Styx: The River

Beginning a generation before Hekate, Styx sings the story of the goddess of the underworld river that bears her name… Now a Sunday Times and #1 New York Times bestselling sequel!

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 Kronos, 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.

Review

'Styx is that rare sequel which not only stands as a wonderful book in its own right but also deepens and enriches your experience of the book which went before... One of the things I loved best was the unapologetic and comprehensive focus on the female experience hidden in plain view in these ancient stories. We have Styx and Asteria's childhood friendship as a bond that rivals their eventual marriages, we have mothers, sisters, grandmothers and all the complexities, love and rivalry of those relationships. The book is in many ways a love story revolving around a female friendship. It absolutely broke my heart. It also contains a devastating warning – if as a woman you serve the Patriarchy, it will devour you... Absolutely cannot wait to see how Nikita concludes her extraordinary trilogy!'
ELODIE HARPER

'Styx is a rich, gleaming jewel of a novel. A story of war and tyrants, and of love and family, that feels both immensely ancient and profoundly relevant today. Nikita Gill weaves a heartbreakingly beautiful story of feminine rage and strength, illuminating the destructive nature of patriarchy and the resilience and hopefulness of women with her unmatched wisdom, compassion and flawless verse'
JENNIFER SAINT

'Poignant, powerful, and sharply observed'
KIRKUS, starred review

'A love letter to the power of womanhood and female friendships, Styx is a stunning sequel to Hekate, whilst also standing as a fantastic book in its own right. Gill's writing is sublime - raw, urgent and empowering, able to cut to the beating heart of whichever myth she turns her pen to, exposing the bittersweet beauty of these ancient stories as well as their everlasting relevance. Styx will undoubtedly sweep you away!'
ROSIE HEWLETT

About the Author

Nikita Gill is an Irish-Indian poet who has the attention of 750,000 Instagram followers worldwide for her work. Her work offers a shift of perspective which centres women in both Greek and Hindu myth as well as folklore. She has given a TEDx Talk, spoken at every major literary festival in the UK and been shortlisted for the Goodreads Choice Award in poetry three times, the Childrens Poetry Award two times and longlisted for the Jhalak Prize. Gill has written seven poetry collections and two verse novels. Her book of fables for children, Animal Tales from India (Walker Books), and her newest verse novel for Doctor Who, The Angel of Redemption (a 2010s story) (BBC Children's Books), were both out in October 2023.