I received an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of River of Spirits by Shana Targosz. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In River of Spirits, Senka has been the assistant to Charon, the ferryman of the Underworld, for a while now. And while he has been training her in some things, Senka knows that there’s a lot he isn’t saying. This comes to a head when a young boy that Charon starts ferrying flees instead of complying. While Charon is gone looking for him, Senka encounters something else unexpected—a young living girl, seeking her brother’s ghost. Senka attempts to keep her from venturing too far into Hades’ realm, but both girls fall overboard and are swept away along the river Acheron into the Underworld. To survive the treacherous landscape, the two girls must learn how to work together. And all the while, the more Senka sees, the more she wonders what the truth of her existence is, and where she belongs.

Throughout reading this, I kept thinking about how this book has the strange Underworld adventure of The Sun and the Star, and the thematic gravity of Lola. It’s a very strong debut novel, and also the start of a promising middle grade series.

I was immediately endeared to Senka, the charming and plucky sort of protagonist that works well in this sort of fantasy series. She’s witty and eager, but also is a little impulsive and lacking in knowledge of certain things, so she has lots of opportunities to make mistakes, think on her feet, and learn. She has great character development, learning what it is to be human. I also liked her bond with Poppy, the living girl, whose own journey regarding grief and how one’s memory of their loved one can fade over time is moving. It’s a tough subject to talk about, especially with kids, but an important one, and I like how it’s handled here.

My favorite relationship in the book, though, was definitely the friendship/father-daughter bond between Charon and Senka. I love the idea of a goofy, protective Charon, and I would have loved to see more of their interactions. As it is, he’s only in the first forty pages or so, and then the main plot of the story sweeps the two away from each other for most of the remaining page count until right at the end. This is a shame, because they had such a good foundation. I suppose their physical distance works, as Senka learns that Charon has been keeping information from her, but I loved their dynamic so much and wanted a lot more. Still, it’s an emotional journey for them both, and I like how it ends.

In the end, River of Spirits is great for Percy Jackson fans, though its tone is a bit more serious than most of those books. The main characters are solid, though I think some of the side characters were a bit lacking, and the stakes overall feel a bit distant and insubstantial. I think that’s a symptom of this being a debut novel, and Targosz might perhaps not have a firm grasp on writing tense action yet. But the themes and emotions are so strong, so I’ll still say this is an impressive first book.

River of Spirits will be published on March 25th, 2025!