Title: Hekate: The WitchAuthor: Nikita Gill
Pages: 384
Publication Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy
Synopsis:
A propulsive, electrifying and enraging retelling of the life of Greek goddess Hekate, child of war turned all-powerful goddess of witchcraft and necromancy, by internationally bestselling poet Nikita Gill.
Born into a world on fire, Godling Hekate has never known safety. After her parents are on the losing side of the war between the ruling Titans and new Olympian Gods, Hekate is taken by her mother Asteria to the Underworld, where Styx and Hades agree to raise her. Meanwhile, Asteria is pursued across the world by Zeus and Poseidon and, to escape their clutches, transforms herself into an island in a stormy sea.
Orphaned and alone, Hekate grows up amongst the horrors and beauties of the Underworld, desperate to find her divine purpose and a sense of belonging in the land of the dead.
When Hekate finally uncovers her powers and ascends to Goddess status, she realises that even the most powerful Olympians are terrified of her. But when immortal war breaks out again, threatening to destroy everything from Mount Olympus to the Underworld itself, the Goddess of witchcraft and necromancy is the only one who can bring the deadly conflict to an end. . .
Hekate is an engrossing read that brings the goddess of witchcraft and necromancy to life in a way I’ve never seen before. The story follows Hekate from her childhood, fleeing to the Underworld during a war between the gods, to her rise as a feared goddess.
Hekate is told primarily in verse form, which gives a haunting and lyrical quality to the story, but the author also weaves in short sections of prose, which was really interesting. I feel like the transition between poetry and prose gives the story a unique rhythm with changes and breaks that often mirror Hekate’s journey.
I’ve read several stories in the past that included or referenced Hekate, so I was familiar with her as a formidable and dangerous immortal, but she was usually a flat and one-dimensional character and not one I ever connected to. However, in Hekate, Gill gives the goddess a voice, which I loved. From her early years as a child haunted by loss and exile, to a girl desperate for belonging, and ultimately as a goddess who has faced loss, loneliness, and more, Hekate’s character arc and journey are compelling and layered.
Another part that I liked was the love story. It isn’t the main focus of the book, but the relationship between Hekate and Thanatos added hope and a sense of belonging in a harsh and often bleak and isolating environment. Their connection is lovely and genuine, even though it has a forbidden feel to it, and it contrasts with the chaos and violence that surrounds them. I actually think there are a lot of elements in the story that contrast like this, including the contrasting beauty and horror of the Underworld and those who inhabit it.
There are also some powerful messages about family, bonds, and womanhood, and I particularly liked the found family vibes. In a world where power often divides families rather than uniting them, it’s wonderful to see Styx, Charon, Hades, and others help Hekate.
I really enjoyed this book. Haunting and beautiful, it’s an engrossing retelling of Hekate and her journey of loss, self-discovery, belonging, and power. Like many other mythological retellings, this story definitely doesn’t shy away from exposing the cruelty of the gods, especially the way they treat women and people who threaten their power and control. It’s horrific and brutal and cruel. But what I love is Hekate’s determination to define herself and make her own path and her refusal to bow to the dictates and expectations of others.
I would definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy mythology, poetry, and character-driven storytelling, and I’m thankful to Toppling Stacks Tours and the publisher for having me on the tour and providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
At the heart of this story
is a girl looking for answers.
At the soul of this story
is the divine Goddess within us all.
A God without a purpose
Had no uses in any realm.
Perhaps this was what womanhood was.
The dangerous knowledge of who you are
and what you could do with that power if pushed.
“What would you tell a Godling
that has never had
a purpose? What if she is the God
of nothing? Would she matter at all?
Courage would be the name of my story.
Nikita Gill is an Irish Indian poet who has the attention of over 800,000 Instagram followers worldwide for her work. Her work offers a shift of perspective which centers women in both Greek and Hindu myth as well as folklore. Gill has written two verse novels and seven poetry collections, including Fierce Fairytales, Wild Embers, and Where Hope Comes From which she published with Hachette Books.
Author Links:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikita_gill/
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7757886
Tour Schedule:
Nikita Gill is one of my favourite contemporary poets and I hadn’t realised that Hecate was partly in verse too. I definitely think that I need to add this to my TBR
Gill’s fantastic, and this is definitely one of my faves.
Great review, Julie! I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that uses poetry and prose in it’s telling, so I’m super intrigued by this one.
Thanks, Becky. It’s definitely way more poetry, but I thought the combo worked well.