Hekate: The Witch

Gr 7 Up–Free verse poet Gill takes readers to the Greek underworld in this book that sets the girlhood of the mythological figure of Hekate in the aftermath of the new gods’ victory over the Titans, prior rulers of Mount Olympus. The orphaned and refugeed Hekate is raised by relatives on the edges of Hades’ domain along the River Styx. Through free verse, with occasional prose, Gill presents 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. She also makes friends, finds beauty around her, and grows into her own strength and abilities. Her ability to undo death itself saves the day when the Olympians find themselves in danger; Hekate conducts the rescue with reason and wisdom. Gill deftly weaves together countless stories of Hekate, creating a unified narrative and character that still honors the many aspects, powers, and realms associated with this mythological figure across centuries. The free-verse format is modern and approachable, yet still evocative of classical works like Homer. However, readers who dislike poetry may wish to avoid this book.