Title: Styx - The RiverAuthor: Nikita Gill
Series: Goddesses of the Underworld #2
Pages: 384
Publication Date: September 17, 2026
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy
Synopsis:
Beginning a generation before Hekate , Styx sings the story of the goddess of the underworld river that bears her name…
The firstborn child of Titans, Styx is revered as the first of her kind – until she is eclipsed and forgotten amid her scores of siblings, the Oceanids and the Potamoi.
Coming of age in a world simmering with paranoia and unspoken fear of Zeus, the volatile and unchecked god-king, Styx learns to conceal the rage ignited by her growing disillusionment with her parents and her vain and unkind siblings. Instead, she finds solace and sisterhood in her cousin, Asteria. Together, they train in the arts of creation and magic. And as they seek to learn their divine purpose and their place within the Titanomachy, they discover both the joy sparked by true love and the fierce resilience birthed from motherhood.
In this lyrical and heartrending tale of sisterhood, identity, love, and war, Styx must carve her own path to womanhood – and ultimately, godhood.
We were all fate’s own folly.
This is such a powerful and thought provoking story and series that explores some of the lesser known characters in Greek mythology. It’s a fascinating look at Styx and what led to her permanent residence in the underworld. The story serves as almost a prequel to Hekate’s story, which is the first book in the series.
I didn’t know a ton about Styx and those closest to her, so I was really eager to learn more about her. A Titan who ultimately allies with Zeus and the Olympians in an effort to protect herself and her family, she’s eldest child of Titan parents. She was never treated as well as her siblings, all of whom were considered more appealing than her. Styx always longed for connection, and she found it in Asteria, who becomes her closest friend. The story is told from both of their perspectives, as they grow up, come of age, and grow into womanhood and parenthood in a brutal and unforgiving world on the cusp of war. Theirs is a story of friendship and sisterhood and the lengths they both are willing to go to for the people they love.
Like it’s predecessor, this is a coming of age story told primarily in verse, but Gill also weaves in a few short sections of prose. The transition between poetry and prose gives the story a unique rhythm, and I am so amazed at how beautifully the author tells such a layered and emotional story. With few words, she captures the essence of Styx and Asteria using a powerful and compelling female perspective. It’s a great contrast to the male-dominated society in which they both live.
Styx’s story is heartbreaking, emotional, and, at times, empowering. Like Hekate, it sheds light on characters I don’t often read about in mythology, and shows some very well known gods and goddesses in a new way. I thought it was a great addition to the series. It’s immersive and haunting, it has compelling characters with strong voices, and story fascinated me. I enjoyed learning more about Styx, her connection to Hekate, and how she came to her role in the Underworld. The next story focuses on Nyx, and I can’t wait! It’ll be interesting to see how they all tie together.
- sisterhood
- found family
- mythology retelling
- coming of age
“When you name something,
are you naming it because you love it?
Or are you naming it to build it a golden
cage of your understanding?
Names can do that.,
They can become a drowning.
They can grow around your wrists
and shackle you to their meaning.
“There are many ways to build
a fox. And better ways to fight
oceans than crashing in their waves.”
“You are not alone.
The stars I care for will tell you
how well I speak of you at night.”
when no one else can hear my words”
“”If she is disturbing the order
of things, then perhaps the order
is meant to be disturbed.”
“If she is disturbing the order
of things, then perhaps the order
is meant to be disturbed.”
Nikita Gill is a Kashmiri Sikh writer born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and brought up in Gurugram, Haryana in India. In her mid twenties, she immigrated to the South of England and worked as a carer for many years. She enjoys creating paintings, poems, stories, photos, illustrations and other soft, positive things. Her work has appeared in Literary Orphans, Agave Magazine, Gravel Literary Journal, Monkeybicycle, Foliate Oak, MusePiePress, Dying Dahlia Review, The Rising Phoenix Review, Eunoia Review, Corvus Review, After The Pause and elsewhere.
