Thirteen-year-old Abdi is on the run. Weeks ago, mysterious beasts appeared throughout Europe and attacked larger cities, viciously killing humans as they eventually spread into rural areas. After Abdi’s mother is killed in their home, he and his little sister, Alva, flee, hoping to make it to a nearby port city and catch a boat to the Shetland Islands, where their father has been traveling for work.
Young Abdi must grow up quickly as he struggles to keep himself and his sister safe in Beasts, a spare, thrilling novel by Ingvild Berjkeland, translated from the original Norwegian by Rosie Hedger. Like any successful apocalyptic survival story, a sense of urgency simmers beneath every line, relentlessly driving the characters—and the reader—forward. Trauma and terror force Abdi’s abrupt coming-of-age, as he is taken from the role of a typical older sibling to that of Alva’s sole caretaker and protector. The beasts are terrifying in their inexplicability and lack of motive, but the story also highlights a dark reality: When humans are threatened, some will resort to violent selfishness. Abdi and Alva have to not only avoid the beasts, but also assess every person they meet along their journey for potential threats. Of course, there are also those who show decency and kindness during the crisis.
Beasts will appeal to readers of survival classics such as Hatchet and Julie of the Wolves with its realistic illustrations of Abdi’s dogged problem-solving, but will also please those who enjoy stories with supernatural antagonists in pursuit of their prey, like The Walking Dead or The Last of Us. Rippling with constant tension, Beasts is an eerie, quick read for readers who can handle a bit of horror and unease.
