River of Spirits

The Underwild #1

by Shana Targosz, Kimberly Woods (Narrator)

A stunning debut middle grade fantasy about a girl caught between the realms of the living and the dead who gets lost in the Underworld—perfect for fans of Greenwild and Rick Riordan.

Senka lives between the realm of the Living and the realm of the Dead. As ward to Charon, the Ferryer of the Underworld, Senka assists in ferrying recently departed souls across the river and into their afterlife. Although Charon has taught her many Rules about life in the Underworld, there is much he avoids telling her. Though she doesn’t understand why the Rules are so important, she listens—she must heed them in order to become an official Ferryer, just like Charon.

Then a Living girl, Poppy, enters the Underworld to plead for help in finding the ghost of her brother. Poppy’s grief tugs at Senka’s heart—but helping Poppy goes against the very Rules Senka is so desperate to follow. When Poppy is yanked away by the river’s current, Senka leaps to save her, and she and Poppy are swept downriver, far from everything Senka has ever known.

Lost in the Underwild, Senka and Poppy encounter malevolent spirits of lore and eccentric ghosts—and not all are willing to let souls slip through their grasp. Senka knows the Living can’t stay in the realm of the Dead for long, and if Poppy isn’t returned home soon, she will risk becoming lost to the Underworld forever. But as Senka travels deeper into the Underwild, she discovers there are secrets her guardian has kept from her, including the mystery surrounding her own existence. As Poppy and Senka dodge angry demigods, hungry wraiths, and terrifying dragon chimera, Senka gets closer to learning the truth of her own past. Soon, Senka won’t just need to save Poppy’s life—she’ll also need to save her own.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mythology, Greek Mythology, Young Adult, Adventure, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published March 25, 2025

About the author

Shana Targosz writes about magical girls, budding friendships, ghosts who may or may not be friendly, and fiercely held hope. She is an Oregon Literary Arts Fellow and the 2021 recipient of the Edna L. Holmes Fellowship for Young Readers. Her debut novel is The Underwild: River of Spirits (Aladdin books - March 25, 2025). When not writing or reading through a stack of books, she spends her time playing Zelda with her son, designing solo journaling games, walking her domesticated monster disguised as a Labradoodle, and dreaming up different worlds.

Reviews

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of adventurous intro to Greek myths I wish I'd had as a young reader.

🪶Allow me to ferry you to the realm between the Living and the Dead where a rowdy carnival, spirited tea party, and mythical monsters await...

CHP 01

My fate is to walk amongst ghosts but to never become one myself. My name is Senka, and I am a Ferryer of souls.

Senka is with Charon and he's wearing a yeti print T-shirt and a rainbow necklace she made him from hollowed-out bones. She says he's a big nerd who likes board games, books, and coffee. ☕ Cute!

And there's Mortimer, the friendly neighborhood messenger-raven. 🐦‍⬛ I love ravens!

In this version of the Underworld, there's mail (delivered by raven, of course), and shops like Medusa's Marvelous Menagerie (which sells mostly snakes)🐍 and Nyx's Shoppe of Nightmares 👹.

Charon's muscles are so big, they make Hercules jealous. 😏💪

My origin story, as is the case with all denizens of the Underworld, is that I was created when someone was needed to do a job. Charon needed an assistant, and boom, here I was. Though why I sprang up as a scrawny twelve-year-old girl and not some buff, ancient dude like Charon is a bit baffling.

Super cute first chapter! And is that a dragon I spy? 🐉

CHP 02
Omg, Mortimer is HUGE! Nearly as tall as Charon and his wing span reaches either side of a room. And he smells like "cinnamony zucchini muffins." This is the cutest version of the Underworld I've ever encountered. 😂

Beneath the Underworld is the Underwild, a realm filled with lost souls, monsters, and gods bent on revenge.

CHP 03
Dionysus is now in the home-brew kombucha business. 🤭

CHP 04
Hecate has arrived to deliver produce from the Underworld, like giant cabbage and sage whose leaves glitter and sparkle. 🥬

CHP 05
So Senka isn't a Ferryer yet, though her training has begun. But it's not easy steering a boat that has a mind of it's own. Senka gets splashed during training and Targosz writes, "The boat creaked another laugh." Love the whimsy!

CHP 07
🦙 Senka is rowing down the Archeron wearing llama pajamas, an epic hooded black cloak, and headphones while listening to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." 🎶 There are so many amusing juxtapositions in this book.

CHP 08
Wait, the cloak is sentient too? Fun!

CHP 09
👉 Hold up... Senka just fell in the river with all the chimera, and the dragon clearly saved her by swimming under her feet and pushing her up and out of the water, but she's gonna go on pretending like the chimera are evil creatures? We're not even going to acknowledge the life-saving dragon?

The dark sand glitters menacingly, while thick fog licks between the twisting tree trunks.

We have arrived at the Underwild, where the Living eventually become "wretched souls" doomed to wander for eternity. This wouldn't be so bad for Senka if a human girl hadn't just accidentally found her way there and refused to leave.

CHP 10
🎵 Now she's listening to Barenaked Ladies. "It's been one week since you looked at me..." 🎶

CHP 11
Senka has chased a lost girl named Poppy into a carnival in the Underwild. This could be fun! 🎪

CHP 13
Welp, it's been perilous, but it's time to leave the carnival. Run!🏃‍♀️💨

DRAGON! 🐉

The chimera's legs are catlike, its daggerlike claws clacking against the boardwalk while water drips from its wispy beard. Its scales glint under the garish lights of the carnival, each one reflecting shades of lavender, teal, and silver. Its head is sleek, with a ridge of blue fur sprouting from between its long, serpentine back.

CHP 14
I really hope this dragon ends up being something interesting and not merely a beautiful and strange deus ex dragina who wafts in and out of the story as needed. 🙏

We are running again! 🏃‍♀️💨

CHP 15
Oooh, I love a good plummet into darkness.

CHP 16
Hmm... so there's this list of rules that Senka must follow as a Ferryer. We've been over them about three times already, with Senka often reminding herself not to break individual rules, yet here we are going over the rules AGAIN. 🫤

CHP 17
RUN! 🏃‍♀️💨


CHP 19
Time for a little tea break with a psychopomp? Don't mind if I do. 🫖

CHP 22

Home, to where my questions might remain unanswered? Or onward, into the unknown?

RUUUN! 🏃‍♀️💨


CHP 23
RUUUUUN! 🏃‍♀️💨


That cyclops really said 👁️.

CHP 26
Run, Senka! 🏃‍♀️💨


Oh my goodness, she's running AGAIN! 🏃‍♀️💨 This girl is getting a serious workout.


CHP 29
Some really sweet messages in this chapter about empathy. 🥰

CHP 32
DRAGON! 🐲

RUN!!!!! 🏃‍♀️💨


CHP 33

I've never seen a twilight moth up close before. The moth's wings flutter, seemingly woven of mist and starlight. It is so tiny, so fragile. I'm amazed at how much light the twilight moths can cast in the deepest darkness.

CHP 39

But for Poppy, I will keep going. I'll open myself to the pain if it means keeping her safe. If it means I carry these hurts for eternity, then so be it.

^ 🥹😭

CHP 45
🐉 Aha! So it turns out the dragon is... Senka's dad, who died in the mortal world. He's been following her around the Underworld, coming to her aid when needed.

CHP 49
👉 Hold up... Senka learns she was mortal and followed her deceased dad into the Underworld. She's been in limbo ever since (saved by Charon), but now she decides to let go of grief and return to her life, which is super sweet and tender and beautifully symbolic and all, but she's a twelve-year-old girl and has no living family. How is she supposed to get on up there in the real world as a child with no family?

Maybe this will be explored in book two? 🤷‍♀️ Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[Carolinn Hultgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an advance reader’s copy of this book and loved it. The interpretation of mythology is very interesting and fresh while still accessible to a younger audience. I would recommend this to fans of children’s fantasy and Greek Mythology.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free as an ARC from Goodreads. This is a sweet story of friendship and belonging and grief and love. I wouldn't recommend it for kids younger than 11 or 12 (just my opinion), even though it is marked as ages 8 thru 12. I think some of the themes are not appropriate for elementary age kids. But for kids older than 11 (and adults who want to read something fantastical, but tame) I would recommend it. Good for fans of Greek mythology and fantasy.

[Hannah Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fun! It took a bit to get into the younger voice, but that is just because it isn't my normal age range of book. But once I was in the story with Senka, it was a crazy adventure. I loved all of the mythology and traveling through the Underwild. I did think a map would have been nice, but I don't know how easy that would be since they are traveling all over. It was a fun surprise each time that they popped up somewhere new and learned who was in charge of that new section.
I loved the fatherly relationship with Charon and Senka and how they really looked out for each other, you could really feel their love.
And without giving away spoilers, I loved how the ending happened. The betrayal, but then the reveal and the wrap up had me on the edge of my seat. I was feeling everything with Senka and my heart broke and then grew two sizes with everything that happened in the end. I don't know what would happen in a second book, but I do know that I would be very happy to go back into the Underwild again.

[Aaiza عائزہ [Hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was like Watermoon but middle-grade and with greek mythology and without the romance but trust me, it was amazing.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so wonderful! I found it only a few days after release in The Garden District Book Shop in Nola and it called to me, I felt a pull that day and knew I needed it. It was so worth it. I've been so happy to leisurely read it at night and in free time. I love Senka and her whole journey. the last few pages had me crying. 10/10 This book was so adorable.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually a 3.5 but I'm rounding up. The underworld is my favorite aspect of Greek Mythology so I was very excited to read a book that takes place there. I really liked the depictions of grief and how some people would rather forget everything to not be in pain anymore. Obsessed with Charon as a dad/guardian hell yeah. I do think this had a pacing problem. There were a LOT of running/adventure/action sequences that could have been edited down to make way for character development especially since I wanted to care more about Senka and Poppy more than I actually did. I also think that Poppy's story fizzled out to make way for all of Senka's stuff and I wish it was more balanced. My last criticism is maybe a bit unfair but the humor and tone was just SO reminiscent of Percy Jackson especially like the names of the shops and stuff that sometimes this felt like a knock off Percy Jackson book.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

River of Spirits by Shana Targosz is a first person-POV Middle Grade fantasy reimagining of the River Styx and the ferryman, or ferrymen in this case. Senka was created to be Charon’s assistant, but he hasn’t given her the responsibilities of ferrying souls to their Under-After. When Senka is finally given a chance to start, she meets Poppy, a young girl looking for her younger brother and wants to bring him back to the world of the living.

The cover is stunning. The use of multiple shades of purple creates depth while the golden color of the twilight butterflies adds a contrast to how very purple the cover is. The boat and Senka herself are incredibly detailed and I love the dynamic pose as Senka’s cloak billows behind her. It tells a story and immediately conveys what a reader can expect while also adding little details that are going to make more sense after reading the book. This is the kind of cover I love and I want more of them.

I’m very familiar with Greek mythology and can be picky with reimaginings and retellings. What I really liked about this one was that it recognized that the mythology exists in this world and introduced readers to some lesser known figures, such as Melinoë, as well as the more famous ones, like Charon and Prometheus. Orpheus and Eurydice are mentioned and parallels are drawn to them and Poppy’s search for her brother but they’re not shown as their story took place long before Senka existed and Hades and Persephone are given brief shoutouts but don’t play a part at all. Shana Targosz doesn’t comment on the state of their marriage or how it came about, which I think is the smarter choice because there are two wildly different camps on their relationship and this book is not a romance nor does it really have the space to explore the possible nuances while doing all the other things it wanted to do and did well.

There are some very complicated topics explored here for the younger MG readership. Poppy’s younger brother, Joey, passed away from an illness that led his family to moving and Poppy being homeschooled for the sake of his care. Losing a family member is always hard, but when you yourself haven’t had a ton of chances to live and so much of your life revolves around someone you love and suddenly they’re gone, what do you do? Even if you knew it was coming, can you move on? Poppy is struggling and wants her brother back, which I think anyone could relate to, not just young people in her situation.

I would recommend this to young readers who like Greek mythology, fans of Middle Grade fantasy that put a new spin on traditional stories and ideas, and those looking for a book for young readers exploring grief and death

[Corey Infinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start by thanking the publisher and author for providing me with an ARC of The Underwild: The River of Spirits. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be a captivating read.

As a fan of Greek mythology, I loved how the story wove in references to the underworld and its lore, creating a modern yet mythologically rich setting. The journey of Senka, the protagonist, was filled with emotional depth, exploring themes of grief, purpose, and self-discovery.

Toward the end of the book, I found myself deeply moved, as it resonated with a personal experience of loss. It reminded me to cherish the memories of those no longer with us and to be grateful for the time we had together. Few books leave such a lasting impact, and this one did just that.

I highly recommend The Underwild: The River of Spirits for young readers and fans of Percy Jackson, as it offers a similar modern-day exploration of Greek mythology with a fresh and engaging storyline. The mix of adventure, mythology, and emotional depth makes it a fantastic read for anyone who loves stories with heart and a touch of the divine.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Caity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC book.

This is a wonderful adventure. The world building was well done and worked the Greek Mythology into the story in a very organic way. The characters were well written though I did find Senka to be a bit passive at times. This was well balanced by Poppy's determination though and together the girls blooming friendship really drove the story well. The book also does a thoughtful job of addressing grief and memory throughout the story. All around this is well thought out and captivating book.

[Tamzen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has such a great premise and such a strong voice. It'd be right up a lot of middle grade readers' alleys. And though I liked this book fine, I was ready to be done with it by about 50 pages in.

Too much happened in too few pages. There was hardly any time to think. It felt like every other chapter the characters were yelling, "RUN!" which has its merits in some scenes. But that happening all the time felt like it was trying to recreate childhood movie scenes over and over again, and it got old. And then the ending came, was sweet, and then just POOF it was over. I needed more to fully flesh out Senka's character.

I think kids and preteens will enjoy this book much more than I did. It is not bad by any means, just not what I wanted to read right now. In conclusion, it was ok!

Thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's/Aladdin and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

[Julia Pika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for giving out a free ARC at New York Comic Con last year!

Wow, this was a great book! Tight story, strong characters, fun world-building, very imaginative overall! Poppy was a great protagonist and her adventure in this book was really fun to read about. Targosz did a great job of utilizing greek myths--especially the lesser known ones--and left some hints about future books in this series which I will DEFINITELY read!

Highly rec for Percy Jackson fans.

[Toby P. Smith: The Nerd-Cave Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

~~Reviewed by Toby Palevsky Smith of Toby's Nerd-Cave Library~~

A tale based on Greek Mythology, perfect for fans of Rick Riordan's “Percy Jackson” series. Senka is the Ward of the Charon, Ferrier of Souls in the Underworld, and wants to be trained as his assistant to Ferry lost and departed souls to their intended Afterlife. One day when a Living Girl finds her way down to the Shore Of The Living looking for the ghost of her dead little brother, Senka is stunned - One of the big Rules of being a denizen of the Underworld is “Never Let A Living Mortal Cross The River”. Senka pleads with the girl, Poppy, to go back to the Realm of the Living, but she refuses, and she jumps into the River Archeron after Senka and capsizes Senka's boat, throwing them both into the fast moving current and getting washed away to the Shores of the Underwild… Where no Living Mortal is meant to go, and Senka has been warned to stay away from for her own safety.
I personally really enjoyed this version of Greek Mythology. Senka’s limited knowledge of the Living world and acceptance of her limited existence in the underworld was very well written, and set the stage for the big reveals later in the book. I liked how even though one of Charon's Rules for Ferryers is “Don’t Form Emotional Attachments To Those We Ferry” Senka is still curious and begins to have an emotional bond with Poppy. At first I thought it might be a romantic bond, but soon it became obvious that all Senka wants is a real friend.
I enjoyed the themes of friendship, family, love, and grief that were peppered throughout the book and I felt it made Senka’s character even more real to experience these emotions when she had no proper language for what she was feeling - like her Panic Attack when she realizes they are lost on the Shores of the Underwild, Poppy helps to calm her down, and Senka didn't even know what she had just experienced even was until Poppy explained.
Overall, this was an excellent YA Mythology story, perfect for young teen readers and adult readers alike. Highly recommended.
Thank you to my sister, Ari, at the Cuyahoga County Public Library, for providing me with a free Advance Readers Copy.

[Kell's Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me on a wild, magical ride I did not see coming. From the haunting beauty of the Underworld to the unpredictable twists that kept me turning pages, this was such an unforgettable journey.

Senka’s story is one filled with heart, bravery, and the kind of surprises that make you gasp out loud, literally. Just when I thought I had things figured out, BAM, another unexpected twist! And the worldbuilding? Pure mythic magic.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, emotionally rich fantasy with unexpected turns and a dash of the otherworldly, then the Underwild is a must-read. 🌊🖤

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m gutted to have to part company with Senka and her Underworld friends. At first, I didn’t want to like this book, because it seemed that all Senka did was make terrible mistakes. Then I realized that this was part of her growth arc as a character. It is an incredible journey of healing and friendship and love and I highly recommend it and cannot wait for the next book!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I read this book together and enjoyed every page. We couldn't put it down and were entranced with the story to the very end. Love the integration of the afterlife from Greek mythology! Highly recommend!!

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book a lot and think it was very fun and unique. I hope the author makes it a series!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but didn’t need to be as long as it was. Had a sweet message in the end and tied together well!

[Summer (speaking_bookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25★

[Maya Palacios · Rating 3 out of 5]

kinda meh

[Lanie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Senka is the Assistant Ferryman to Charon, the Ferryer charged with ensuring the dead reach their Under After. Or at least she would be he'd actually train her. She spends what feels like an eternity badgering her guardian to finally teach her how to do her job and just when she's finally broken him down the worst possible thing happens; a young boy who has recently arrived to the Underworld refuses to be taken to his Under-After jumping into the River forcing Charon to go after the ghost, leaving Senka alone. Determined to prove to him that she can do her job she takes his boat after he leaves and ferrys the first soul she finds to his Under-After. With one job under her belt, Senka is flying high, that is until she returns the Shore of the Living to find a live girl there, and she refuses to leave until she's found her little brother, who just happens to be the ghost Charon went after. Senka knows she should force this girl to leave immediately but faced w/ her grief and knowing that the girls worry about her brother are valid given what he did she agrees to help her track down her brother's ghost starting an adventure through the Underwild that will leave Senka doubting everything she knows about herself and Charon.

This was a truly wonderful story about how we can allow grief to consume us and while I normally try to avoid starting reviews off with complaints I will say that even though this is a middle grade book, I'd probably give this one to older children, maybe even teens vs the 8-12 that's recommended. It's not that the topics covered are too difficult for younger children, it's that even for me at forty the story definitley starts dragging towards the 75% mark and I can see if my thirteen year old DNFing this around that point.

With that out of the way, on to the review!

To say I was immediately hooked to this book would be an understatement. Within the first three pages we find out that Charon is not only a pretty great father figure but wears an Yeti tee in his down time, which was a pretty big clue that this was not going to be like other Greek Myth retellings. Which omgioodness was it not and I love Targosz for that! Senka is a relatively modern girl and in turn this version of the Underworld is as well. Messenger Ravens bring all sorts of mdoern conviences for the denizens of the Underworld everything from books to fresh veggies. By making this really simply change to what we know about this location in Greek Mythology Targosz has cleared the path to allow Senka to use modern language without losing a sense of immersion. I honestly appreciated that, whether that was her intent or not I couldn't say but I never felt it jarring when Senka knew a Smashmouth song for example.

Senka herself is an absolutely wonderful character and is so relatable especially given the circumstances. She's never met a living person much less one her age so her decisions to keep much of the truth about how the Underwild works from Poppy makes sense. She has a chance to have her first real friend and she's afraid of losing that connection. As the story goes on and Senka learns that much of what Charon has taught her about who she is and even how the Underworld works this becomes even more understandable, as far as she is concerned Poppy is the only person she can really trust at this point. She also remains pretty freaking positive given the circumstances and even when things are really scary for her either emotionally or she is facing something that totally wants to eat her she charges ahead and faces it. Yes, she could probably be considered reckless, but I don't think so, her and Poppy find themselves in many situations where taking time to consider your options is how you end up something's dinner.

Poppy I like a little less, honestly, whether or not she is the reason Senka finally has to face her own reality or not she is extremely selfish. A big part of this is that if a mortal stays in the Underworld they will become a mormo, beings that are walking talking human husks that have had all of their memories drained from them, Senka realizing that she really doesn't know how this all works doesn't inform Poppy of this and so Senka spends much of the book fretting over not giving Poppy the option of making an informed decision. Maybe at first this guilt is understandable but there is genuinely at no point I believe Poppy would have decided to turn around and go back even if she had this information. Quite frankly, if one of my children had a friend like Poppy they wouldn't be hanging out very often, even with this book being about dealing with grief I have a feeling this "I'm going to do what I want" attitude Poppy has translates to more than just this. I mean this in the nicest way possible after about the halfway point of the book I stopped feeling bad for Poppy.

Targosz's Underworld in general is an interesting place, there's a whole carnival for the mormo, Tartarus is way more accessible than one would think, and the gods are way more approachable than they are in other retellings. Her descriptions of each river the girls come across and the beings they meet are incredibly vivid. Senka's running commentary of how everything in the Underworld works is honestly a ton of fun and adds another layer that makes this Underworld much different from any I've ever visited! Honestly, for this alone I would recommend this book.

Finally, the point of this whole book is dealing with grief and honestly not running away from things that are difficult to process. Whether I liked Poppy or not she is a relatable character as she simply opts to stop living because she can't imagine living in a world without her brother. I get that, when my Grammy passed away I literally laid down in the same spot for three days, I am not even sure I slept that whole time, it was like the whole world stopped, however, I was in my thirties and my Grammy in her nineties so for me it was easy to start living again after this initial breakdown. My husband is forty-two and lost his grandfather at 8, I genuinely don't believe he fully ever started living again after that, some part of him is just stuck in that moment when he realized that his grandfather was never coming back and it's not that he is stuck it's that he never fully accepted it. This is clearly what Poppy is going through and again whether I liked her or not the reality of it is that I believe a lot of children who lose loved ones at a young age probably go through this and like my husband never really stop. So on that level I cannot begin to express what a truly perfect book this is for a child that has recently lost someone. Senka and Poppy's journey is almost cathartic on that level.

Even with that one small complaint at the beginning, I'd highly recommend this one to really any age group. Senka is truly just a fun character, even given the circumstances, the world that Targosz has crafted is gloriously unique, and the overall message is an important one!

[Christine]

Senka wants nothing more than to become Charon's assistant ferryman, charged with helping him ferry souls from the land of the living to their Under-After. Charon has explained to Senka that immortals come into being when there is a need for them and that all must serve a purpose. Since Charon brought her out of the rivers, she has no previous memories, and he explained her purpose, she figures it is pretty straightforward. Unfortunately, Charon doesn't seem to see it that way since Senka has to keep begging him to train her.

Senka likes her life--Charon is kind, loves board games and reading. Her teacher, a human-sized raven named Mortimer assigns her interesting books to read. But she's never left the little island where they all live. That is, until Mortimer goes missing after he chases a little boy's soul down the river. When Charon goes in search of them both, Senka decides to take over the ferryman's tasks with disastrous results.

The little boy's sister turns up begging for help finding her brother. Senka knows this violates the ferryman's code--no humans in the afterlife--but after the human gets lost in the river and Senka's boat topples, they both find themselves whisked to the Underwild, someplace Charon told Senka to never go as it is where lost souls and zombie like creatures roam. Now Senka has to find a way to get herself and the human named Poppy back to where they started, a task made increasingly difficult by the Poppy's insistence that she needs to find her brother. Can Senka find a way to save them both especially when sinister gods and monsters are around every turn?

I was told (maybe in a review somewhere) that this was going to be THE next big fantasy series. And it was nice. I cried a little at the end of the book. There were a lot of Greek mythology figures in here and humor sprinkled throughout. But I felt like there was an awful lot of repetition in here as well. From Poppy continually insisting she find her little brother Joey to Senka's inner thoughts about needing to trick Poppy. It felt like the two of them were constantly running from something and very few good things happened to them. I did listen to it as an audiobook so maybe the pacing works better if you read it as a physical book. I do think middle schoolers will like this one but it lacks the spark found in Percy Jackson. PJ is more lighthearted while this one delves into grief and loss.

Content Notes:

Swearing/Profanity: None that I can remember

Sex/Sexual References: None, impressive for a book about Greek mythology

Religious References: Lots of references to the afterlife. Something that didn't sit well with me is that the Under-After was behind a gate that contained whatever the dead soul wanted it to contain. If they loved rock music, it would be a rock concert. If it was reading, they found a town with bookstores in it. It's explained that sometimes loved ones would find their loved ones in their Under-After but not always. Does this mean that the others didn't love their loved ones enough to find them there? And if everyone gets their own Under-After does that mean we are all alone in ours when we die? I know the author was going for wish fulfillment here but I found the whole concept very isolating and lonely, more like being trapped in a Matrix than anything anyone would actually want in an afterlife.

LGBTQIA+ rep: Sort of. A fox creature explains they have they/them pronouns because they don't have a specified gender and one of the other characters affirms the fox by saying something like, "Yeah, why limit yourself to one gender?"

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
Many books have been written based on Greek mythology, but it’s nice to see novels that feature minor gods or immortals. Charon is charged with transporting the newly deceased across a river from the living world to the Under-After. Senka lives with him and hopes to become the Ferryer’s assistant. However, whenever she asks to begin training, Charon replies simply with the word, “Soon”. This makes Senka anxious to do something, anything, creating a situation where she’ll make a bad decision. It leads to her falling in the river with Poppy, a human girl, and they’re swept away. They’ll end up in the Underwild, where they’ll encounter many dangerous mythical creatures and characters.
Readers will soon develop an inkling that there are untold truths about Senka’s character. She wears a bracelet with one charm, and Charon tells her it’s for protection. Then, fearsome monsters, a chimera, lurk in the river, but Charon and Sendek know this has never happened before. It’s even stranger when Sendek reveals the chimera are the same ones she’s been seeing in her nightmares. As the plot progresses, it’s clear Senka is unaware of the mystery surrounding her character, and readers will notice clues before her. The real question is, why doesn’t she know about her past?
Charon tells Sendek she must avoid specific areas of the Underworld, so of course, she ends up going to all of them. She also breaks most of the Rules Charon has given her. The giant chimera from early in the book seems to follow Sendek everywhere, and she doesn’t know how to escape it. However, the mormoes terrify Sendek and Poppy the most, and they encounter them almost everywhere they go. These creatures morph from living humans who spend too much time on the death side of the river. They’ve lost all of their memories, but they “feed” off the memories of others. Poppy is searching for her younger brother, but what good is that if she can’t remember him?
What didn’t work as well:
It’s strange when Poppy often takes the lead, even though she should be overwhelmed and uncertain about her situation. Senka has lived in the Underworld for as long as she can remember, so she should be the character in charge. The real drama surrounds Senka’s past, and it’s surprisingly more interesting than trying to survive the dangers in the Underwild.
The final verdict:
This book is a blend of emotions and confusing thoughts. Poppy is grieving for her dead brother, and Senka is trying to understand how she fits into the world. Predicting the sequel’s plot is unclear based on how this book ends. This book is a curious start to a new series, and you should try it for yourself.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mythology sets the stage for a journey between realms, while dealing with tougher themes such as belonging and handling grief.

This tale centers around the daughter of the mythological ferryman, Charon, as she's learning her father's trade but feels as if he's holding back when she could handle more. When a girl from the living world begs for help to find her recently deceased brother, Senka can't ignore her and wants to help. Unfortunately, doing so will go against the rules her father has spent so much time teaching her. As Senka does her best to help the little girl, she not only faces dangerous and deadly situations but realizes there is much more to her own past than Charon has ever told her.

It was refreshing to visit the mythological world from the perspective of a slightly lesser-known character, Charon. But then, the author has made sure to include a few lesser seen individuals from this direction, which gives it a refreshing twist. The adventure runs quickly and smoothly, keeping the reader in the pages the entire way through. Tension, danger, secrets and more make sure to keep the twists coming and the read hard to put down. Senka and the girl have quite a bit to overcome, but then, they are also easy to root for, especially when both have good hearts.

While there is action and thrills, emotions and inner-struggles aren't left behind. The girl is dealing with the death of her brother, and Senka has her own mysteries to uncover, digest, and solve. While these themes stay appropriate for the middle grade age group, more sensitive readers might find some moments on the heavier side. It lays a lovely foundation for the upcoming series, and it will be interesting to see where these adventures go next.

Fantasy and mythology fans will find plenty to sink into and are sure to enjoy this read.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guess I'm on a grief kick right now; I listened to this at work while also reading House of Frank at home.

This one, while for a younger audience, was far more illustrative of grief and working through/around it and how that journey looks different for each person but that it's always a journey and it's nice to be with someone else who is simultaneously navigating their own path.

12-year-old Senka is Charon's apprentice, learning all the ferrying rules for taking the souls of the recently diseased to their UnderAfter(lives.) She's haunted by nightmares, despite the amulet Charon gave her to keep her safe from bad dreams but, otherwise, her life with Charon is cozy and she can't wait to take over as the ferryperson of the dead.
But then a living girl shows up on the shore of the Styx and falls in while Charon and Senka's tutor, a Messenger Raven with an eyepatch, are away. In order to be helpful, Senka goes to help the girl, Poppy, but instead of returning her to the shore of the living, they embark upon a huge adventure in the Underworld.

Their story is action-packed to keep the attention of middle grade readers but during all that action, Senka and Poppy are growing and working through their respective grief. The mythological setting is perfect, the story is well-paced, Senka and Poppy are believable tweens caught between life and death, and the ending is touchingly happy, which is comforting after the not-actually-hell the girls have been through.

The summary says this is recommended for Riordan fans and I agree but I'd also recommend it to fans of girl adventure stories.

[Shazza Maddog · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a bit slow to start but finally gets moving around halfway through.

Senka is the apprentice ferryman to Charon, you know, the Ferryman to the Dead? And Senka is being taught history and everything else by Mortimer, one of the giant messenger ravens of the Underworld. But Senka has a history of her own that she doesn't remember...

A dead boy appears on the life side of the river Acheron and Charon goes to get him - but he falls overboard, getting swept quickly down the Acheron. Charon sends Mortimer after him, but the Raven doesn't reappear, so Charon goes looking for them both, advising Senka to stay home. But Senka wants to prove herself and takes out the the boat to pick up the dead person.

Only she's not dead, her name is Poppy and she's looking for her brother, Joey, to bring him back from the dead. Senka knows the Rules of the Ferrymen - and one of those is don't allow the living into the Underworld. And another is don't get lost in the Underwild. But if she's going to protect Poppy, Senka might have to break a lot of those rules....

As I wrote earlier, the book takes a while to get moving. I wasn't sold on Poppy (and still, after finishing the novel, am not) but I did like the little fox shape-changer, Em (and would love more on them). There were some dangers, Senka and Poppy get lost in a labyrinth and run into Prometheus, and the "Big Bad" and the daimons are pretty scary. Senka had a magical cloak (Charon's secondary) that helps her out, kind of like Dr. Strange's cape.

Written for middle school age kids but okay for a little younger if they're not easily frightened. I did enjoy the second half and will be looking for the second book in the series.

[Sachin Karnik · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the mystical space between the Living and the Dead, we meet Senka—a girl with one foot in each realm. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she stumbles into the Underworld, a place teeming with spirits, secrets, and ancient magic. As Senka navigates this perilous landscape, she discovers her unique abilities and unravels a mystery that spans generations.

Shana Targosz paints a vivid picture of both the Living and the Underworld. The boundary between them crackles with energy, and Senka’s journey becomes a bridge connecting two worlds. Senka’s courage and determination shine. Her friendships with both the living and the spectral are heartwarming.
From ghostly apparitions to forgotten legends, the book immerses readers in a rich tapestry of folklore.

Senka’s quest to find her place in both realms keeps us turning pages. What ancient secrets await her? This book is perfect for young readers who crave adventure, mystery, and a dash of the supernatural.

River of Spirits is a delightful book. Shana Targosz’s lyrical prose invites readers to explore hidden realms, where spirits whisper and hope glimmers. If you’re ready to cross the threshold, step into the Underworld—it’s a journey worth taking.

Shana Targosz’s ability to blend fantasy with relatable characters makes this book a gem for middle-grade readers.

[Connie Chang · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Underwild: River of Spirits completely swept me away. The incredible and talented Shana Targosz builds a lush, eerie, and emotionally rich Underworld that feels both fresh and timeless, filled with vengeful spirits, secrets, and heartache. At its center is Senka, who exists between life and death, and Poppy, a living girl determined to find her brother’s ghost. Their journey is propulsive and layered, bursting with atmosphere and feeling. Targosz weaves in themes of grief, memory, and identity with such care that I found myself thinking about these characters long after I finished the book.

What I loved most is how grounded this story feels, even as it dives deep into the fantastical. The writing is vivid and lyrical, the worldbuilding beautifully eerie, and the emotional arc is so satisfying. Senka and Poppy’s stories intertwine in a way that feels inevitable but still full of surprises. There’s action and lore, yes, but there’s also so much heart. The whole book has strong Miyazaki vibes—with its immersive spirit world, richly drawn creatures, and quiet emotional truths that sneak up on you. Perfect for readers who love moody myth, strong character journeys, and stories that linger.

[Jamie Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the Underworld where Senka (12) is Charon's assistant - or will be when he trains her! - where they live in a cozy little cottage with her teacher, Mortimor, a one-eyed messanger raven. She spends her time reading everything she can, painting, tyring to best Charon at games they play together, and convincig him to trainer her to be a Ferryer. Things take an odd turn with a ghost boy they are picking up gets swept into the river, Senka falls in to be accosted by Chimera she thought were only in her nightmarts, and Poppy, a living girl, wants to find her little brother, Joey, the ghost boy Charon is trying to find. Senka tries to convince Poppy to reutn to the living realm, but they are attacked and they get dropped into the Underwild where Senka is never supposed to go. This leads through a fantastic tour of the Underworld of Greek myth - the five rivers, Tarturus, mythological creatures, immortals, and gods - blended well with the a little horror, humor, and a friendship that builds between Senka and Poppy while discoveries are starting to lead Senka to question Charon, Mortimer, and their life together. Though the book focuses on heavy topics - grief, loss, loneliness, mysteries, devilish plots - it also adds humor, warmth, and hope. This is a fantastic look into a little explored area of Greek myth on this level and a hit for fans of Percy Jackson looking for Greek myths to read.