I just couldn’t get into this one. I think the writing was lovely and the concept was interesting but the bleakness and the self hatred made it really hard for me to connect with and I found myself skimming full passages trying to find a part I was enjoying.

Not a bad book just not for me

What if you were looking for a reason to love being alive again, but the reason you found would result in the end of your life?

At the End of the River of Styx falls in between four and five stars for me. I was given this book as an ARC by NetGalley and Page Street Publishing, so thank you to them as well as the author!

Author Michelle Kulwicki mixes elements of fantasy ano mythology with contemporary romance to deliver a powerful story about grief, loss, survivors guilt, and sacrifice.

This story follows two young men who are caught in a web of depression and isolation. Even though they share many similarities, they are in two entirely different situations but looking for the same thing: a way to feel alive again.

The characters are all very enjoyable. The two MMCs make you want to hug them, but they also make you laugh and frustrate you. There are a handful of side characters too that are pleasant additions to the story's dynamic.

"Lack of water can kill a person in three days. Loneliness is just as deadly."

At of the End of the River of Styx is haunting, inspiring, and contemplative. I think the author was able to give us a real glimpse inside of the minds and hearts of people who are suffering and don't know how to bear it. The ending HURT and I'm hoping it's not quite the end of this story?

This book was such an interesting one with the 2 boys each having their own povs. You have Zan who helps the Ferryman by escorting those who've died to the River Styx. Then you have Bastian who is very much living but was in a horrible accident where he should have died. The two end up first being friends and then later lovers but they are trying to avoid the Ferryman who wants to take Bastian on the river Styx. I really enjoyed this book couldn't put it down

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!

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

sadly, dnf’d @39%

i really wanted to enjoy this queer romance featuring two grieving young boys (i mean, who doesn’t love a good angsty romance?), but the pacing was far too slow for my liking. the concept was very interesting but, in my opinion, was executed poorly.

i’m positive this book will find its audience, but it wasn’t me.

This is such a poignant and gripping book! I've been hearing the hype around STYX for a while a now and I totally get it. Both PoVs, Zan and Bastian, are equally compelling and wrapped in their own grief and places of being stuck. The characters, their backstories, the settings--it's all rendered with great care and detail. But there are also light and tender moments filled with joy! I love the Magic and Animal Crossing references, and Fox Bookstore feels so lovely and special. Definitely a must-read book for this year!

Thank you to Netgallery and Page Street YA for an early release copy of At The End Of The River Styx by Michelle Kulwicki.

At The End Of The River Styx had me hooked from the prologue! The Ferryman, Styx, the memories, and the manner in which the author shows Bastian getting closer and closer to death is neat read about. I loved these characters, the emotions that they show towards one another especially between Dorian and Bastian they felt genuine when reading. These two brothers clearly are worried about each other but have different ways of showing/struggling to show it, I can see the miscommunication between the two bothering some readers but I didn’t mind it too much.

The friendships here were enjoyable to read about, I liked Riley and her parents, I didn’t mind Mathias he’s a nice character but he doesn’t particularly stand out to me when I think of this book. I loved the dynamic between Zan and Bastian, we get some cutesy, and plenty of emotional scenes between these two. I really feel for these characters and grown to love them during my time of reading At The End Of The River Styx, This one took me a while to read only because I didn’t want it to end, I would absolutely read more from these characters/author. Maybe we’ll get a second book or a spin off with Riley/Dorian!

(Side Note:This book deals with a lot of grief, trauma, death of a parent via car accident, drug use, underage drinking.)

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 leaves you to your own interpretation which sort of pained me. 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.

An emotional ride! I would like to personally thank Michelle Kulwicki for my tears. I've read a lot of books that have dealt with grief thematically this year, and I think Kulwicki may be among the best! Job very well done. Very memorable reading experience.

“Zan didn’t listen because he had his own rule on Styx. Don’t give up.” 🖤

At the End of the River Styx tells the story of two boys, Zan, who made a deal to serve the Ferryman for 500 years to save his mother’s life, and Bastian, who blames himself for the death of his mother.

As soon as I saw the cover art and description of this book, I knew it was one that I’d fall hard for. The portrayal of grief and healing felt raw and authentic. The world building… Zan’s office, memories frozen in time… was original and a place I wanted to lose myself in. This book, this author, these characters officially have my heart and a permanent place on my bookshelf.

This was a beautiful, raw story that centres on grief. I lost a close relative a few months ago and I could relate to Bastian's state of mind. I loved how the mythology was interwoven with the story, as Bastian battled with whether he could find his way through his grief and remember how to live, or whether it was easier to simply let go. The author did a great job of portraying this mystical hidden world where souls pass through, and the description of people's memories/lives was very vivid. The relationship between Bastian and Zan was touching; they both needed each other. The ending was pretty heart-wrenching and yet it was fitting.

All in all, I was fully absorbed in Bastian's story, and aside from a few minor pacing issues, this is a wonderful debut. Definitely recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

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.)

I didn’t expect to feel so many emotions when I started reading At the End of the River Styx. Michelle Kulwicki has crafted a magical—and more importantly for me—honest story about grief, love, and healing that left me with tears in my eyes. In a good way. That is where the honest part of my previous statement comes from and I truly respect Kulwicki and her story for it. At the End of the River Styx is a wonderful debut by Michelle Kulwicki and I really recommend it to anyone who wants a story that will both catch them by surprise and exceed their expectations.

It was a pleasant read that went on for far too long. If this book was shorter and concentrated on the romance a bit more, I would have rated it higher. The book had such an interesting premise. It was a promising read. However, it fell flat in world building, character development, and overall length. I felt the book focused so much on Bastian that I lost touch with Zan. The character of Zan held so much potential. If the book would stick with its current length, I wished I got to read more about Zan and his history and his ancestry. He was basically lukewarm water by the end of it all. Bastian held depth but his story felt repetitive. It was like reading the same old pattern again and again. Bastian improved at some point and I'm glad he did. However, it was far too late to salvage what was done. All in all, a very promising book but I don't think I was the proper audience for it.

what a gloomy, grief filled but beautiful book

“i will be your traveler, and you will always, always be my star.”

a story of sacrifice, love, healing, grief, selflessness, adventure and anger. the ending, even though it hurt me in my bones, was perfect for at the end of the river styx. fitting prose with a plotline that will have readers “in their feels”. ateotrs is fantasy, but the authenticity of the story sucks you in and makes it all feel terribly real. a very high and set 4 stars.

thank you michelle kulwicki & netgalley for the ARC

I had so much fun reading this book! A refreshingly well done Greek mythology based story. Will be adding to our store in September:)

This was incredibly profound in a way I wasn't expecting. This made me SOB. Like I had to call my mom so she could calm me down and I'm 30 years old for fucks sake.

If I could rate this more than five stars, I would. I will be screaming this book at everyone who even looks at me for my entire life.

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

<i>Zan sounded like Bastian felt on the heels of a panic attack. Scared and anxious, like he couldn’t catch a breath.</i>

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 guild 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.

Loved this book. I thought In the first place I could like it less than I really liked. But no. I was wrong. Such a good read. The characters are amazing and so well built.