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Apr 23, 2018SurreyLibraries_Teens rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Berserker, by Emmy Laybourne, tells the tale of a teenage girl, Hanne Amundsdatter, and her struggle with the power of her bloodline, the Nytte, a mysterious Nordic power which forces its user to kill, and those that would seek to abuse this power. She and her family must escape their homeland and flee to America, where the secret to control the Nytte awaits. Combining elements of Viking mythos with the setting of the rough American frontier, Berserker skillfully weaves together settings which one would think impossible to work together. I recommend Berserker to those who usually enjoy realistic settings featuring lower fantasy elements, or to those who just enjoy fantasy in general. Berserker is aimed towards an older audience, featuring mature themes, and so I would recommend it only to teenagers and above. - Edwin ********** "Berserker" the novel by Emmy Laybourne takes place in the 1800's, featuring a teenage girl who had been born with a special "gift" that drives her into a violent frenzy whenever a loved one is threatened with the face of death. Soon, the girl, "Hanne" runs into 3 trespassers who threaten her father and her, she soon is sent into a violent killing spree, and soon the police are on her case. Using resources from her extended family, she escapes with her sister and brother to America, where she seeks out a man who can teach her how to control her "gift". While escaping from the country, they come across a man looking for specific people with the "Gift". They refuse to trust him and decide to gain as much distance from him and possible. What I liked about the book was all the references to Norse mythology, they were interesting, but subtle enough to not disrupt the flow of the story. The adventure aspect was also exciting to read, as the multiple settings of the book added depth to the plot. The book constructs and sews together the American frontier and Norse mythology together into a compelling read.Some parts of the book are very bloody and dark however, so I advise reading this if you think you are mature enough to handle it. -Chris