Welcome to the Underwild: A Guest Post by Shana Targosz

A chance encounter in the realm between life and death sparks a friendship that changes everything. Starring demigods and monsters intent on following the Rules of the afterlife, this is one harrowing adventure. Read on for an exclusive essay from author Shana Targosz on writing Our Monthly Pick, River of Spirits.

With the word “inspiration” having such positive connotations, it feels strange to say that the devastating loss of a family member is what inspired me to write River of Spirits. I’d grown up with a head filled with fairy tales and a heart full of myths. My childhood library held life lessons such as the power of true friendship and the importance of finding courage, but grief and loss was a mere background detail. It was found in the hero who’d lost one or both of their parents, but the grief from their passing was never examined. I realized the stories I grew up on hadn’t prepared me for dealing with a loss like this. So I set out to change that for young readers today. And what better setting for a story about loss and grief than the Underworld from Greek mythology?

I wanted to craft a story that was accessible to young readers because grief is something we experience throughout our lives, and it doesn’t wait for you to hit a certain age before it strikes. This led me to create Senka, the young apprentice to Charon, the ferryer of the Underworld. Senka must adhere to the Rules of Ferryers, which include avoiding questions from the dead and never forming emotional attachments with ghosts—rules that relate to how we often avoid discussions of grief and don’t acknowledge its presence. When a living girl, Poppy, enters the Underworld to plead for help in finding her lost brother, she and Senka are swept into the dark and dangerous Underwild, where both will have to face their wounds and learn to trust each other to make it out of the Underwild alive.

River of Spirits is an adventure that incorporates themes of grief and healing, and discovering love in the most unexpected of places. It is a tale of loss, but there is an ever-present undercurrent of hope. It is the story I needed when I was processing my own grief, and the act of writing it helped me process the pain that I had tried to hide because I didn’t know that holding it inside only made it worse. Through story, we learn so much about navigating complicated emotions and how to face our fears. My hope is that children will find this book when they need it most, and adults who are searching for this type of story will not be afraid to join them. Senka and Poppy’s story is one of compassion and friendship, and my wish is for readers to find comfort in them and feel like they too can embark on a journey toward healing.

Senka’s world is a strange and unfamiliar place, but as long as you hold courage in your heart, you will discover its wonders. Welcome to the Underwild.