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missprint_'s review against another edition
3.0
Laybourne blends the 1800s wild west setting with Norse mythology in this story about a family with gifts passed down from the gods. But like all gifts, these come with a cost. Hanne knows that better than most with her powers as a Berserker--able to channel bloodlust and immense strength to protect her loved ones when they are in danger. When Hanne's gift leads to tragedy she and her siblings are forced to flee Norway and head to America where they have to dodge the law and their own demons as they work to start over. I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The blood splatter on the cover should have been a clue but it wasn't until the book opened with a scene butchering a pig that I realized this story was entirely too gritty and violent for me. Laybourne blends her typically meticulous world building with a well-researched historical setting. Ideal for readers who love westerns full of gory details.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
romancelandias's review against another edition
3.0
If you know me, you know I can't get enough of westerns, or books inspired by the Wild West. It's one of my favorite time periods to read about, especially if there are fantasy elements mixed in. Berserker follows a family on the run, traveling from Norway to America, whilst also trying to tame the ancestral viking magic that runs in their veins. The story was brutal, violent at times, a journey both mental and physical. I love sibling books, and Berserker is very much a book about the love and loyalty between siblings. There's some romance too, of course, between the main character Hanne and a cute cowboy named Owen. I can't wait to read book two and see what happens next.
lsoccer12's review against another edition
3.0
Very original premise, and a lot of interesting Norse mythology.
Although some parts/characters felt a bit underdeveloped, the book was good enough to make me want to finish it!
Although some parts/characters felt a bit underdeveloped, the book was good enough to make me want to finish it!
lisaluvsliterature's review against another edition
4.0
I have been a fan of Emmy Laybourne since her Monument 14 series. I have enjoyed her other books. I was really excited for this one and I requested it on Netgalley back when I think I didn’t realize how they counted your reviewing percentage on there, as well as I wasn’t yet doing well with my blogging keeping track of ARCs like I do now. So I never got to it. Then, about a year ago I think? I found a copy of it at the Dollar Tree, and I went ahead and purchased it. I set it as one of my Tackle My TBR books because by reading it, I can also get it reviewed over on Netgalley! So yay! It took me a bit to get into this one, but overall I enjoyed the Norse mythology aspect of it for sure. I didn’t realize it was going to have a sequel, but the way it ended definitely left it open and I am glad, because I’d love to see what happens next. But I’ll have to get ahold of that book, and who knows when or if I will have time to read it!
Review first published on Lisa Loves Literature.
Review first published on Lisa Loves Literature.
ajsterkel's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to read some historical horror, and this book definitely fits that description. It’s about a group of siblings who flee Norway after committing several murders. They travel to America to find their uncle, but since the siblings have strange, murderous superpowers, they’re pursued by powerful enemies.
If you’re searching for a supernatural horror read with a well-developed setting, this book might satisfy your craving. It has some action, some gore, a few twists. I enjoyed it, but I don’t think it’s a book that will stick in my mind for very long. It doesn’t have much depth. I wanted more character development. The characters are all a bit bland or stereotypical. I love the loyalty between the siblings, though!
I’m not invested enough in the characters to read the sequel, but I’d recommend this book if you enjoy historical horror or historical fantasy.
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If you’re searching for a supernatural horror read with a well-developed setting, this book might satisfy your craving. It has some action, some gore, a few twists. I enjoyed it, but I don’t think it’s a book that will stick in my mind for very long. It doesn’t have much depth. I wanted more character development. The characters are all a bit bland or stereotypical. I love the loyalty between the siblings, though!
I’m not invested enough in the characters to read the sequel, but I’d recommend this book if you enjoy historical horror or historical fantasy.
Do you like opinions, giveaways, and bookish nonsense?
I have a blog for that.
wildflower_magic's review against another edition
5.0
I love the story line. She shares a lot about Viking traditions and legends. The characters are well developed and the story keeps you invested in their well-being. I can't wait to read her other books!
michelletheshell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
winifara's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
jenabrownwrites's review against another edition
3.0
“She was a Berserker, cursed to fly into action whenever anyone she loved was in danger. A killer who would be compelled to murder elegantly, viciously, and without remorse.”
Berserker is the story of a family blessed with the Nytte. Or cursed with it. It depends on who you ask.
The story is told through the alternating narration of Hanne, Owen and Rolf. Hanne is the oldest daughter in her family. Her older brother Stieg, and her younger brother Knut all have a variation of the Nytte. The youngest, Sissel, shows no sign of the Nytte. Owen is a cowboy in America trying to find his way in the wild frontier; with plenty of his own demons to fight along the way.
After an incident forces the siblings to pack up and flee their home in Norway. They head to America, where they have family living in Montana. They hope to be able to find someone with the Berserker gift to help Hanne keep her gift under control.
“Embrace the Nytte,” Aud said, as Hanne scrambled backward in the pine needles and dried leaves. “Open your heart to it, or it will be the ruin of you. And your siblings, too.”
Rolf is an interesting character, and I won’t say much about him though to avoid spoilers. His is mission finding the Nytte in children and ensuring that the gifts do not die out. The role he plays with Hanne and her siblings brings a richer understanding of the legend of the Nytte, and it keeps some of the mythical elements entwined in the plot.
“Rolf kept his eyes trained on the faces of the crowd. Despite the hectic and daunting landscape that presented itself, what Rolf saw again and again, on all manner of faces, was hope.”
Once the family gets to America, they manage to make it through immigration and onto the train that will take them to Wolf Creek where their uncle lives. But they have been pursued from Norway and fleeing the men who chase them causes their path to collide with Owen’s. Literally. Owen agrees to take them the rest of the way.
“It was a strange spell that had been cast. Disaster had been so narrowly averted, and by such sudden heroics. No one could think of quite what to do next.”
The relationships between the siblings was written well. Sissel goes from being a bratty younger sister, jealous of her older siblings, to quite loving and doting when necessary. There were a few times when her tantrums felt a little shallow, but overall, it felt natural. Tantrums and jealousy aside, it was nice to read how they all worked together as a team and really only wanted the best for each other.
Owen and Daisy, his dog, were great characters. It is through them that we get a real sense of the frontier, and how hard life could be back then. In his agreeing to be their guide, we also get to read details about what travel was like then too. He is teaching them at the same time he is teaching us. I thought that was really well done.
“Perhaps even the most friendly town might seem hostile when you were on the lookout for it.”
This book is a mix of western folklore and mythology. The blend was unique and refreshing to read. It was a very fast read, at only 288 pages, and they all flew by. Laybourne does a really good job mixing enough information to really submerse us deep into both the reality of the frontier with the legend of ancient mythology, all while driving the plot forward.
What I rally liked was how each of the characters all struggled with acceptance in some way. Owen, to accept that he was good enough, even if his family thought he wasn’t. Hanne’s struggle for acceptance is a little more complicated. Her impulse to kill when her loved ones are in danger must be controlled, so she isn’t necessarily looking to ‘accept’ that aspect of herself. Sissel and Rolf both struggle with acceptance as well, though I don’t want to give anything away. And acceptance means different things for each of the characters, some leading to tragedy and others to triumph. I really enjoyed the complexity of each of these characters and how their journeys were both internal and external.
“Feelings didn’t seem to care if they made sense.”
We read books to get lost in a story, but the best stories teach us something as well. Legends and folklore often had morals to them. Endings to help us see a bigger truth either about ourselves or the world at large. So, it felt right that a book based on legend and folklore would have a moral wrapped up in it as well.
Overall, this was a fun read with a good story. It did feel a touch on the younger side of YA to me, so some of the conversations and plot pacing felt a little simplistic to me. But, it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan for approving my request to read and review this book!
Berserker is the story of a family blessed with the Nytte. Or cursed with it. It depends on who you ask.
The story is told through the alternating narration of Hanne, Owen and Rolf. Hanne is the oldest daughter in her family. Her older brother Stieg, and her younger brother Knut all have a variation of the Nytte. The youngest, Sissel, shows no sign of the Nytte. Owen is a cowboy in America trying to find his way in the wild frontier; with plenty of his own demons to fight along the way.
After an incident forces the siblings to pack up and flee their home in Norway. They head to America, where they have family living in Montana. They hope to be able to find someone with the Berserker gift to help Hanne keep her gift under control.
“Embrace the Nytte,” Aud said, as Hanne scrambled backward in the pine needles and dried leaves. “Open your heart to it, or it will be the ruin of you. And your siblings, too.”
Rolf is an interesting character, and I won’t say much about him though to avoid spoilers. His is mission finding the Nytte in children and ensuring that the gifts do not die out. The role he plays with Hanne and her siblings brings a richer understanding of the legend of the Nytte, and it keeps some of the mythical elements entwined in the plot.
“Rolf kept his eyes trained on the faces of the crowd. Despite the hectic and daunting landscape that presented itself, what Rolf saw again and again, on all manner of faces, was hope.”
Once the family gets to America, they manage to make it through immigration and onto the train that will take them to Wolf Creek where their uncle lives. But they have been pursued from Norway and fleeing the men who chase them causes their path to collide with Owen’s. Literally. Owen agrees to take them the rest of the way.
“It was a strange spell that had been cast. Disaster had been so narrowly averted, and by such sudden heroics. No one could think of quite what to do next.”
The relationships between the siblings was written well. Sissel goes from being a bratty younger sister, jealous of her older siblings, to quite loving and doting when necessary. There were a few times when her tantrums felt a little shallow, but overall, it felt natural. Tantrums and jealousy aside, it was nice to read how they all worked together as a team and really only wanted the best for each other.
Owen and Daisy, his dog, were great characters. It is through them that we get a real sense of the frontier, and how hard life could be back then. In his agreeing to be their guide, we also get to read details about what travel was like then too. He is teaching them at the same time he is teaching us. I thought that was really well done.
“Perhaps even the most friendly town might seem hostile when you were on the lookout for it.”
This book is a mix of western folklore and mythology. The blend was unique and refreshing to read. It was a very fast read, at only 288 pages, and they all flew by. Laybourne does a really good job mixing enough information to really submerse us deep into both the reality of the frontier with the legend of ancient mythology, all while driving the plot forward.
What I rally liked was how each of the characters all struggled with acceptance in some way. Owen, to accept that he was good enough, even if his family thought he wasn’t. Hanne’s struggle for acceptance is a little more complicated. Her impulse to kill when her loved ones are in danger must be controlled, so she isn’t necessarily looking to ‘accept’ that aspect of herself. Sissel and Rolf both struggle with acceptance as well, though I don’t want to give anything away. And acceptance means different things for each of the characters, some leading to tragedy and others to triumph. I really enjoyed the complexity of each of these characters and how their journeys were both internal and external.
“Feelings didn’t seem to care if they made sense.”
We read books to get lost in a story, but the best stories teach us something as well. Legends and folklore often had morals to them. Endings to help us see a bigger truth either about ourselves or the world at large. So, it felt right that a book based on legend and folklore would have a moral wrapped up in it as well.
Overall, this was a fun read with a good story. It did feel a touch on the younger side of YA to me, so some of the conversations and plot pacing felt a little simplistic to me. But, it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan for approving my request to read and review this book!
maryambumbia's review against another edition
It is way to slow paced it just could not attract my attention. I had to force myself to read it.