So, this is apparently a companion novel to Berserker, also by Emmy Laybourne. I had no idea this was a companion novel until I looked up the amazon summary. ....this explains some of things, but like also, if it's a companion novel, it should be able to stand on it's own, right? Since it's a companion but not a sequel. Arguably, if a sequel is pretty awesome, it can also stand on it's own.
...but yeah, an amazon summary before I LEAP INTO THIS, "The gripping, heart-wrenching companion novel to Emmy Laybourne’s much acclaimed historical fantasy Berserker.
Rare powers. Precious metals. A final showdown.
1886. The Hemstads possess supernatural powers bestowed upon their family by the ancient Norse gods. Now Sissel, the youngest at 16, discovers her gift: she is a Ransacker. She can find gold and other precious metals and pull them to her. Hers is an awesome and dangerous gift.
Sissel and her siblings have been living peacefully in a small town in Montana, trying to blend-in and escape the violent events that haunt them, but they’ve all been tricked―the handsome young man courting Sissel is secretly a Pinkerton spy, reporting to the man who wants to control them, the Baron Fjelstad.
Sissel’s beau is not the only one interested in her new talents. She’s also caught the attention of a local mine owner who’s convinced Sissel has a lucky touch when it comes to finding gold. With betrayal lurking around every corner, Sissel must tread carefully. Harnessing her powers could bring great fortune . . . or cause the powerful Baron to come hunting her and her siblings down for once and for all." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE
All the Hemstads except for Sissel have a power from Norse mythology. Sissel has a lame leg, is very weak, and kind of really grumpy about everyone trying to help her or look out for her. She does have a boyfriend, who dotes on her....but he's not everything he seems to be. Sissel's family are very tightly knit, and they have a baron who seems to be pursuing them. They've lived peacefully under the radar until a fire burns through the wilderness, and takes their home but not their barn (there may have been some assistance from Sissel's brother who manipulates weather).
Anyway, the family ends up having to go to town for their neighbors funerals, and figure out what to do next. Sissel's older sister and her intended go on to help out on a cattle drive to get money to help out the family. Her older brother goes to work on a neighbors farm to help out, and Sissel and her brother stay at a hotel until they can get their feet under them. ...but they attend the funerals, and Sissel has a fit. She's drawn to the graves and she's stopped during the funeral. Only within a few days later to have another episode in the middle of the night. She wanders out to a nearby stream and manages to pull gold flecks out of the stream. Her Nytte has awoken (all of her siblings have one too - sister is a beserker, one brother is an oar breaker, and the last brother is the weather dude) and she's a Ransacker. Someone who can detect metals and manipulate them to some extent.
That's enough summary.
So like, the book skips around to the different siblings, hijinks ensue with the different siblings, but the story telling is kind of odd. Probably because I read the companion without reading the original, but like there was so much stuff that was just like new fact is presented, everyone accepts it, is excited/panicked, and then the story moves on. There was a lot of plot stuff that was driven by action, or just like kind of random slapstick things happening. A lot of the relationships also felt significantly forced...and I had questioned myself a few times of why I didn't just give the book up. But, the thing of it is, there was kind of a lot of foreshadowing towards some kind of big thing happening in the end.... which it was fine, but it was also too much of this like hoopla effect almost. Like, man, we're all significantly in danger, but with the power of family, boy I sure hope we pull through!
...so there was kind of lots of that.
I also found the story telling to be very stilted, and so much of the relationships were built on ways that people were "supposed" to behave or who they were "supposed" to be. It's like the characters were so reliant on their setting/circumstances to define who they are rather than actually be who they are. It's just very, very stilted. Also, Sissel is annoying as all get out. So annoying. She just finds different ways to whine about whatever predicament she winds up in. Even if it's a good one. Like, cannot be grateful at all. Tragic.
The rest of the characters kind of orbited around Sissel or her older sister... so if they sucked, I feel like the other characters couldn't succeed. ....but also. The writing style isn't something I normally read because I don't particularly care for it, so I'm actually a little miffed that I finished reading the book.
...yep.
Happy reading!
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