Take a photo of a barcode or cover
crothe77 's review for:
River of Spirits
by Shana Targosz
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
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