Instant #1 New York Times and #1 National Indie bestseller!
In a stunning reimagining of Greek myth for fans of Circe and Lore, Nikita Gill showcases the underworld and its chthonic deities in all their glory in this first book in an exciting trilogy, weaving a gripping story about the young goddess coming of age within their midst.
This gorgeous DELUXE LIMITED EDITION is available while supplies last—featuring gold foil, sprayed edges, printed endpapers and foil stamped case. This must-have special edition is only available on a limited first print run in the US and Canada.
Hekate sings the story of its eponymous heroine. Born into a world on fire and at war, she and her mother are left behind by the menfolk of their Titan family as the battle against the new Gods–the Olympians–begins. Soon, Hekate and her mother are forced to flee their home as the Olympians overpower and enslave the Titans, including Hekate’s father, Perses, and gain dominion over the universe. In a bid to protect Hekate from the clutches of Zeus and Poseidon, her mother leaves her in the underworld with the goddess Styx and king of the underworld, Hades, where she must make a life for herself and discover her divine purpose.
Here begins Nikita Gill’s beautiful and propulsive reimagining of Hekate’s myth which unfolds into a coming-of-age adventure story and quest in which our young protagonist – not yet a goddess – sets out to discover what has happened to her parents, heal from the trauma of her separation from them, make a new home for herself in the underworld, and, eventually, step into her true power as a woman and goddess, before it’s too late.
Deluxe Limited Edition includes: ★ Foil and embossing ★ Designed edges ★ Special endpapers ★ Printed case
About the Author
Nikita Gill is an Irish Indian poet who has the attention of over 800,000 Instagram followers worldwide for her work. Her work offers a shift of perspective which centers women in both Greek and Hindu myth as well as folklore. Gill has written two verse novels and seven poetry collections, including Fierce Fairytales,Wild Embers, and Where Hope Comes From which she published with Hachette Books.
Praise For…
“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
"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
"In a wholly original, incandescent take on the myth of Hekate, Nikita Gill captures the beauty, brutality and otherworldly strangeness of the ancient world like no other writer. This beautifully imagined tale of a Refugee Goddess at times shares the dreamlike quality of Dante's Inferno, as Hekate encounters all the wonders and terrors of the Underworld. Her quest to find her destiny among a kingdom of outcasts was both deeply moving and absolutely captivating. Nikita Gill weaves in contemporary themes of war, displacement, loss and identity in a way that feels totally resonant with the Classical setting. This poem is pure magic."—Elodie Harper, bestselling author of The Wolf Den trilogy
"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
“A marvel! Gill divests these mythological figures of centuries of dust, rendering them vivid, complex - almost human. Hekate’s odyssey of self-discovery brings her from the depths of the Underworld to the heights of Olympus, immersing the reader in the life of the goddess of crossroads and witchcraft. This is mythology distilled to its essence, and crafted into glittering, jewel-like prose.”—Luna McNamara, author of Psyche and Eros
“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
* "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 Review, 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
