Wake Not the Dead is a Gothic novel by German author Johann Ludwig Tieck. It was first published in 1817. The novel follows the story of a young man named Wilhelm Meister, who is in love with a beautiful woman named Bertha. Bertha is engaged to another man, and Wilhelm is desperate to win her affections. In a fit of despair, he turns to a mysterious alchemist who promises to bring Bertha back from the dead. Wilhelm agrees to the alchemist's terms and soon finds himself in a world of horror and terror. He discovers that the alchemist has created a creature from the dead body of Bertha, and that this creature is slowly taking over her body and mind. Wilhelm must battle the creature and save Bertha from the alchemist's evil plans. Along the way, he discovers the secrets of life and death, and learns the true meaning of love.
By Johann Ludwig Tieck · First published 1853 · Genre: Romanticism, Gothic Fiction, Horror