it's coveted and desperately held onto all the more.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Who gets to write history?
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Nobody was as shocked as I was when I realised this is a debut. I'd never have guessed that, since Dorian's work reads like that of a seasoned author.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ It has such a big rereadable quality. Which is why I plan to reread this with my pre-ordered physical copy at some point!
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ I loved the ending. Believably realistic yet still poetic.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ It's staying with me. I never needed this much time to let a book marinate before writing my review, or struggled this much with putting into words WHY I loved it so much. Though this review might be a bit more convoluted than my other ones, I hope it still convinces you to pick up this amazing book!


What I didn't like/felt lacklustre about
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ I think this is fully a me-issue but still wanted to mention it so you'll be prepared for this read. I felt a teensy bit overloaded with info and character names at the start, but I'm a notorious note taker, so all was well in the end. I recommend doing the same if you're a reader who struggles to remember names.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ Literally nothing else. This was so good, and I fear I'll never get over it.


Conclusion/Notes
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ This was the easiest 5 stars of my life. I do, however, need someone to sedate me now because I'm in absolute shambles... The fact that it took me over 6 days to write my review says A LOT. I can say without a doubt this book will haunt me as much as the Arctic expedition haunted our MCs.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ What a horrid, raw, realistic, hard-hitting story about humanity, hubris, morality and the ugly, often unspoken aspects of survival and what comes after. Not only did we get a story about battling the unforgiving freezing cold, but it also provided something deeply personal and intimate.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ It offers intriguing, imperfect characters who make horrible/questionable yet nuanced and at times understandable choices that readers will probably have some polarising opinions on. Which makes this a perfect read for a book club, as it highlights complex topics that could spark intriguing discussions.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I genuinely don't know how to properly talk about or hype up this book without spoilers, which is why I don't think any review can really do it justice. Nonetheless, I hope that my immense love for this book came across and convinces you to check it out! It's simply an amazing read you should experience for yourself.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Dorian Ravenscroft, you are a new insta-buy author for me, and I can't wait to find out about whatever future projects you are cooking up!

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The White North Has Thy Bones is set to release on 22 October, 2026. Make sure to add it to your TBR and/or pre-order it. Follow @dravenscroftwrites on Instagram as well to keep up to date with their projects.



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"The dead desire to speak, just as fiercely as the living. Perhaps more so, for the dead have far more regrets than we do."

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Want to buddy read this book now or in the future? You can do so on Storygraph.

Follow me on Spotify for specific reading playlists like these: 📚 This Connection Is Muddled With Rot | 📚 Gothic 📚 Dark Academia 📚 Dark Fantasy | 📚 Horror/Thriller Reads

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[ceiling.sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queer historical horror, an Arctic expedition gone horribly wrong. This was truly unsettling and brilliantly written. A brutal tale of the doomed Melpomene trip of 1852, which is being investigated by Harry Lambert, a journalist who becomes deeply engaged in trying to find the truth to the story of what happened out there in the darkness and never-ending ice.

Fantastic pacing, the suspense slowly builds and the revelations had me genuinely shocked.

Not a romance at all. Some twisted elements of a love story, moored in tragedy. There are absolutely no happy endings here.

An act done by me against my will is not my act 😭

How is this a debut? Amazingly well done. Will definitely be keeping my eye out for more works by this author.


🎧 Solid narration by Anthony Ilott, Chris Simmons, Joe Eyre and Kaffe Keating. You would think with all these voices it would be feel jarring but never once did I think that, the storytelling was smooth and cohesive all the way through.


Thankyou Drusilla for letting me join your BR!

[a_n_i_t_a · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

• queer mid 19th century historical suspense •

Creepy af!

Wow ok this book certainly kept me guessing! 😅👀😳

Harry Lambert is a reporter after a story. He investigates a case where a former rescued seaman from the ill-fated Melpomene voyage, William Moore, is convicted and hanged for brutally murdering his wife and his brother. No obvious motive. And he had no recollection of the murders.

Harry gets wind of a duo who were also crew on the ship Melpomene. They perform seances for a living and agree to be interviewed by Harry for a fee.

Harry is then swept up in their stories and things, well, get CRAZY.

I was definitely hooked on this. Starts out really intriguing, then a slow build to absolute mad chaos! Brilliant!

BR with Drusilla and Sarah 💕 was quite fun!

[Blair · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I’ve been struggling to write about this for weeks and I think unfortunately I just read it at the wrong time – nothing to do with this book itself, I was just too busy to take it in properly. The book is, in fact, excellent and I should really read it again to properly appreciate it. Set in 1860, the main strand follows a journalist, Harry Lambert, as he investigates a case of murder committed by one of the few survivors of a doomed Arctic expedition. Another survivor has become a Spiritualist medium; questions swirl around what strange encounters the men might have had out on the ice, and whether their ordeal drove them to madness. Split between two differing accounts of the expedition itself, plus Harry’s narrative several years later, it’s an absorbing, intense story. The dubious Spiritualist, Sidney Blakely, is the star of the show here, but I loved reading about every single one of these characters, and the book also pulls off an excellent and completely audacious twist. Loved it; I will be getting myself a physical copy of this.

I received an advance review copy of The White North Has Thy Bones from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC!

This is SUCH an astonishing debut novel from Dorian Ravenscroft. I was utterly hooked from start to finish. Set both amidst the Arctic and society London in the 19th century, it is chilling and atmospheric and so thrilling. We follow three parallel threads as Harry Lambert, a newspaper man, searches for what seems a grisly and compelling tale: murder, mutiny, potential cannibalism, and survival on a doomed expedition like Franklin's failed venture. Lieutenant Taylor and carpenter-turned-medium Blakely tell two stories that intersect and flow and make both the reader, and Harry, wonder what is true and what is not.

The historical detail was fabulous, both in London and on HMS Melpomene. The settings are used to their absolutely full potential and oh, my nerdy naval polar heart was so pleased by all the Arctic research. Told with such strong and intimate voices (I'm usually not a fan of first person but WOW! Fantastic narrative choice), you are really dragged on this complex and incredible journey of three very troubled and compelling men. I went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth with my feelings for these characters (in the best of ways). As much as Blakely and Taylor weave the tale, the reader is drawn along with it too. THE TWISTS. Oh man, I won't spoil anything but SO GOOD, especially the feverish last quarter or so.

I also loved the underlying themes of sensationalist narrative and class that threaded throughout the story. That is such an interesting way to approach a tale like this and one I haven't really seen explored before, so that was SO refreshing.

AND IT HAS QUEER REPRESENTATION. All of this AND there are multiple queer relationships? No notes, perfect.

Thank you again, Dorian. Even if I didn't know you, I would be lapping this up and loving it just as much! Can't wait to see this properly out in the world with its gorgeous cover and its gorgeous writing.

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this may have been one of the most bleak, anxiety-inducing and traumatising books I have ever read - 5*s, will recommend until my dying breath, has changed my brain chemistry, I might never sleep soundly ever again. Perfection.

I will start by saying that whilst most of the characters are queer, this book is NOT a romance, do not going expecting any sort of sweetness or good vibes - any ‘love’ that is in this is absolutely feral and completely doomed. But that fits with the story so well; every single character in this is slippery and changeable like the ice they’re stuck in. If you enjoy an unreliable narrator, this is gonna blow your mind. I felt like a wild conspiracy theorist trying to work out what had actually happened out there in the polar wasteland.

The book is told by narrator Harry Lambert, a journalist who is researching a story on the doomed polar voyage of the HMS Melpomene, from which only 5 men returned, one of whom who has just been hanged for a grisly murder. He interviews two of the survivors, Blakely and Lt Taylor, who are living together, putting on shows as a Spiritualist and Medium duet. Their stories piece together the last few tragic months of the Melpomene’s crew. Or do they?

This historical novel was beautifully researched and incredibly well written - I felt freezing cold whilst reading it, like I was in the ice with them. This book is seriously gory in places, so if you’re squeamish please watch out. I wholeheartedly believe that you need to go into this book as blindly as possible because the more you read, the more you get pulled into the vortex of truth and lies that the characters are spinning.

Read The White North Has Thy Bones for:
✨ Historical Queer Horror Mystery
✨ 1800’s golden age of sail
✨ Toxic, gay, codependent MCs
✨ Doomed polar expedition
✨ Unreliable narrators
✨ Journalist hunting for answers
✨ Who is lying?
✨ Insanely well researched
✨ Beautiful atmospheric writing
✨ Changed my brain chemistry
✨ I am now 100% traumatised

Thank you to the author and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC of this book via NetGalley. It’s available on the 22nd October in the UK 💕

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully done queer historical horror, deserving wide acclaim for its subtlety, intelligence, sense of place, detailed displays of uncanny erudition, and riveting suspense - not to mention the numerous powerful scenes of survival and isolation horror, and its atmosphere of dread and suspense. The story develops through several twists, so it'd be better to go into the book blind - though a couple of caveats should be mentioned in advance: sure, fans of Simmons' "The Terror" are in for a treat, yet the story's supernatural aspects are far more explicit and grittier (think "Interview with the Vampire" and "Yellowjackets"); plus the writing style is very different, less lyrical and more emphatic on the central mystery, with equal emphasis on the toxicity of certain characters and the necessarily subdued and painful portrayal of Victorian queerness.

In my book, all these features are good, since they show that the author did not at all try to imitate "The Terror", though both works are similar in scope and ambition. Ravenscroft's book satisfies more on the paranormal front, however, as it obsessively focuses on the supernatural minutiae of the mystery around the disastrous Melpomene expedition, highlighting paranormal elements that Simmons' book would not really care for. Moreover, the characters are difficult to relate to, wasting no time on heroics or romance, almost always making morally reprehensible choices - since apparently the point of the book is survival, at any cost, irrespective of place, time or context.

The author's incredible storytelling skills make it very easy for the reader to share in the characters' feeling trapped just by existing, whether in the city or on the ice. In every conceivable way, this is a stunning debut I unreservedly recommend.

[Celi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that truly deserves all the acclaim it’s been getting.

Firstly, the plot is excellent & had me absolutely hooked on every word. I’m not sure I’ve ever read something that kept me guessing & gasping right up until the last page, not to this degree at least! The story is told from three different POV’s, all of them unreliable narrators in their own way & this ensured that there were many meticulously crafted plot twists & revelations throughout.

Also, the writing? Gorgeous. Filled with vivid imagery & historical detail, the author managed to create a captivating atmosphere that made the book difficult to put down (proven by the fact I read over 250 pages in one sitting, not a regular occurrence for me!)

I’m not going to spoil this book, as this is one that just needs to be experienced. However I will say that by the end I felt very vindicated about feelings I harboured towards certain characters throughout the book (you know who you are) & I will be adding Sidney Blakely to my list of new favourite characters (in fact if you wouldn’t mind giving us more content about this absolute icon Dorian, I would highly appreciate it!👀)

There are many themes expertly woven into the narrative, such as classism, misogyny, internalised homophobia (a lot of these manifest within one character, what a charming fellow) which helped to create interesting & unique dynamics within the character’s relationships to one another & coloured their arcs throughout the story.

The impressiveness of this book is only amplified when you appreciate that this is a debut novel! I think Dorian Ravenscroft has a bright future ahead in the literary world & I cannot wait to see what they have up their sleeve next!

[Declan Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Character- 5/5
Plot- 5/5
Pacing- 5/5
Entertainment- 5/5
Rating- 5/5

This book has a perfect rating from me, and it has thoroughly earned it. It is well constructed, deeply thoughtful and contains some of the most engaging charcater work that I've seen in a long time. Dorian Ravenscroft creates an excellent story here that grips the reader from the beginning until the very end, with plenty of twists, turns and despicable characters to keep you entertained throughout.

What I think works best though is the focus on unreliable narrators. This is the mechanism used to give this story so much depth and engagement. The mystery element is facilitated through it, and knowing how prejudice plays into the main characters views and narration lends so much to the tension and mystery throughout. Honestly this book is a fantastically written and a wonderfully spooky read that will present to you some of the most toxic repressed gay men you'll have read in recent years. Be prepared because you will pick this book up and not be able to put it down again until you're finished. Well done Dorian, you've blown my Victorian stockings clean off!

[amie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silly me thinking I was spotting inconsistencies & they were there on purpose and were actually clues !! (Lmao)

This is a ghost story/mystery X Victorian gothic X arctic horror.

Loved this, such a strong debut. I properly enjoyed how the setup felt like the classics - that way of someone finding out some outrageous story because of an interview or writing a letter etc. Some really lovely historical detail. A proper mystery with solid build up and enough twists to be exciting without feeling like it wasn’t earned. Many toxic gay intense dynamics going on. Truly what more could you ask for!

[isbah ♡ · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

chilling, atmospheric, queer historical gothic, and a doomed arctic expedition!! the perfect read for the season and i was immensely invested in these characters' stories from start to finish.

4.5 ☆

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of ARC Provided by Author

The most perfect twisty-turny gothic, gay horror to get me out of my reading slump! The unreliable narrators keep you guessing throughout, and although the characters are for the most part objectively unlikeable, they have a depth of characterisation that keeps you engaged with them and their stories through to the end. The level of historical detail is amazing, but all exposed in a way that made me (somebody who knows very little about Victorian seafaring!) feel at home with the subject matter. Overall, a fun, terrifying, and devastating read, which I thoroughly enjoyed!

[VR3481 · Rating 1 out of 5]

EDIT EDIT: Thank you to my Amis who sent me the more recent version of the author's page before it was censored. I've updated my links. Also, be sure to donate to the Organization for Transformative Works (OTW)!
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EDIT: I actually read this whole book, after borrowing a copy from a friend who talked me into giving the author a fair chance despite their controversy. I borrowed the book so as to experience it ethically without supporting the author with my own hard-earned money and now having read it, I'm glad I did so. I'm changing my review to 1 star from 0.25 because they sure did it, they sure finished and published a book, and that takes chutzpah, so hats off to them. The plot was extremely predictable and everyone mentioning this being a 'The Terror' clone is right to do so. There's 'inspiration', and then there's 'basically fanfiction' because the similarities are so overt. Original review below.

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Will-Not-Read. IYKYK (aka if you were on Tumblr during this author's "fandom era"). I'm frankly shocked these controversial Tumblrites keep getting major publishing deals because they hide their history from the publisher (Ravenscroft "enjoloras", Peyton "Beachdeath"...), but then again, these days publishers don't seem to care if they have a bad apple as long as the apple can meet a deadline and submit a manuscript over 70,000 words. Given the many controversies surrounding this author both online and offline this is a hard "do not read ever" for me. I will not be supporting Ravenscroft as an author nor will I be supporting any of their pen names, as it was just announced they will also be publishing romance under the alias Vivien Hart.

[Catalina · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Unfortunately The White North Has Thy Bones has been more of a miss for me. The pace was so slow, tortuously slow and the LGBT elements felt off, as if they were there to just tick a box? Thinking back on it, it was full of gruesomeness, but reading it nothing touched me, nothing made me flinch. Maybe it didn't help that I've read quite a few non-fiction books about some of the Arctic expeditions featured in this novel, so let's say a fictionalized take on that couldn't necessarily add much to what I already knew. Or maybe it wasn't the right moment to read it? Oh I really don't know, but certain is that I did not enjoy it. Sorry!

*Novel from NetGalley with many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity.

[Magdalena (magdal21) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book. This is the polar horror I’ve been waiting for since reading The Terror many years ago. Dorian Ravenscroft has created a queer historical fiction that is fantastically written, immaculately researched, and completely unputdownable. I can’t remember the last time I was so immersed in a story. I was thinking about this book constantly while I was reading it.

Set in London in 1860, the story takes place a couple of years after the tragic voyage of the HMS Melpomene, an Arctic exploration ship sent to find the lost Franklin expedition. The ship was lost, with only five crew members surviving. In the opening scene, one of them is hanged for a brutal murder he has no memory of committing. The story of the doomed ship and its crew fascinates Harry Lambert, a newspaperman desperate to uncover the truth about what happened in the white north. He tracks down two other surviving crew members, Sidney Blakely, now working as a spiritualist medium, and Lieutenant Taylor.

The plotting is excellent. Harry’s investigation in London is interwoven with the stories told by Blakely and Taylor, gradually revealing what happened during the expedition. Having two unreliable narrators recount the same events from their own perspectives works incredibly well and reminded me a little of Interview with the Vampire. Blakely and Taylor’s versions of the voyage differ drastically. One speaks mostly of heroism and survival, while the other tells a story of madness, ghosts, obsession and murder. As a reader, you’re never quite sure who’s telling the truth. By depicting the HMS Melpomene as it becomes trapped in the Arctic ice, Ravenscroft does a fantastic job of showing how the harsh conditions gradually strip the sailors of their health, strength, dignity. Yet, as in the best horror, the greatest threat doesn’t necessarily come from the environment or even the supernatural elements, but from the people themselves. As the story progresses, we discover how the events in the Arctic connect to the present day storyline in London. I gasped more than once at some of the revelations.

This book feels like a love letter to polar expeditions. The amount of research that has gone into it is impressive, and it’s clear that Dorian Ravenscroft is deeply fascinated by the subject. Anyone already interested in polar exploration will have a lot to enjoy here, but you don’t need any prior knowledge of the topic to appreciate it – the historical detail never feels like infodumping, and everything is woven naturally into the story. The vivid descriptions make it incredibly easy to imagine the brutal conditions of the white north.

Overall, an incredible debut and definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC!

As usual when I absolutely love a book, I'm struggling to find things to say beyond repeating variations of "oh my gosh, amazing!" over and over again. I barely put this down, reading almost obsessively until I reached the end. The details and atmosphere of the polar landscape and the ship Melpomene are perfectly drawn here, and the interweaving web of narratives, motivations, and character interactions keep unfolding until everything you guessed was true is turned on it's head. 

Now, to be fair, The White North Has Thy Bones is a book absolutely made for me. I love polar exploration stories, and have read many books on the subject, fiction and non-fiction; I've watched hundreds of YouTube videos and the number of times I've re-watched The Terror TV show is probably too high. I knew this was going to be one made for me, and oh boy, I was right. Ravenscroft is clearly a polar exploration aficionado, and he creates an amazing sense of the terrifying, bleak polar atmosphere. The world of the Melpomene and the crew's perilous walk across the High Arctic feels totally real, without ever getting bogged down in too much historical detail or description. 

The thing that really stands out here is the interlocking web of stories. All the survivors have their own story to tell, and how they fit together - or don't - becomes the heart of the novel. Finding out what really happened - and the real connection between the expedition and Harry, our main character - is the highlight of the book. How far can we trust any of these characters to tell us the truth, even the character in whose head we sit? This question rings through the book, and even at the end of the story, we aren't one hundred per cent sure. I loved the mystery, the unfolding of the story of the doomed voyage of the Melpomene, the questions surrounding what was real and what wasn't, and all the twists that totally shocked me!

The narrators are unreliable, but man, are they interesting. Every character in this story shines, coming alive on the page. Our MC, Harry, is a hard character to love - even like - but he feels totally alive and realistic. Fair warning: he's realistically classist, misogynistic, and is struggling with a lot of internalised homophobia, if that's not your thing. But I really liked the way Ravenscroft challenged and deconstructed these views within the story. The whole narrative is a searing critique of English classism, which I really enjoyed. As for the other characters, I feel like saying almost anything would be a spoiler, but the way they tell their stories and the things revealed about them are so interesting, I loved every minute!

This is the part where I would usually point out at least one gripe or nitpick... But I seriously can't think of one. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish, and now I know what's really going on, I feel like I need to go back and read it again with the benefit of hindsight and context! 

Basically, if you're a polar exploration girlie (gender neutral): run, don't walk.

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The White North Has Thy Bones was an easy 5 stars for me. The story was absolutely phenomenal with unforgettable characters and a provocative narrative. I just love me a book about 1800’sArctic expeditions. I know I shouldn’t focus too much on that part but…

I just think it’s funny how obsessed England was with exploring the arctic in the late 1800’s. The sheer determination to conquer nature rather than respect it. Meanwhile, Indigenous people have been living in and navigating these lands for CENTURIES, and here come these Europeans acting like the Arctic is a personal achievement waiting to be unlocked. And then Indigenous communities are left dealing with the consequences of these men’s grand adventures.

Anyway. This book was incredible. Five stars. I will apparently never tire of reading about doomed Arctic expeditions, even as I wonder why these men couldn’t just mind their business.

[Alix · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for Arctic expedition novels, and having loved the TV show The Terror, I was very excited to pick this one up. It did not disappoint. With several unreliable narrators, you’re never entirely sure how much of the story being presented is accurate, which adds an interesting layer of uncertainty throughout. The prose and descriptions were fantastic, particularly in establishing the atmosphere. I genuinely felt like I was in the Arctic alongside these men.

That said, this was definitely a slow read. About a third of the way through, I had a pretty strong suspicion about what the big reveal would be, which took away a little of the suspense as I had a feeling where things were heading. While it was still a good story, I do think it dragged a bit in places and could have benefited from being shorter and more tightly paced. Overall, this was an atmospheric and intriguing Arctic mystery that delivered many of the elements I love about this genre.

[M.S. Hawthorn · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing access to this book in return for an honest review.

DNF at 50%

This is a difficult one (I'm actually heartbroken) to review because I genuinely loved the writing, but unfortunately I just couldn't connect with the story.

The prose is absolutely stunning. The historical language feels wonderfully authentic, and although I sometimes had to work to understand the sentence structures, I really enjoyed that challenge. There's almost a rolling rhythm to the writing, reminiscent of the movement of a ship on water. The imagery is fantastic, and the dark, Gothic atmosphere is beautifully done.

Unfortunately, the plot just didn't grab me. There's a lot of focus on ships, sailors and voyages, which isn't particularly interesting to me, and I found myself struggling to care about any of the characters or what happened to them.

I persevered until halfway purely because I was enjoying the writing so much, but eventually realised that beautiful prose alone wasn't enough to keep me invested.

I can absolutely appreciate the talent behind this book, and I suspect readers who enjoy maritime history and Gothic fiction will get far more out of it than I did.

Ultimately, this is a beautifully written book that just wasn't for me.

[Paulette Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking and impressive in scope, The White North Has Thy Bones is a chilling pressure cooker of a novel that will have you questioning everything you thought you believed about the nature of good and evil.

It's 1860, and an intrepid young newsman named Harry Lambert has the lead of a lifetime. The spare, surviving crew of an ill-fated expedition to the Arctic has returned to England, and one of their own has just been executed for a murder he has no memory of committing. His remaining crewmates, each of them carrying scars of their own, are willing to talk to Harry about what really happened to the HMS Melpomene in the frozen North--for a price.

Harry seeks out the crew's de facto captain, Sidney Blakely, and his housemate, Lieutenant Taylor, who make their living as Spiritualists. The Arctic, it seems, has left the pair with a haunting gift: the ability to channel the dead--for Blakely--and to be possessed by them, for Taylor.

Through a series of compelling interviews, Harry gets his story...but at a perilous cost. The dark secrets of the HMS Melpomene transcend any coordinates on a map, and the survivors of her mission to the White North are forever marked by what they witnessed there.

If you've ever been fascinated by Franklin's missing Arctic expedition and the unanswered questions surrounding it, you will enjoy this atmospheric and unnerving novel as much as I did. This is high, intellectual gothic horror at its finest.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I thought The Terror (by Dan Simmons) was chilling (pun very much intended), I hadn't reckoned on The White North Has Thy Bones upping the ante, and then some. ❄️

The year is 1860. Harry Lambert is a journalist, and has just been to the public execution of one William Moore, who murdered his wife and brother. Lambert is fascinated with the case, and with Moore, who was one of only five survivors of the Arctic explorer ship Melpomene. ❄️
Keen to learn more about what befell Melpomene and her crew, Lambert sets out to meet, and interview, another one of her survivors, Sidney Blakely, once a ship's carpenter, now a spiritualist. At Blakely's home Lambert meets Lieutenant Taylor, another survivor, and now a medium at Blakely's séances. ❄️
As he interviews both men separately, it soon becomes clear to Lambert that one of them is lying. But which one? ❄️

There are some very unsavoury characters in this story, depending on whose version of events we read. All is not as it initially seems. The story is told from the POV of Harry, who also has his secrets. ❄️

This is the most disturbing, chilling, horrific book I have read this year, and I loved every bit of it. Be warned though, there are many triggering themes here; murder, grievous injury, cannibalism, to name but a few. ❄️

Thanks to Bloomsbury UK and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Aimee · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

What a vastly unpleasant book, in the most complimentary way. It genuinely kept me nauseated, horrified, and enthralled from start to finish. The characters are incredibly well written- Sidney in particular is a real scene-stealer - and the descriptions of the arctic are so harrowingly bleak that I often felt I had to pause just to breathe and touch the solid ground beneath my feet. The stories are a little pulpy, and when you read the authors note at the end you can understand why, and the respect they have shown. This only loses some star for some of the modern relationships needed a bit more expanding upon. In the “modern” setting, some of Harry’s desires felt a little blindsiding. Like “oh, okay, right!” But also … slay king, I get it.

[Oscar Penrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is an impressive debut that will definitely appeal to the polar exploration horror crowd, reminding me of The Terror (more so the show than the novel) and Ally Wilkes's All the White Spaces. It feels well researched, building a strong atmosphere complimented with intriguing characters.
That said, I do wish there was more development of the modern timeline, and of the relationships between the three leads (and particularly, Blakely and Lambert) - it feels like there's a strong starting point that later fades into the background as the past timeline begins taking up more space. Given the thematic relevance of these relationships, I just wish the characters would interact more outside of the strict interview settings that they find themselves in most of the time, I think it would have made the final confrontations more impactful. And, it does feel like some of these final confrontations kind of descend into melodrama in a way that I am not entirely sure how I feel about.
Speaking of characters, it is also worth noting that there are essentially no women in this novel - there is one, but she appears only in a handful of scenes and doesn't impact the plot at large. This is not uncommon in the polar exploration genre, but it is still frustrating.
Overall, while I have some gripes with The White North Has Thy Bones, I must concede that I did get really invested in the story, and it certainly scratched my itch for some good queer Arctic survival horror.

[Eilís · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

I should write something intellectual, but all I can say is that this is how you fucking do it. and by it, I mean narratively doomed men in love who are in the Arctic and dying of scurvy

AMC’s THE TERROR (2018) HEADS THIS ONE IS FOR YOU

[HJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not left a review on here for a very long time but I NEED EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND HOW INSANELY GOOD THIS BOOK IS.
Toxic gays at their FINEST
Interview with the Vampire but if it was about a failed arctic expedition.
Honestly, that’s all you need to know going in, I promise you will NOT be disappointed.
Do yourself a favour and go and PREORDER NOW

The finest Victorian Gothic.

Oh I’ll be thinking about this book for a VERY long time.