Review: At the End of the River Styx by Michelle Kulwicki

Be still my heart. But seriously, this book got to me. Let’s start with the obvious/visual bits. My OwlCrate copy of At the End of the River Styx is STUNNING. As a cat and book lover, I love the stenciled edges (which, in case it isn’t apparent, have bookshelves and a fluffy cat). Likewise, I…

Quirky Cat

January 30, 2025

1–2 minutes

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Author: Michelle Kulwicki
Publisher: Page Street YA
Released: September 24, 2024
Received: Own (OwlCrate)
Find it on Goodreads | More OwlCrate | More Fantasy

Book Summary:

Zan has spent the last four hundred and ninety-nine years serving the infamous Ferryman of the River Styx. He does not love this half-life – but he made a deal – five hundred years in exchange for his mother’s life. It’s a deal he doesn’t regret.

Bastian is haunted. At first, he thought these hauntings were dreams – nightmares of the fatal crash that took his mother and nearly claimed his own life. But the more they occur, the more he begins to understand.

My Review:

Be still my heart. But seriously, this book got to me. Let’s start with the obvious/visual bits. My OwlCrate copy of At the End of the River Styx is STUNNING. As a cat and book lover, I love the stenciled edges (which, in case it isn’t apparent, have bookshelves and a fluffy cat). Likewise, I just enjoyed the overall aesthetic of this tale.

Moving on to the story, At the End of the River Styx consists of two perspectives, Zan and Bastian. One sacrificed himself nearly five hundred years ago, and the other only recently had a near-death experience.

Their stories are poignant and for very different reasons. Watching the two cope and grow to know each other was heartbreaking but beautiful at times. While I loved the overall story, I’m not giving this a five-star rating because I didn’t love most of the characters in this tale. I’m mostly thinking of the secondary characters here. They were supportive yet not. It’s like they couldn’t make up their minds.

Overall, At the End of the River Styx is a fantastic read that will wiggle its way into your soul if my reading experience is any solid indication.

Highlights:

Contemporary Mythology
LGBTQ+ Romance
Coming-of-Age
Bookstore Setting

Trigger Warnings:

Death & Trauma
Familial Loss
Rigged Deals

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