I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Edith has always been a good girl—she has to be, or her foster family might think she’s like her violent father. No matter how much anger simmers inside her, she keeps it buried, hidden…

Until the day she’s pushed a step too far, and that anger comes bursting out in the form of literal claws.

It’s then that Edith learns she’s a berserkr, a descendant of ancient Norse warriors with the ability to turn into animals. To avoid jail for attacking a student, Edith is shipped off to the mysterious Skallagrim Academy. The ancient school is supposedly a haven for people like her, a place where she can learn to control her powers and then push them down so deep that they’ll never come out again.

But someone—or something—is stalking the dark halls of Skallagrim.

On her second night, Edith stumbles upon a gruesome murder and is caught at the scene of the crime by Amund, who is tasked with hunting down wayward berserkir. Now, with Amund suspecting Edith as the killer, she’ll have to catch the real culprit to prove her innocence before she ends up in the hunter’s crosshairs—or becomes the killer’s next victim.

Short and Sweet Review

Edith has spent her whole life trying to be perfect. After her father murdered her mother and took his own life, she’s been determined to prove she isn’t like him especially to her foster parents, who could separate her from her little sister if they decide she’s “dangerous.” So she buries her anger, keeps her head down, and does everything right.Until one day she snaps… and literal claws come out.
Edith learns she’s a berserkr a descendant of ancient Norse warriors who can transform into animals. Instead of jail for attacking a classmate, she’s sent to Skallagrim Academy, a hidden school in Iceland for witches, hunters, seers, and berserkir like her. The goal is to control her powers, suppress them and stay safe.But on her second night, Edith finds a murdered student and is caught at the scene by Amund, a hunter whose job is to track down and kill berserkr. He thinks she’s the killer. Now she has to prove she’s innocent while something continues stalking the halls.

This book leans heavily into violence and rage, which actually fits the story really well. The female rage theme is probably the strongest part of the book. Edith’s struggle to access her anger because she’s been taught her whole life that “good girls” don’t get angry feels powerful and very intentional. Watching her slowly accept that anger doesn’t make her evil, just human, was easily the most satisfying part of the story.
The Norse mythology elements are also a big highlight. The lore around berserkir, hunters, witches, and seiðr magic adds depth to the world, and the academy setting gives it that dark, gothic vibe. It definitely has boarding school murder-mystery energy, and the pacing keeps things moving. Even though it’s on the longer side, it doesn’t really drag.
The romance between Edith and Amund is more hit-or-miss. The tension is there, especially with the whole hunter-versus-berserkr dynamic, but it sometimes feels a little surface-level. Amund has that broody, emotionally repressed personality, and while his character arc mirrors Edith’s in an interesting way, he can feel repetitive at times. The forbidden romance angle works, but it’s not the strongest part of the book.
As for the mystery, it’s engaging, though not impossible to guess. Some of the red herrings are a bit obvious, and the resolution might not shock everyone. Still, the suspense adds stakes and keeps the story tense.

Overall, this is a darker YA fantasy that leans into rage, trauma, and identity. It’s not subtle, it’s not soft, and it doesn’t hold back on the violence. If you like dark academia vibes, Norse-inspired lore, murder mysteries, and a heavy focus on female anger and empowerment, this one will probably work for you.