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Biographical Note:
Nikita Gill is an Irish-Indian poet, playwright, illustrator, and author based in the south of England. She has written and curated seven volumes of poetry, including
Wild Embers,
Fierce Fairytales,
Great Goddesses, and
These Are the Words. Her novel
Hekate: The Witch, the first book in her chthonic gods trilogy, was a #1
New York Times bestseller. Nikita is one of the most followed poets on Instagram and her work is beloved around the world. Nikita invites you to visit her on Instagram @nikita_gill.
Review Quotes:
Praise for Hekate: The Witch:
* "Irish Indian poet and author Nikita Gill (The Girl and the Goddess) revives the figure of Hekate in a gripping coming-of-age story told not in epic verse, but in deeply personal poems from the goddess's point of view." ―Shelf Awareness, starred review
* "A beautiful coming-of-age story about a young woman who pushes boundaries, makes mistakes, and courageously moves forward despite learning increasingly heartbreaking truths about the world around her.... Strongly recommended for fans of Greek and Roman mythology, particularly feminist retellings such as Jennifer Saint's
Ariadne or Madeline Miller's
Circe."―
School Library Journal, starred review
"A magical journey of survival and discovery through the Greek Underworld. Populated with unforgettable gods and titans and narrated in dream-like poetry,
Hekate is a unique creation and the most original addition to the retelling genre I have read in a while."
- Costanza Casati, bestselling author of Clytemnestra
"Nikita Gill has a gift for slicing deftly through these complex myths to reveal the glittering, poignant truth at their heart. In
Hekate, we are plunged into a vivid and imaginatively wrought divine world that is monstrous, magical and beautiful through the perspective of a bewildered child of war who grows up to understand and embrace her power. It's a timely and achingly resonant reflection on conflict, fear and the unbreakable bonds of family conveyed in exquisite, evocative poetry."
- Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
"Hekate must be a work of stunning witchcraft, because I was spellbound from its very opening pages. Gill's lyrical prose is pure magic and brings the captivating, enigmatic Hekate to life so beautifully, exploring the life of a goddess fighting to find her place and power in the world."--
Rosie Hewlett, bestselling author of Medea
"The richly imagined setting serves as a vibrant backdrop for Hekate's journey of self-discovery and actualization as she uncovers dark secrets and meets familiar and novel figures of Greek myth."―
Publishers Weekly
"Poet Gill's recognizable voice anchors this work as much in mythology as in the perils of modern girl- and womanhood; alongside the familiar narrative beats of an adventure story, she explores with care generational trauma, sexual violence, and the cost of war.... Fiercely feminist, this reimagining of a lesser-known goddess crackles with magic."―
Kirkus
Review Quotes:
"Styx is a rich, gleaming jewel of a novel. A story of war and tyrants, and of love and family, that feels both immensely ancient and profoundly relevant today. Nikita Gill weaves a heartbreakingly beautiful story of feminine rage and strength, illuminating the destructive nature of patriarchy and the resilience and hopefulness of women with her unmatched wisdom, compassion and flawless verse." --
Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
Publisher Marketing:
The instant #1
New York Times
bestselling series!
Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and Alexandra Bracken, this richly imagined retelling of the Greek myth of Styx, goddess of the underworld river, is an immersive novel-in-verse from world-renowned poet Nikita Gill.
Beginning a generation before
Hekate,
Styx sings the story of the goddess of the underworld river that bears her name.
The firstborn child of Titans, Styx is revered as the first of her kind--until she is eclipsed and forgotten amid her scores of siblings, the Oceanids and the Potamoi.Coming of age in a world simmering with paranoia and unspoken fear of Zeus, Styx learns to conceal the rage ignited by her growing disillusionment with her parents and her vain and unkind siblings.
Instead, she finds solace and sisterhood in her cousin, Asteria. Together, they train in the arts of creation and magic. And as they seek to learn their divine purpose and their place within the Titanomachy, they discover both the joy sparked by true love and the fierce resilience birthed from motherhood.
In this lyrical and heartrending tale of sisterhood, identity, love, and war, Styx must carve her own path to womanhood--and ultimately, godhood.
Meet all the Goddesses of the Underworld:
Hekate: The Witch
Styx: The River
Nyx: The Night
Review Citations:
-
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2026 (EAN 9780316608947, Hardcover) - *Starred Review
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School Library Journal 06/12/2026 pg. 1 (EAN 9780316608947, Hardcover)
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