At the End of the River Styx

(Hardback)

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Description

Before he can be reborn, Zan has spent 499 years bound in a 500-year curse to process souls for the monstrous Ferryman-and if he fails he dies. In Portland, Bastian is grieving. He survived a car accident that took his mother and impulse-purchased a crumbling bookstore with the life insurance money. But in sleep, death's mark keeps dragging Bastian into Zan's office. It shouldn't be a problem to log his soul and forget he ever existed. But when Zan follows Bastian through his memories of grief and hope, Zan realizes that he is not ready for Bastian to die. The boys borrow time hiding in the memories of the dead while the Ferryman hunts them, and 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.

Reviews

"Kulwicki has written a superb book with a brilliantly original plot, characters to fall in love with, a monster of pure evil in the Ferryman, and breathtaking suspense that is to die for. [...] a must-read."
--Booklist, starred review

"Told in alternating perspectives, this queer contemporary spin on Greek mythology is a thoughtful portrait of grief and healing. [...] Poignant and hopeful."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Zan's paranormal grapples with the Ferryman help to accentuate the narrative's gothic elements while Bash's struggles to be present in his own life [...] add texture to Kulwicki's captivating queer romance debut."
--Publishers Weekly

"At once a dazzling dream and a nightmare, this love story that transcends time, place, and the fragile limits of this life. In their gorgeous debut, Michelle Kulwicki explores grief and love as two sides of the same precious coin."
--Jen St. Jude, author of If Tomorrow Doesn't Come

"With its haunting dreamscapes, deft prose, and two lost boys finding love while confronting death, Kulwicki's debut guides readers through an innovative reimagining of myth and unflinching contemplation of loss and healing. Bastian and Zan's heartrending story will stay with you forever."
--Leanne Schwartz, author of A Prayer for Vengeance and To a Darker Shore

"Kulwicki ingeniously weaves together mythology, fantasy, and contemporary reality to create a stirring exploration of grief, loneliness, and the many permutations of love."
--Madeline Claire Franklin, author of The Wilderness of Girls

"Beautifully written and atmospheric, this is one of my favorite reads of the year."
--Sophie Cameron, author of Out of the Blue

"Equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful, Kulwicki weaves a tale of personal grief and tragedy with epic, centuries-old myth. A story of star-crossed lovers, an implacable god of death, and the messy process of learning how to live after loss."
--Rochelle Hassan, author of The Prince of Nowhere

Author Bio

Michelle Kulwicki (she/they) is a mother of three and a professional cellist by night. Her short stories have been published in Fusion Fragment and Ellipsis Zine, as well as many other anthologies and literary magazines. At the End of the River Styx is her literary debut.