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At the End of the River Styx
Is saving someone you love worth an eternity of servitude?
To save his dying mother, Zan offered his life and centuries of servitude to the Ferryman. For 499 years of his 500-year curse, Zan has guided souls in the underworld to the edge of the River Styx so the Ferryman can devour them−and if Zan stops before his sentence is up, the Ferryman will eat his soul.
In Portland, Bastian is grieving. He barely survived a car accident that took his mother, and he is haunted by troubling dreams of a dark, flooded corridor. One night, a door appears in the endless corridor and Bastian walks into Zan's office, where he learns that he was supposed to die in the accident.
It should be easy for Zan to hand Bastian over like he has countless others. Only Bastian keeps disappearing before Zan can deliver him. The more they meet, the more they find they have in common and before long, their feelings for each other deepen. After an eon of loneliness, Zan can't bring himself to let Bastian die.
The boys borrow time hiding from the Ferryman, but only one of them can cheat death. Zan must decide if he's willing to give up his chance at life to save Bastian−and Bastian must decide if he's willing to keep living if it means losing Zan.
To save his dying mother, Zan offered his life and centuries of servitude to the Ferryman. For 499 years of his 500-year curse, Zan has guided souls in the underworld to the edge of the River Styx so the Ferryman can devour them−and if Zan stops before his sentence is up, the Ferryman will eat his soul.
In Portland, Bastian is grieving. He barely survived a car accident that took his mother, and he is haunted by troubling dreams of a dark, flooded corridor. One night, a door appears in the endless corridor and Bastian walks into Zan's office, where he learns that he was supposed to die in the accident.
It should be easy for Zan to hand Bastian over like he has countless others. Only Bastian keeps disappearing before Zan can deliver him. The more they meet, the more they find they have in common and before long, their feelings for each other deepen. After an eon of loneliness, Zan can't bring himself to let Bastian die.
The boys borrow time hiding from the Ferryman, but only one of them can cheat death. Zan must decide if he's willing to give up his chance at life to save Bastian−and Bastian must decide if he's willing to keep living if it means losing Zan.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2024
82 people are currently reading
9182 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Kulwicki
5 books85 followersMichelle Kulwicki grew up in the Pacific Northwest overturning every rock and stick in an unending quest to find portals to worlds far more exciting than her own. After moving to the mountainless Midwest, she earned her bachelors and master’s degrees in music performance, and spent years in the symphony and musical theater pit circuit. She’s now a mom by day, musician by night, and writer in all the spaces in between—a life that is somewhat lacking in portals, but is still full of magic.
Her short fiction has been both Locus Recommended and Hugo nominated, and her first full length novel, At the End of the River Styx, will be debuting in Spring of 2024 from Page Street Kids.
Her short fiction has been both Locus Recommended and Hugo nominated, and her first full length novel, At the End of the River Styx, will be debuting in Spring of 2024 from Page Street Kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 375 reviews
October 25, 2024
Actual rating 4.5 stars.
Zan sounded like Bastian felt on the heels of a panic attack. Scared and anxious, like he couldn’t catch a breath.
Bastian is lost since his mom died in a car incident. The car incident HE caused. His identical twin brother, Dorian, escaped physically unscathed, but Bastian still experiences the consequences, and his guilt works overtime. Zan is lost, too. 499 years ago, he saved his mom by giving his soul to the Ferryman. Just one more year until he’s free. Until then he has to guide people who are stuck between life and death so the Ferryman can eat their souls. People like Bastian, who meets Zan in his dreams.
Michelle Kulwicki delivered a beautiful and honest take on grief and healing through love. I wanted to hug Bastian and Zan so many times. The sadness from both boys penetrated the pages from the first sentences, but I also felt Dorian's powerlessness in my bones, the ever-outstretched hand to grieve together instead of alone. The twin, who is not in the blurb but is such an essential part of Bastian's story. I also loved, loved the side characters, Riley jumped off the page, and Mathais was such a sweet jock. And when I was done hugging Bastian and Zan virtually, I wrapped my arms around Dorian for a long, long time.
Don't worry if you're not much of a fantasy reader. At the End of the River Styx is, far and foremost, a contemporary novel, vividly written and so easy to read. Be prepared for lumps in your throat and watery eyes, though. This story is a sad one, but in the end imbued with hope.
I ended the story with a smile on my face, but when I read the acknowledgments, tears crept up behind my eyes again because of that last sentence. A sentence with probably a world behind it and probably the reason you wrote this book, Michelle.
Thank you, Jane, from Pagestreet Publishing, for this beautiful ARC. I can't wait for what Michelle has in store for us next!
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Zan sounded like Bastian felt on the heels of a panic attack. Scared and anxious, like he couldn’t catch a breath.
Bastian is lost since his mom died in a car incident. The car incident HE caused. His identical twin brother, Dorian, escaped physically unscathed, but Bastian still experiences the consequences, and his guilt works overtime. Zan is lost, too. 499 years ago, he saved his mom by giving his soul to the Ferryman. Just one more year until he’s free. Until then he has to guide people who are stuck between life and death so the Ferryman can eat their souls. People like Bastian, who meets Zan in his dreams.
Michelle Kulwicki delivered a beautiful and honest take on grief and healing through love. I wanted to hug Bastian and Zan so many times. The sadness from both boys penetrated the pages from the first sentences, but I also felt Dorian's powerlessness in my bones, the ever-outstretched hand to grieve together instead of alone. The twin, who is not in the blurb but is such an essential part of Bastian's story. I also loved, loved the side characters, Riley jumped off the page, and Mathais was such a sweet jock. And when I was done hugging Bastian and Zan virtually, I wrapped my arms around Dorian for a long, long time.
Don't worry if you're not much of a fantasy reader. At the End of the River Styx is, far and foremost, a contemporary novel, vividly written and so easy to read. Be prepared for lumps in your throat and watery eyes, though. This story is a sad one, but in the end imbued with hope.
I ended the story with a smile on my face, but when I read the acknowledgments, tears crept up behind my eyes again because of that last sentence. A sentence with probably a world behind it and probably the reason you wrote this book, Michelle.
Thank you, Jane, from Pagestreet Publishing, for this beautiful ARC. I can't wait for what Michelle has in store for us next!
Follow me on Instagram
October 1, 2024
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
“You can never be lonely when you love.”
I actually do like the double entendre to the title, At the End of the River Styx. It rings quite true as Zan's time slowly ticks down towards his final end of his agreement with his contract tying him to the Ferryman, only for him to face another impossible decision of choosing another five hundred years of servitude of ferrying souls or choosing to hand over the one soul that cheated death, for the sake of his own freedom - the chance to live again. 😟
“You were supposed to be a dream.”
The way their respective paths crossed was well-played upon; not so much about the way Bastian was able to cross over, but the slow dawning of where it was he was crossing over to, and what part Zan played in his dream. Bastian's grief over his mother's death was a bittersweet reflection of Zan's own longing for a chance to be human. 🥺 'You’re stuck. You’re supposed to be dead. I’m supposed to lead you.'It was that ethereal feeling that was sort of like an escape for both of them, but still a place where Bastian's very existence hung in the balance that made it a double edged sword even to be here.
Loneliness is something tangible; it eats away. And misery loves company, and what better way than for two souls who have both paid the price of losing someone dear to bond and share in their grief. Share in the memories and exchange the sorrow, in order for them both to move past it; until it tumbles into a heartfelt and meaningful connection that be it a year or five hundred years - here is someone who understands. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 There was something soothing about being around each other, even though it cost so much just to spend time together. That aching yearning to be yourself with another - without judgment or remorse was heartfelt and sincere.
It was also interesting to see how each of them had their own descents into despair and darkness with their respective evil presences. Zan, very much alone, only had Bastian as the light to pull him out from drowning, whereas the love and support of Bastian's friends as well as his bookstore and Cat, made him realize that he was not alone in drowning his sorrows - that he had no reason to die. 😥 While I do still feel that it felt a bit too much at times - especially when Bastian became dependent on adverse methods to get to Zan - I got it.
“Five hundred years, the voice in his head murmured on repeat.
Was one life worth that?”
My issues with certain points, while insignificant maybe to other readers, are what essentially weighed in on my slightly lower rating than what I had initially hoped it to be.
For as much as it is described in much detail - the central focus of both perspectives, the strange thing was - I don't know why I did not feel their grief. I was numb to their pain and sadness and guilt. And perhaps this weighs in on the fact that I relate to them very strongly and truly to their sorrow. But, my heart never tinged with an ache for their heartache. 'Grief was a strange thing.' 😢 Maybe because it was being written in a way that you had to be told with a certainty that Bastian was in a shell-stocked state of mourning - spiraling into a descent of ill-advised choices. And Zan, who made the ultimate sacrifice of a choice that left him with no palpable certainty that it was not all for naught. That forced feeling left me feeling detached to their plight, rather than being empathetic to their emotions. 😔
As much as I liked Zan's parting words to Bastian, I don't know how I felt about the continuous repetition of hop, step, jump that he took him on through various memories; it reminded me of Jumper as they were 'playing with borrowed time' and it made the story drag on more than it should have; even though each setting was like trusting each other with their innermost parts of themselves. But, I think what really sealed the deal was the resolution of the conflict. I felt cheated by the ending; after all the hints to the ultimate sacrifice, it felt like a wasted potential to truly cheat Death. 🙎🏻♀️ 'You miss being human. But this one is no different. He belongs to me.' You cannot spend so much time building up towards a countdown, only to leave it like that for us to surmise what exactly it was that happened; it was anti-climatic. It leaves more questions than answers, and it feels like such a waste to the Ferryman's character, especially when it leaves with the intent that the story is not quite completed yet. 😮💨
I know Riley and Mathias had good intentions and it was nice to know that there were people in Bastian's life who cared for his well-being, but sometimes they felt a bit too excessive in their behavior that made me like them a little less. 😕 I would have liked Dorian and Bastian's sibling bond to be explored a bit more. Why Bastian seemed to have forgotten that he was not the only one who lost a mother - that his pain is no greater than his brother's simply because he was not the one in the driver's seat - felt unfair. 'He misses you, he feels like he’s being totally left out, he’s angry, he’s sad, he’s feeling all the same stuff, and you’re supposed to be his friend.' 😟 It's not that Dorian behaved more maturely, he was just more aware and focused and I respected that about him. And that he did not let his emotions get swayed by his own desperation to protect and look out for him felt gratifying, too. The closure to their relationship was heartfelt and believable for me. 🫶🏻🫂
“You can never be lonely when you love.”
I actually do like the double entendre to the title, At the End of the River Styx. It rings quite true as Zan's time slowly ticks down towards his final end of his agreement with his contract tying him to the Ferryman, only for him to face another impossible decision of choosing another five hundred years of servitude of ferrying souls or choosing to hand over the one soul that cheated death, for the sake of his own freedom - the chance to live again. 😟
“You were supposed to be a dream.”
The way their respective paths crossed was well-played upon; not so much about the way Bastian was able to cross over, but the slow dawning of where it was he was crossing over to, and what part Zan played in his dream. Bastian's grief over his mother's death was a bittersweet reflection of Zan's own longing for a chance to be human. 🥺 'You’re stuck. You’re supposed to be dead. I’m supposed to lead you.'It was that ethereal feeling that was sort of like an escape for both of them, but still a place where Bastian's very existence hung in the balance that made it a double edged sword even to be here.
Loneliness is something tangible; it eats away. And misery loves company, and what better way than for two souls who have both paid the price of losing someone dear to bond and share in their grief. Share in the memories and exchange the sorrow, in order for them both to move past it; until it tumbles into a heartfelt and meaningful connection that be it a year or five hundred years - here is someone who understands. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 There was something soothing about being around each other, even though it cost so much just to spend time together. That aching yearning to be yourself with another - without judgment or remorse was heartfelt and sincere.
It was also interesting to see how each of them had their own descents into despair and darkness with their respective evil presences. Zan, very much alone, only had Bastian as the light to pull him out from drowning, whereas the love and support of Bastian's friends as well as his bookstore and Cat, made him realize that he was not alone in drowning his sorrows - that he had no reason to die. 😥 While I do still feel that it felt a bit too much at times - especially when Bastian became dependent on adverse methods to get to Zan - I got it.
“Five hundred years, the voice in his head murmured on repeat.
Was one life worth that?”
My issues with certain points, while insignificant maybe to other readers, are what essentially weighed in on my slightly lower rating than what I had initially hoped it to be.
For as much as it is described in much detail - the central focus of both perspectives, the strange thing was - I don't know why I did not feel their grief. I was numb to their pain and sadness and guilt. And perhaps this weighs in on the fact that I relate to them very strongly and truly to their sorrow. But, my heart never tinged with an ache for their heartache. 'Grief was a strange thing.' 😢 Maybe because it was being written in a way that you had to be told with a certainty that Bastian was in a shell-stocked state of mourning - spiraling into a descent of ill-advised choices. And Zan, who made the ultimate sacrifice of a choice that left him with no palpable certainty that it was not all for naught. That forced feeling left me feeling detached to their plight, rather than being empathetic to their emotions. 😔
As much as I liked Zan's parting words to Bastian, I don't know how I felt about the continuous repetition of hop, step, jump that he took him on through various memories; it reminded me of Jumper as they were 'playing with borrowed time' and it made the story drag on more than it should have; even though each setting was like trusting each other with their innermost parts of themselves. But, I think what really sealed the deal was the resolution of the conflict. I felt cheated by the ending; after all the hints to the ultimate sacrifice, it felt like a wasted potential to truly cheat Death. 🙎🏻♀️ 'You miss being human. But this one is no different. He belongs to me.' You cannot spend so much time building up towards a countdown, only to leave it like that for us to surmise what exactly it was that happened; it was anti-climatic. It leaves more questions than answers, and it feels like such a waste to the Ferryman's character, especially when it leaves with the intent that the story is not quite completed yet. 😮💨
I know Riley and Mathias had good intentions and it was nice to know that there were people in Bastian's life who cared for his well-being, but sometimes they felt a bit too excessive in their behavior that made me like them a little less. 😕 I would have liked Dorian and Bastian's sibling bond to be explored a bit more. Why Bastian seemed to have forgotten that he was not the only one who lost a mother - that his pain is no greater than his brother's simply because he was not the one in the driver's seat - felt unfair. 'He misses you, he feels like he’s being totally left out, he’s angry, he’s sad, he’s feeling all the same stuff, and you’re supposed to be his friend.' 😟 It's not that Dorian behaved more maturely, he was just more aware and focused and I respected that about him. And that he did not let his emotions get swayed by his own desperation to protect and look out for him felt gratifying, too. The closure to their relationship was heartfelt and believable for me. 🫶🏻🫂
June 13, 2025
2.5 ⭐ It deals with super heavy topics and was kind of boring
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ ya fantasy with a hint of romance
✨ setting: Portland, Oregon x River Styx
✨ greek mythology
✨ afterlife x death x gods
✨ Sebastian is a boy who survived a traumatic car accident and escaped death
✨ Alexander gave his soul to the ferryman, Charon, 499 years ago and serves him
✨ LGBTQIA+ rep
✨ dual pov
✨ TW: PTSD, survivors guilt, death of parent, grief, substance use, suicide
My Thoughts:
This isn’t a bad book but I was bored. Nothing happens for 30% and then the MCs finally meet and I thought things would pick up, but they don’t. The entire story focuses on grief and survivors guilt, and it felt like we just sat in these feelings the entire time without the MC ever moving forward emotionally. The way grief is handled is well done though. I guess I just expected the MC to grow instead of sinking further into his despair until 90%. I want to reiterate that this isn’t a bad book. It’s written well and easy to follow. It just wasn’t for me.
On a positive note, the Greek mythology and story concept was intriguing.
PS: I listened to the audiobook and liked the narrators - they’re the reason I finished.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ ya fantasy with a hint of romance
✨ setting: Portland, Oregon x River Styx
✨ greek mythology
✨ afterlife x death x gods
✨ Sebastian is a boy who survived a traumatic car accident and escaped death
✨ Alexander gave his soul to the ferryman, Charon, 499 years ago and serves him
✨ LGBTQIA+ rep
✨ dual pov
✨ TW: PTSD, survivors guilt, death of parent, grief, substance use, suicide
My Thoughts:
This isn’t a bad book but I was bored. Nothing happens for 30% and then the MCs finally meet and I thought things would pick up, but they don’t. The entire story focuses on grief and survivors guilt, and it felt like we just sat in these feelings the entire time without the MC ever moving forward emotionally. The way grief is handled is well done though. I guess I just expected the MC to grow instead of sinking further into his despair until 90%. I want to reiterate that this isn’t a bad book. It’s written well and easy to follow. It just wasn’t for me.
On a positive note, the Greek mythology and story concept was intriguing.
PS: I listened to the audiobook and liked the narrators - they’re the reason I finished.
December 9, 2025
i thought this one was very bittersweet. i know for a fact i would've ate this uppp when i was going through my peak sad gay ya phase (i never left it, but it's not /as/ strong anymore). I really loved the simplicity of this story. I understood what the ending would be and i saw it coming, but damn me for still having hope :'). i somehow some shape wish for there to be a sequel for these two, but maybe that's just me trying to cope lol.
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paused-will-finish-later
September 24, 2024LGBTQ+ YA Fantasy
Mythology Hurt/Comfort
No Rating-Will Pick Up Later
I like this but I’m not in the right mental space for a book with this much grief. I think most people will really enjoy this book though and I hope one day I’ll be able to come back to it.
We’re in present day but it’s set in two different worlds, Portland and The Styx. The boy in Portland just lost his family less than a year ago and is having trouble moving past that because he’s responsible for the accident. He’s a senior in high school and barely scraping by. He’s having nightmares of a river every night and it’s a very lucid dream where he can interact with the surroundings but no one ever hears him and it’s spooky. Then in The Styx we have our other MC who sells his soul to the ferryman in the prologue to save his mom and he’s been there for 499 years. He’s only indebted for 500 so he’s about to be freed soon but he has his own demons and sadness from the path his life took based on the decisions he made in the prologue and he’s so lonely. He can feel the Portland boy’s presence every time he dreams but they haven’t been able to interact yet. Technically, that means that the Portland boy has to be teetering on death because the Styx is where souls in limbo go before they die. The Styx MC entertains himself by living in people’s memories but they are like still pictures and he can just look but never actually interact with the people in them.
I received an arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review but since I’m not able to finish the book I provided a synopsis of what I have read so far.
Mythology Hurt/Comfort
No Rating-Will Pick Up Later
I like this but I’m not in the right mental space for a book with this much grief. I think most people will really enjoy this book though and I hope one day I’ll be able to come back to it.
We’re in present day but it’s set in two different worlds, Portland and The Styx. The boy in Portland just lost his family less than a year ago and is having trouble moving past that because he’s responsible for the accident. He’s a senior in high school and barely scraping by. He’s having nightmares of a river every night and it’s a very lucid dream where he can interact with the surroundings but no one ever hears him and it’s spooky. Then in The Styx we have our other MC who sells his soul to the ferryman in the prologue to save his mom and he’s been there for 499 years. He’s only indebted for 500 so he’s about to be freed soon but he has his own demons and sadness from the path his life took based on the decisions he made in the prologue and he’s so lonely. He can feel the Portland boy’s presence every time he dreams but they haven’t been able to interact yet. Technically, that means that the Portland boy has to be teetering on death because the Styx is where souls in limbo go before they die. The Styx MC entertains himself by living in people’s memories but they are like still pictures and he can just look but never actually interact with the people in them.
I received an arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review but since I’m not able to finish the book I provided a synopsis of what I have read so far.
July 6, 2025
nobody talk to me nobody touch me and if anyone even looks in my direction i’m going to end up on the news.
July 27, 2024
This is a solid 4.5 stars, but rounding up. Thank you to NetGalley, Page Street Publishing and Page Street YA for the ARC!
This was, first and foremost, a story about grief. In modern-day Portland, Bastian is grieving the loss of his mother and processing the trauma of a car accident that should have killed him, too. Zan is bound to the Ferryman for 500 years of servitude and must deliver Bastian's soul to him. Overall, the book was emotionally difficult - it was tough to watch Bastian's depressive cycle and there were some scenes that just emotionally wrecked me.
The use of mythology and the world building was so unique (I mean, the love story takes place in frozen, stolen memories of the dead - will never be over that); Bastian and Zan were loveable as they learned to fall back in love with living together; and while the focus of the story was definitely on Bastian's journey with grief, the secondary characters felt like they belonged in the story, not just to support Bastian or the plot. Overall, this story will stick with me for a long time.
The ending gutted me - I am desperate for more and I know that that's the intention. I will say that while this book is emotionally devastating at times, Kulwicki pulled her punches and deliver a nuanced ending to the story that felt right. (That's not to say that it didn't wreck me.)
This was, first and foremost, a story about grief. In modern-day Portland, Bastian is grieving the loss of his mother and processing the trauma of a car accident that should have killed him, too. Zan is bound to the Ferryman for 500 years of servitude and must deliver Bastian's soul to him. Overall, the book was emotionally difficult - it was tough to watch Bastian's depressive cycle and there were some scenes that just emotionally wrecked me.
The use of mythology and the world building was so unique (I mean, the love story takes place in frozen, stolen memories of the dead - will never be over that); Bastian and Zan were loveable as they learned to fall back in love with living together; and while the focus of the story was definitely on Bastian's journey with grief, the secondary characters felt like they belonged in the story, not just to support Bastian or the plot. Overall, this story will stick with me for a long time.
The ending gutted me - I am desperate for more and I know that that's the intention. I will say that while this book is emotionally devastating at times, Kulwicki pulled her punches and deliver a nuanced ending to the story that felt right. (That's not to say that it didn't wreck me.)
September 26, 2024
Many thanks to the Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I very much want to highlight that this might simply be just the wrong book for me. A strong theme of this book is grief and dealing with post traumatic stress - I have not experienced either, so I cannot say how authentic it is. However, as far as I am able to judge, it does feel well presented and I think this story can resonate with readers who are looking for these themes in a story.
This is a very strong debut book - the writing is well done and it's largely well paced. There are times where I did find that it dragged a bit, but at the same time it was also adding to the atmosphere and how death slowly creeps in. Or main characters Bastian and Zan are well rounded, but I want to argue that this is more Bastian's than Zan's story. I honestly didn't always find Bastian likeable - he is very much stuck in his grief and is more often than not unpleasant to those around him. That being said, I did find it believable and I don't necessarily mean this as criticism; it is his way of dealing with grief, it just doesn't mean it's going to endear him to me. Zan has his own share of grief and I found him the more likeable of the two.
Speaking of likeable characters, I could never decide whether I liked Bastian's circle of friends or not. Some of them felt surplus, the others were important for Bastian's environment and story to unfold, but that also doesn't mean that I necessarily liked them. His brother Dorian is probably the one I liked most and I wish we had seen more of him rather than him just being pushed away over and over again. I also wasn't a fan of the drinking and drug usage, although it wasn't overly explicit. All the above is very much subjective to my personal reading taste - others may very well like these characters more than I did and will find the partying and consumption realistic. Non of this is meant to throw a poor light on this book, it's merely highlighting why it perhaps wasn't the right book for me.
However, what did ultimately not work for me in a way that I'd consider it criticism is the romance. I confess that I went into this expecting a tad more of it, and while there's definitely a love story at the heard of the story, this is very much first and foremost about Bastian's journey of healing. That it didn't have as much romance as I expected isn't the problem - I'll happily read a well thought out story without any romance whatsoever. But I found it a little hard to buy into - this could have been a very interesting and bittersweet romance, and yet I just did not feel any chemistry between the two. It took a long time before they were trying to get to know each other and after that it just seemed quite rushed and I just did not feel when things started to grow between them. I also felt there was a certain imbalance, as in, did they truly like each other or was it circumstances pushing them together? For example, Zan misses life as a human - he craves for someone to talk to. Enter Bastian, the first person in 499 years who he can have a proper conversation with. Now does he like Bastian for Bastian's sake or because he happens to be the first person he can talk to? Had there been more chemistry, I could have glanced over that but something about it just felt off to me.
And then there's the ending - it felt incomplete and and unsatisfying. I was stumped when I read The End and just found myself wondering - wait, that's it? I felt that there was no climax, neither for the romance nor any form of showdown that could have led to a satisfying conclusion. Many things felt left unresolved and while an ending doesn't always need to fit neatly together like a puzzle, I just found that something was lacking.
I would still recommend people to give this book a try - once again, this is by no means a bad book and a lot of what I Noted above is simply things not living up to my personal taste. I would still be willing to try more works by this author in the future, but I won't be revisiting this particular book.
December 6, 2024
Unfortunately this one was a but of a drag for me. once I got to the 45% mark I honestly stopped caring about the plot and the characters. The writing was good but I just was missing that connection to the story.
It is a perfect book for anyone who loved They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera very similar vibes!
Audiobook was good! I did really enjoy the narrator.
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook!! All opinions are my own!
It is a perfect book for anyone who loved They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera very similar vibes!
Audiobook was good! I did really enjoy the narrator.
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook!! All opinions are my own!
August 30, 2025
This was a great story that switches between 2 planes Portland Oregon and the river Styx’s. I loved all the going between memories of all the past people who’ve been delivered to the fairyman. I love Greek mythology stories and this one didn’t miss the mark either.
October 4, 2024
Well, this was WILDLY underwhelming.
I basically hated/couldn't be bothered with all of the characters, except for Zan and Mathais.
I sympathised with Bastian and could understand his motivations to some extent, but he really was kind of a big, gaping, selfish, self-centered asshole. I especially despised the way he treated his twin brother, as if Dorian wasn't also going through the pain and grief of losing their mother. There definitely weren't penance and apologies enough for that behavior by the end of the book. He was nice to Cat, though, so not all bad.
Joon was okay, I guess, as cardboard cutouts characters go.
Dorian gets a pass, too. He's an annoying weirdo, but he generally means well, and he is at least in touch with his emotions in a somewhat healthy manner. Also, he never once gave up on his brother even when Bastian fully deserved it. That's a real ass G there.
Riley is definitely the most annoying of the bunch. Seriously, every time she came up on page, I was like, 'Oh God, not her again!' Even the fucking Ferryman is a better character than her, and that's saying something...
That Greer situation? Literally, what on earth was that?
Mathais is a cutie.
My kooky king Zan is an absolute DARLING, and he deserves the world. The author seems to hate him, though, because she just wouldn't let him catch a fucking break, like, EVER.
The writing was generally nice, and the world building more than apt, but the storytelling... Yeah, no.
Also, I feel like the biggest failure of this book is the fact that the love story that's supposed to be the core of it is barely even believable. Like, there's literally zero chemistry between these boys, even after like ten thousand pages.
For me, this is a case of a book poorly marketed. The publisher wanted to sell it as this great mythological love story, when in reality, it would have served it better to be showcased as a book on grief and friendship. That definitely would have worked much better.
I would also note that the absolute strangest thing about this book is how rushed it feels while also being far too long.
And the ending? Bad. So bad! Zan deserved better than that botched, anemic epilogue.
A huge disappointment for me overall.
I basically hated/couldn't be bothered with all of the characters, except for Zan and Mathais.
I sympathised with Bastian and could understand his motivations to some extent, but he really was kind of a big, gaping, selfish, self-centered asshole. I especially despised the way he treated his twin brother, as if Dorian wasn't also going through the pain and grief of losing their mother. There definitely weren't penance and apologies enough for that behavior by the end of the book. He was nice to Cat, though, so not all bad.
Joon was okay, I guess, as cardboard cutouts characters go.
Dorian gets a pass, too. He's an annoying weirdo, but he generally means well, and he is at least in touch with his emotions in a somewhat healthy manner. Also, he never once gave up on his brother even when Bastian fully deserved it. That's a real ass G there.
Riley is definitely the most annoying of the bunch. Seriously, every time she came up on page, I was like, 'Oh God, not her again!' Even the fucking Ferryman is a better character than her, and that's saying something...
That Greer situation? Literally, what on earth was that?
Mathais is a cutie.
My kooky king Zan is an absolute DARLING, and he deserves the world. The author seems to hate him, though, because she just wouldn't let him catch a fucking break, like, EVER.
The writing was generally nice, and the world building more than apt, but the storytelling... Yeah, no.
Also, I feel like the biggest failure of this book is the fact that the love story that's supposed to be the core of it is barely even believable. Like, there's literally zero chemistry between these boys, even after like ten thousand pages.
For me, this is a case of a book poorly marketed. The publisher wanted to sell it as this great mythological love story, when in reality, it would have served it better to be showcased as a book on grief and friendship. That definitely would have worked much better.
I would also note that the absolute strangest thing about this book is how rushed it feels while also being far too long.
And the ending? Bad. So bad! Zan deserved better than that botched, anemic epilogue.
A huge disappointment for me overall.
October 19, 2024
I very much wanted to love this book, but I did not.
Grief is a tricky thing to write about, and there are a few times in this book where it’s handled thoughtfully and carefully. I appreciated those parts.
Unfortunately, a book about grief works only as well as the characters experiencing it, and the characters in this book were… just not enough.
Bastian, our MC, is grieving the loss of his mother and dealing with some serious survivor’s guilt. So he can be forgiven for being temperamental and lost. However, and unfortunately, he is also a complete asshole to literally everyone in his life. And even that might have been okay if he had been a not-asshole before his mother’s death; however, every single indication in the book points to the fact that, no, actually, he has always been a moody asshole. And yet, somehow, he still has two friends and a brother who inexplicably adore him and genuinely care about him and spend the entire book trying to help him. Does he ever—and I mean literally ever—show one ounce of appreciation for them?
No, reader. He does not.
Zan, the other MC, is marginally better. He at least has a personality and wrestles admirably with guilt over his choices. But he also inexplicably falls under Bastian’s weird spell and spends the rest of the book enraptured by him. I never once believed in their romance. Bastian never earned it, and my poor baby Zan was basically just so desperate for another human that he “fell in love” with the first person in 500 years to give him the time of day.
I also want to mention that Greer absolutely sucked and was completely unnecessary to the plot. Also, I’m pretty sure he’s just Joseph Kavinsky from The Raven Cycle, which was… a choice.
And finally, the Ferryman. This could have been a cool plot, especially since the entire book is about grief. But the violence and unyielding malice of the Ferryman just… kind of undermined anything poignant the book had to say about grief, dying, and death. What is the point of living if everything ends in terror?
Anyway. I really wanted to love this, not least of all because Owlcrate knocked its SE of this book out of the park. Alas, I’ll be selling it on, pretty cat on the edges and all.
Grief is a tricky thing to write about, and there are a few times in this book where it’s handled thoughtfully and carefully. I appreciated those parts.
Unfortunately, a book about grief works only as well as the characters experiencing it, and the characters in this book were… just not enough.
Bastian, our MC, is grieving the loss of his mother and dealing with some serious survivor’s guilt. So he can be forgiven for being temperamental and lost. However, and unfortunately, he is also a complete asshole to literally everyone in his life. And even that might have been okay if he had been a not-asshole before his mother’s death; however, every single indication in the book points to the fact that, no, actually, he has always been a moody asshole. And yet, somehow, he still has two friends and a brother who inexplicably adore him and genuinely care about him and spend the entire book trying to help him. Does he ever—and I mean literally ever—show one ounce of appreciation for them?
No, reader. He does not.
Zan, the other MC, is marginally better. He at least has a personality and wrestles admirably with guilt over his choices. But he also inexplicably falls under Bastian’s weird spell and spends the rest of the book enraptured by him. I never once believed in their romance. Bastian never earned it, and my poor baby Zan was basically just so desperate for another human that he “fell in love” with the first person in 500 years to give him the time of day.
I also want to mention that Greer absolutely sucked and was completely unnecessary to the plot. Also, I’m pretty sure he’s just Joseph Kavinsky from The Raven Cycle, which was… a choice.
And finally, the Ferryman. This could have been a cool plot, especially since the entire book is about grief. But the violence and unyielding malice of the Ferryman just… kind of undermined anything poignant the book had to say about grief, dying, and death. What is the point of living if everything ends in terror?
Anyway. I really wanted to love this, not least of all because Owlcrate knocked its SE of this book out of the park. Alas, I’ll be selling it on, pretty cat on the edges and all.
June 20, 2024
4.5 ✨️
Crying but in a cool way.
Despite some pacing issues this had me hooked the entire time. Bash and Zan were so...real. Also the ending is sad (be warned) but so realistic and fit so well with the grief aspect and how it's never really resolved all the way that I can't even be mad about it. 🤷♀️
Crying but in a cool way.
Despite some pacing issues this had me hooked the entire time. Bash and Zan were so...real. Also the ending is sad (be warned) but so realistic and fit so well with the grief aspect and how it's never really resolved all the way that I can't even be mad about it. 🤷♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2024
mi aspettavo di più 🫤 non è assolutamente un brutto libro ma secondo me manca qualcosa (da considerare che è l’esordio dell’autrice)
August 26, 2024
A book with a really unique world building, switching between two different planes of existence (lacking a better description for it), which has a strong symbolism as Bastian struggles to move on with his life after the accident that took his mother away from him.
His lifeline is death's threshold: the River Styx, where he goes every time he dreams, and finds meaning in life again in the sad and charming Zan, who has been trapped for 500 years to serve the cruel Ferryman.
The book is mostly sad with glimmers of hope, as the author focuses a lot on grief and the long way to overcome it.
The reason I'm not giving it a 5-stars is that I didn't like the ending. I have a rule that the ending makes or breaks a book: it can make its weak parts be forgiven or cause its suspense and strong emotions to turn to disappointment for me. The rating will change to 5-stars if there is a direct sequel, otherwise I'm not satisfied with the outcome.
Thank you NetGalley and Page Street Publishing for the ARC!
His lifeline is death's threshold: the River Styx, where he goes every time he dreams, and finds meaning in life again in the sad and charming Zan, who has been trapped for 500 years to serve the cruel Ferryman.
The book is mostly sad with glimmers of hope, as the author focuses a lot on grief and the long way to overcome it.
The reason I'm not giving it a 5-stars is that I didn't like the ending. I have a rule that the ending makes or breaks a book: it can make its weak parts be forgiven or cause its suspense and strong emotions to turn to disappointment for me. The rating will change to 5-stars if there is a direct sequel, otherwise I'm not satisfied with the outcome.
Thank you NetGalley and Page Street Publishing for the ARC!
September 21, 2024
my heart!!!
This book was full of so much grief as Bastian struggles with survivor's guilt and wants nothing more than to have been the one who died rather than his mother. Then there’s Zan, who lives along the river Styx guiding those who’ve died to the Ferryman. Their worlds collide when Bastian one day appears in Zan’s office, but the weird thing is, Bastian isn’t dead.
Prior to reading this I had never heard of the Ferryman myth, but Greek mythology has always been interesting to me. It was such a compelling addition to the story and really heightened your feel for the characters. The agony of Zan being stuck working under the Ferryman for nearly 500 years alone made my heart wrench.
The writing in this story was so lush it was almost as if I was watching everything pan out right in front of me. I could feel the character’s fear of the Ferryman simply from the way his presence was described. The emotions also really jumped off the page. There was such emotional whiplash throughout the story, I would be smiling along with the characters but then next thing you know my heart would feel like it was being ripped out of my chest. I was so invested in everything and couldn’t help but yearn for the two of them to end up happy.
My favorite element of the story was definitely the traveling through memories, it was so magical! Although it is a bit grim to think of it as someone's last dying thought of happiness. The development of Bastian’s character was also extremely well done. At the start of the story he is very standoffish and borderline unlikable but it’s due to the grief of his mother and guilt overtaking him. Once meeting Zan and going to the Styx you can see his perspective and attitude sort of change for the better.
The ending is very bittersweet and I need an extended epilogue immediately. Overall, At the End of the River Styx was remarkable and unique making it definitely one to remember! Thank you so much to Page Street Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this arc.
This book was full of so much grief as Bastian struggles with survivor's guilt and wants nothing more than to have been the one who died rather than his mother. Then there’s Zan, who lives along the river Styx guiding those who’ve died to the Ferryman. Their worlds collide when Bastian one day appears in Zan’s office, but the weird thing is, Bastian isn’t dead.
Prior to reading this I had never heard of the Ferryman myth, but Greek mythology has always been interesting to me. It was such a compelling addition to the story and really heightened your feel for the characters. The agony of Zan being stuck working under the Ferryman for nearly 500 years alone made my heart wrench.
The writing in this story was so lush it was almost as if I was watching everything pan out right in front of me. I could feel the character’s fear of the Ferryman simply from the way his presence was described. The emotions also really jumped off the page. There was such emotional whiplash throughout the story, I would be smiling along with the characters but then next thing you know my heart would feel like it was being ripped out of my chest. I was so invested in everything and couldn’t help but yearn for the two of them to end up happy.
My favorite element of the story was definitely the traveling through memories, it was so magical! Although it is a bit grim to think of it as someone's last dying thought of happiness. The development of Bastian’s character was also extremely well done. At the start of the story he is very standoffish and borderline unlikable but it’s due to the grief of his mother and guilt overtaking him. Once meeting Zan and going to the Styx you can see his perspective and attitude sort of change for the better.
The ending is very bittersweet and I need an extended epilogue immediately. Overall, At the End of the River Styx was remarkable and unique making it definitely one to remember! Thank you so much to Page Street Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this arc.
Read
December 28, 2023An honest and lyrical look at grief, with a fascinating perspective on the Ferryman myths!
January 3, 2025
“Ai confini del fiume Stige” è il romanzo d’esordio di Michelle Kulwicki, pubblicato in Italia da Rizzoli per la collana “La biblioteca di Dafne” curata da Megi Bulla.
È un fantasy YA che racconta la storia di Bash e Zan, due ragazzi che hanno fin troppa familiarità con la morte. Da quando sua madre non c'è più, Bash si sente fuori posto nella sua stessa pelle e nella sua stessa vita: incostante a scuola, nelle amicizie e nella terapia con il suo gemello, ha comprato una libreria nel tentativo di ritrovare il suo posto; ma di notte Bash piomba nell’ufficio di questo strambo ragazzo che gli chiede sempre: “nome e luogo del decesso”. Perché Zan ha stretto un patto con il Traghettatore di anime per salvare qualcuno che amava: in cambio, per cinquecento anni, deve condurre fino al fiume Stige i defunti che non riescono a passare oltre da soli e consegnarli al Traghettatore. Bash è l’ultimo dei suoi incarichi e dovrebbe essere facile, perché il destino di Bash è già segnato, ma qualcosa gli impedisce di morire, un’ostinazione che Zan non ha mai visto in cinque secoli. Invece di passare oltre, Bash continua a oscillare tra la vita e la morte in un loop inspiegabile. Così, in un viaggio tra lutto, ricordi e amore, Bash e Zan ripercorrono insieme migliaia di vite, cercando il senso della propria.
Cosa ho amato di questo libro? Spiega il modo semplice qualcosa di terribilmente complesso: il dolore della perdita. Il senso di colpa. L’incapacità di chiedere aiuto. L’abbandono alla morte e l’attaccamento alla vita. L’amicizia. L’amore. Il sacrificio. La scrittura dell’autrice affronta temi delicati e complessi rimanendo sempre limpida e leggera. Toccanti le descrizioni, veri i sentimenti che racconta. Forse c'è stato giusto qualche piccolo dettaglio che mi è sembrato non del tutto coerente, ma sono piccolezze.
Ho apprezzato molto anche l'evoluzione spontanea del rapporto tra Bash e Zan e del loro legame, il modo in cui sono diversi e in contrasto ma al tempo stesso simili. È un libro che regala un mix di emozioni e parla dritto al cuore.
Lo consiglio a chiunque voglia intraprendere un viaggio commovente attraverso amore e dolore, a chi è appassionato di mitologia e a chi ama le storie pure ma costellate di scelte difficili.
Quasi dimenticavo: un apprezzamento d'obbligo per la bellezza dell'edizione italiana, con una cura dei dettagli pazzesca sia in copertina che negli edges, che rende questo libro ancora più imperdibile!
È un fantasy YA che racconta la storia di Bash e Zan, due ragazzi che hanno fin troppa familiarità con la morte. Da quando sua madre non c'è più, Bash si sente fuori posto nella sua stessa pelle e nella sua stessa vita: incostante a scuola, nelle amicizie e nella terapia con il suo gemello, ha comprato una libreria nel tentativo di ritrovare il suo posto; ma di notte Bash piomba nell’ufficio di questo strambo ragazzo che gli chiede sempre: “nome e luogo del decesso”. Perché Zan ha stretto un patto con il Traghettatore di anime per salvare qualcuno che amava: in cambio, per cinquecento anni, deve condurre fino al fiume Stige i defunti che non riescono a passare oltre da soli e consegnarli al Traghettatore. Bash è l’ultimo dei suoi incarichi e dovrebbe essere facile, perché il destino di Bash è già segnato, ma qualcosa gli impedisce di morire, un’ostinazione che Zan non ha mai visto in cinque secoli. Invece di passare oltre, Bash continua a oscillare tra la vita e la morte in un loop inspiegabile. Così, in un viaggio tra lutto, ricordi e amore, Bash e Zan ripercorrono insieme migliaia di vite, cercando il senso della propria.
Cosa ho amato di questo libro? Spiega il modo semplice qualcosa di terribilmente complesso: il dolore della perdita. Il senso di colpa. L’incapacità di chiedere aiuto. L’abbandono alla morte e l’attaccamento alla vita. L’amicizia. L’amore. Il sacrificio. La scrittura dell’autrice affronta temi delicati e complessi rimanendo sempre limpida e leggera. Toccanti le descrizioni, veri i sentimenti che racconta. Forse c'è stato giusto qualche piccolo dettaglio che mi è sembrato non del tutto coerente, ma sono piccolezze.
Ho apprezzato molto anche l'evoluzione spontanea del rapporto tra Bash e Zan e del loro legame, il modo in cui sono diversi e in contrasto ma al tempo stesso simili. È un libro che regala un mix di emozioni e parla dritto al cuore.
Lo consiglio a chiunque voglia intraprendere un viaggio commovente attraverso amore e dolore, a chi è appassionato di mitologia e a chi ama le storie pure ma costellate di scelte difficili.
Quasi dimenticavo: un apprezzamento d'obbligo per la bellezza dell'edizione italiana, con una cura dei dettagli pazzesca sia in copertina che negli edges, che rende questo libro ancora più imperdibile!
December 16, 2024
4,5⭐️ emozionante, tormentato, dolceamaro, fin troppo realistico nella descrizione di alcune scene e chi soffre (o ha sofferto) di ansia o sensi di colpa) ci si può ritrovare pienamente. Un libro unico e toccante, che avvolge come una coperta calda e morbida quelle ferite mai chiuse, con un senso di speranza e nuovi occhi per vedere la vita.
February 19, 2025
2024 reads: 321/250
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
content warnings: car accident, death, grief, suicidal ideation, alcohol and drug use by minors
zan has spent the past 499 years serving out a 500-year sentence to process souls for the ferryman, at the end of which he can be reborn. but if he slips up, he’ll die for good.
bastian, grieving the loss of his mother from a car accident that should have taken him, too, has bought a bookstore on the brink of collapse with life insurance money.
when bastian sleeps, the two are brought together. zan knows he should process bastian’s soul, but something’s holding him back. as zan contemplates whether bastian is worth losing his chance at life, bastian contemplates whether he wants to keep living if it means losing zan.
i am SO glad this was an owlcrate pick, as it may not have been on my radar otherwise. as soon as i read its description, i knew i would enjoy at the end of the river styx. this book did such a great job with exploring the themes of grief and mental illness, including how these affect a person both internally and externally. there were so many points at which i teared up. the romance was plenty angsty, too, seeing as one was literally in the underworld and the other was (mostly) alive.
narration: there were two narrators, dillon sickels and jeremy gardner, to reflect the dual viewpoint of the book. i thought both narrators did a great job bringing the story to life. i highly recommend this audiobook!
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
content warnings: car accident, death, grief, suicidal ideation, alcohol and drug use by minors
zan has spent the past 499 years serving out a 500-year sentence to process souls for the ferryman, at the end of which he can be reborn. but if he slips up, he’ll die for good.
bastian, grieving the loss of his mother from a car accident that should have taken him, too, has bought a bookstore on the brink of collapse with life insurance money.
when bastian sleeps, the two are brought together. zan knows he should process bastian’s soul, but something’s holding him back. as zan contemplates whether bastian is worth losing his chance at life, bastian contemplates whether he wants to keep living if it means losing zan.
i am SO glad this was an owlcrate pick, as it may not have been on my radar otherwise. as soon as i read its description, i knew i would enjoy at the end of the river styx. this book did such a great job with exploring the themes of grief and mental illness, including how these affect a person both internally and externally. there were so many points at which i teared up. the romance was plenty angsty, too, seeing as one was literally in the underworld and the other was (mostly) alive.
narration: there were two narrators, dillon sickels and jeremy gardner, to reflect the dual viewpoint of the book. i thought both narrators did a great job bringing the story to life. i highly recommend this audiobook!
September 24, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
At the End of the River Styx is a contemporary urban fantasy set in Portland, Oregon. After a short prologue that establishes Zan’s deal with the Ferryman, the main story switches between Zan and Bastion as narrators. The two main characters and the worlds they inhabit are well established in the prose and, much like the characters they envelope, go through a transformation as the story goes on.
I loved the tension present in the story. The End of the River Styx is a long, carefully and thoughtfully planned out exploration of an “either/or” trope, where either Bastion survives or Zan does. The problem is that I liked Zan and Bastion both. The action unfolds in a way that had me guessing who might purposefully (or accidentally…or accidentally on purpose) sacrifice himself for the other. Even as the ending came into focus during the last few pages, I loved being on my toes for all possible outcomes.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
At the End of the River Styx is a contemporary urban fantasy set in Portland, Oregon. After a short prologue that establishes Zan’s deal with the Ferryman, the main story switches between Zan and Bastion as narrators. The two main characters and the worlds they inhabit are well established in the prose and, much like the characters they envelope, go through a transformation as the story goes on.
I loved the tension present in the story. The End of the River Styx is a long, carefully and thoughtfully planned out exploration of an “either/or” trope, where either Bastion survives or Zan does. The problem is that I liked Zan and Bastion both. The action unfolds in a way that had me guessing who might purposefully (or accidentally…or accidentally on purpose) sacrifice himself for the other. Even as the ending came into focus during the last few pages, I loved being on my toes for all possible outcomes.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
October 22, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
No.
Sobbing at 7:30 am I have class in 30 minutes I haven’t slept what the fuck
No.
Sobbing at 7:30 am I have class in 30 minutes I haven’t slept what the fuck
November 23, 2024
Una storia che promette ma non mantiene. Una condanna all'infelicità eterna
December 9, 2024
This one packs a gut punch... in the best way!
Told in dual POV, we follow two teens: Bastian, living in Portand with his twin brother and grappling with the grief of losing their mom, and Zan, a boy cursed for 500 years to help the Ferryman usher souls to the Underworld. Their paths cross when Bash appears to Zan at the River Styx but doesn't die. What follows is a journey of healing for Bastian as he travels back and forth between his life (where he's failing out of school) and Zan's world (where they travel together through memories along the River Styx). The problem? Zan has to make a choice: lead Bash to the ferryman or sign on for 500 more years.
The book is chock-full of well-developed, flawed characters whose hearts are in the right place. The author writes Bash's grief so well that my heart was breaking every time he relived the car accident that killed his mom. The book is full of remorse, regret, redemption, and sacrifice. It hits like an Adam Silvera book (and y'all know how I LOVE those books)!
Narrators can make or break an audiobook for me, and Dillon Sickels @popsickels and Jeremy Gardner complement each other well.
I received this audio ARC from @netgalley and publisher @dreamscape_media. The opinions are my own.
Told in dual POV, we follow two teens: Bastian, living in Portand with his twin brother and grappling with the grief of losing their mom, and Zan, a boy cursed for 500 years to help the Ferryman usher souls to the Underworld. Their paths cross when Bash appears to Zan at the River Styx but doesn't die. What follows is a journey of healing for Bastian as he travels back and forth between his life (where he's failing out of school) and Zan's world (where they travel together through memories along the River Styx). The problem? Zan has to make a choice: lead Bash to the ferryman or sign on for 500 more years.
The book is chock-full of well-developed, flawed characters whose hearts are in the right place. The author writes Bash's grief so well that my heart was breaking every time he relived the car accident that killed his mom. The book is full of remorse, regret, redemption, and sacrifice. It hits like an Adam Silvera book (and y'all know how I LOVE those books)!
Narrators can make or break an audiobook for me, and Dillon Sickels @popsickels and Jeremy Gardner complement each other well.
I received this audio ARC from @netgalley and publisher @dreamscape_media. The opinions are my own.
February 24, 2025
Avevi ragione.
Io sarò il tuo viaggiatore, e tu sarai sempre, sempre, la mia stella.
😭🔓📚👓🦊
Io sarò il tuo viaggiatore, e tu sarai sempre, sempre, la mia stella.
😭🔓📚👓🦊
January 12, 2025
Anche nel dolore più profondo, c’è sempre spazio per la luce.
I temi, la storia, la salute mentale…un libro straziante e incredibilmente meraviglioso.
Zan ha trascorso gli ultimi 499 anni scortando anima dopo anima attraverso il fiume Stige: lì accoglie, li registra, archivia i loro ricordi, e li consegna al Traghettatore.
C'è un'anima particolare che Zan deve scortare prima di adempiere al patto con il traghettatore: Sebastian "Bastian" Barnes.
Quando Bastian appare nell'ufficio di Zan, è completamente diverso da qualsiasi anima che Zan abbia mai incontrato prima.
Non solo perché Bastian è ancora vivo ma anche per il fatto che fa sentire Zan umano per la prima volta in quasi 500 anni.
Bastian e Zan vivono dolori simili ma profondamente diversi e, grazie ai loro brevi incontri, la loro sofferenza diventerà più gestibile e vivibile.
Se vi piacciono le storie emozionanti che mescolano il mondo reale e la mitologia, il romanticismo impossibile e quanto possa essere profondamente agrodolce la vita, penso che vi potrà piacere questo romanzo.
I temi, la storia, la salute mentale…un libro straziante e incredibilmente meraviglioso.
Zan ha trascorso gli ultimi 499 anni scortando anima dopo anima attraverso il fiume Stige: lì accoglie, li registra, archivia i loro ricordi, e li consegna al Traghettatore.
C'è un'anima particolare che Zan deve scortare prima di adempiere al patto con il traghettatore: Sebastian "Bastian" Barnes.
Quando Bastian appare nell'ufficio di Zan, è completamente diverso da qualsiasi anima che Zan abbia mai incontrato prima.
Non solo perché Bastian è ancora vivo ma anche per il fatto che fa sentire Zan umano per la prima volta in quasi 500 anni.
Bastian e Zan vivono dolori simili ma profondamente diversi e, grazie ai loro brevi incontri, la loro sofferenza diventerà più gestibile e vivibile.
Se vi piacciono le storie emozionanti che mescolano il mondo reale e la mitologia, il romanticismo impossibile e quanto possa essere profondamente agrodolce la vita, penso che vi potrà piacere questo romanzo.
December 23, 2024
My heart is aching for these star-crossed lovers!!! Logically, I knew they couldn’t end up together just based on the description of this book (a boy destined to die & a boy bound to the underworld to help the Ferryman collect souls for 500 years) but I didn’t expect to become so attached to them. I feel soooo much for Bastian as he is battling the grief that comes with his mom’s death/the guilt he feels for “causing” it. Definitely recommend for fans of TBDATE by Adam Silvera. Thanks Libro.fm for the ALC!
December 7, 2024
At the End of the River Styx by Michelle Kulwicki is such a beautiful story. This is a poignant tale over grief, love and loneliness. Zan and Bastion have both sacrificed so much and are dealing with their own iterations of grief. Zan is working off a debt to the ferry master and helping collecting souls, Bastian is grieving the loss of his mother from an accident he survived all while alienating his friends and family. They both are dealing with loneliness and find comfort in each other. Zan is close to repaying his debt but can he really sacrifice the first person who has made him feel alive after so many years. Y’all, this story hit on so many levels, I laughed and got a bit emotional but in the end I was left smiling. It’s a really gorgeous story with many tough situations and realizations. While we deal with grief in this story there’s also a strong representation of found family and comedic relief through friends, especially Riley. This was such a good read, definitely one to check out.
I was able to listen to this audiobook narrated by Dillon Sickels and Jeremy Gardner. They both did perfectly representing these characters, their emotions and vulnerability was evident. They really added to the story and when the ferryman appears, well it was creepy! Thank you to NetGalley for providing this in exchange for an honest review!
I was able to listen to this audiobook narrated by Dillon Sickels and Jeremy Gardner. They both did perfectly representing these characters, their emotions and vulnerability was evident. They really added to the story and when the ferryman appears, well it was creepy! Thank you to NetGalley for providing this in exchange for an honest review!
December 8, 2024
Ho amato tutto di questa storia.
Bastian e Zan sono due protagonisti indimenticabili, scritti così bene che è impossibile non affezionarsi a loro. Mi sono sentita vicino a entrambi, come se stessi vivendo il loro viaggio insieme a loro.
Ho apprezzato tantissimo il viaggio nei ricordi e il percorso verso la guarigione che si intreccia con il tema dell’amore.
Sapevo che questo libro fosse triste, e infatti, ora che l’ho finito mi ha lasciato un grande vuoto. :')
Penso che sia diventato uno dei miei libri preferiti in assoluto. Non vedo l’ora di leggere altro di questa scrittrice.
Bastian e Zan sono due protagonisti indimenticabili, scritti così bene che è impossibile non affezionarsi a loro. Mi sono sentita vicino a entrambi, come se stessi vivendo il loro viaggio insieme a loro.
Ho apprezzato tantissimo il viaggio nei ricordi e il percorso verso la guarigione che si intreccia con il tema dell’amore.
Sapevo che questo libro fosse triste, e infatti, ora che l’ho finito mi ha lasciato un grande vuoto. :')
Penso che sia diventato uno dei miei libri preferiti in assoluto. Non vedo l’ora di leggere altro di questa scrittrice.
November 16, 2025
4.5 stars
This book hurt me.
I wasn't too keen on the friends that the MC had. I found them to be very unsupportive. But probably realistic for their ages.
This story was an ode to grief, love, heartache and those books that stay with us. It was so beautiful and I cried, a lot.
This book hurt me.
I wasn't too keen on the friends that the MC had. I found them to be very unsupportive. But probably realistic for their ages.
This story was an ode to grief, love, heartache and those books that stay with us. It was so beautiful and I cried, a lot.
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