Odin's Child

Oh boy, this book is quite hefty, both physically and all the subjects it deals with. And I was there for it, most of the time.

Odin's Child by Siri Pettersen is YA fantasy novel that lends most of it's plot and characterization back to Norse mythology, which I haven't found much of in the rest of the YA genre. Save for, of course, Rick Riordan's Magnus Bane series. But even then, Odin's Child makes that series look like a child's game. This book follows 15-year-old Hirka and her troubles with fitting in with her society. Mostly due to the fact that does indeed not fit in with the rest of her Ym folk, due to her not having a tail. Which her father explains to be due to it being ripped off when she was a baby. Thus the explanation for all her scars. But everything changes whens she is required to partake in the rite, and is found out to be Odin's literal child, hence her lack of tail. And therefore, she is destined to bring destruction upon the world and all that jazz.

I really liked how unique Pettersen's world ended up being, and how much of a change of pace it was compared to the rest of the fantasy YA section you find bundled up in the corner of Barnes and Noble. It's a little hard to miss this book, with its stark white and bloodied cover among all the forlorn looking girls with knives strapped to their biceps. And I truly believe no one should miss out on this book, as it creates a perfect shift from the traditional fantasy we're used to.

Though I will say, I did roll my eyes at some of the classical tropes strewn about. But Pettersen made up for it with their clever character design and plot that kept me strapped to the edge of my seat. All I want to know is why didn't this book get translated to English sooner, and how much of my heart is going to be broken come the rest of the series?

Hirka is the only one tailess among her people and it makes her stand out in a crowd in all the wrong ways. Because of this, she has trouble finding where she belongs in her society. She wants to be strong, but it's hard when everyone looks down on her. When Rime enters her world, Hirka finds her attention shifting to him. There's something that draws her in and makes it hard to get him off her mind. But can the two work it out when Hirka is seen as a lesser person for not having a tail? Not to mention all the other life drama going on.

ODIN'S CHILD is the first installment of a Norse Mythology fantasy about a girl who strives to find her place in life. I love how Hirka is relatable with how self-conscious she can be. While sometimes she acts a bit rash, I'm chalking it up to her immaturity and hoping to see some more character growth in the next book. There is a lot of information in the beginning and it gives it a slow start, but it picks up after a while. There's a vast world-building that paints the picture of each scenario and I'm eager to see what else awaits Hirka and hoping for more character growth with both her and Rime.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of fantasy, Norse Mythology, romance, and coming of age. While this one seems a bit slow, I hope for a better start with the second now that we have most of the information building out of the way. I do also want to mention the trigger warning for rape because it kind of comes out of nowhere.