A review by wanderingcurls
At the End of the River Styx by Michelle Kulwicki

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Thanks to @pagestreetya and @netgalley for the ARC copy of At the End of the River Styx. As a fan of the romance genre and contemporary Greek mythology retellings, I was very interested in the premise of an Achillean paranormal romance between two teenage boys, one who is struggling with the guilt and grief of the recent loss of his mother and the other who is in the final year of his 500-year curse of working for the Ferryman of the River Styx. I found Bastian’s character to be compelling as he struggles to relate to his friends, schoolmates, and surviving family members and finds solace and escape with a dead teen boy, Zan. Kulwiki also handled Bastian’s experiences with panic attacks and PTSD with sensitivity and care. I also appreciated how she showed how two people can experience the same life-altering experience as Bastian and his twin brother, Dorian, do and not process grief the same way. I loved the connection between Bastian and Zan and how they could not fight the pull they felt toward each other despite all the drawbacks and consequences. This book was an emotional and poignant read.
I only wish the ending had been fairer for Zan, as my heart broke for him
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