Styx & Stones - Review

I received an audio copy from HarperAudio Children's via NetGalley. All reviews are my own

Well, now, this book was a cute palate cleanser. I’d been on a Historical Fiction binge, but a contemporary romance threw me off track, so I wanted something to bring me back to that era. I picked up Styx and Stones by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge in hopes of it being lighthearted and a segue back into the Ancient Roman/Greek feeling, and I was right! It’s been a while since I picked up a middle-grade book, but something about this called to me, and I had to answer it.

"Simon expected more from life than being orphaned in ancient Greece and stuck in the Underworld for eternity. Determined not to forget who he is, he commits himself to escaping Hades. Along the way, he faces the monster Cerberus, befriends the tormented Sisyphus, and becomes Persephone’s favorite servant. Then, after centuries of failed attempts, he is finally thrust into modern times—and into the stall of a middle school bathroom. Naked.

With the help of Zeke, a nerdy rich kid on the social fringes, Simon learns to navigate this amazing and bewildering world. And with Simon’s help, Zeke begins to question his comfortable life and understand the true meaning of friendship. Everything seems to be going great . . . until the god of the Underworld sends a demon girl to bring Simon back. And suddenly, it’s not just the secret of Simon’s past that’s threatened, but their very lives—and everyone’s around them, too. Is their friendship strong enough to withstand the Will of Hades and save St. Nikolaos Academy Middle School?

From two-time Newbery honoree Gary D. Schmidt and two-time PEN Award winner Ron Koertge, Styx and Stones is an unforgettable coming-of-age adventure about friendship, courage, and identity, brimming with Greek mythology and high-stakes action."

This time, I did not have a matter in my reading preference, because I got the format I desired on the first go! I love that for me. I experienced this book via audio. Narrated by Mark Sanderlin, the audio ran for 6 hours and 3 minutes. I never experienced Sanderlin before, and I have to say that he did a great job! Each character he portrayed had its own distinct voice. I’m impressed because usually when narrators try to take on multiple POVs and characters, all the characters start to sound the same. Sanderlin really stood out, and I’d like to hear him narrate more middle-grade and YA books.

Styx and Stones is about Simon, a 12-year-old boy, escaping the underworld (why was a 12-year-old there in the first place?!) to find himself in the modern world, enjoying the time he lost in his short, tragic life. His disappearance has caused a lot of stir in the Underworld, prompting the King and Queen, Hades and Persephone, to send a bounty hunter to retrieve the boy and drag him and his friends back to hell. But Simon is determined to never forget his past and his present, and does all he can to protect himself and his friends from the wrath of Hades.

I liked this. It was a very quick read, giving us a glimpse into purgatory, life, death, and memories. Readers usually don’t get a detailed picture of what life is like in the Underworld. Once you cross the river Styx in Charon’s boat, it’s kind of a riddle of what happens next. Who gets to go to Elysium? Who is damned for the rest of their lives? In Styx and Stones, we get some answers as to how it's all operating down there and the unfairness of it.

Through Simon, we meet familiar characters, such as Cerberus, Persephone, Sisyphus, and Charon. We also see some of our modern heroes and figures like Shakesphere, Gandhi, and Einstein. I like that the author meshed together the old and the new prolific figures in the Underworld. The question of what happens after death is one of the oldest debates in history. Is there reincarnation, heaven, hell, or nothing? Seeing these figures still practicing their crafts after death was a fresh take.

One thing I didn’t like was the choice of character names. Simon felt too modern for a boy born in ancient Greece. The author could have kept it authentic and given Simon a common boy’s name from his time period. I doubt there was a Simon who existed in 146 BC.  I also didn’t see the point of Evelyn’s perspective as a bounty hunter. Her side plot didn’t go anywhere, and it felt unnecessary since there was no real outcome for her.

Overall, I rated this book 3-stars. As I’m typing this, I realize I liked everything that happened outside the story more than what happened during it. I mean, the plot is simple: a boy escapes the Underworld and lives his best life in the modern world, while the creatures of the Underworld either dislike it or support his freedom.  He makes friends, experiences joy, jealousy, and guilt, and eventually finds peace with his existence before the story ends. Of course, there are lessons to be learned and thoughts to be provoked, but that’s pretty much the gist of it. I think this book is cool for the middle-grade crowd. As long as they don’t think too deeply about it (you know, with all the historical inaccuracies, dead-end plot motivations, and predictable character arcs), they’ll probably enjoy it. I know I did.

Styx & Stones is available now!

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