Inheritance of Scars

Gr 10 Up–When her grandmother goes missing, Astrid convinces her father to make a trip back to Unden, their small Swedish hometown. Searching for her grandmother, Astrid uncovers an ancient blood oath that leads her to travel through the forbidden Tiveden Forest with the newly reawakened draugr, Soren. The farther Astrid and Soren travel, the closer they become, but Midwinter is only days away, and Astrid is running out of time to save not only her grandmother but also the whole village, as she soon discovers. Seitz’s sinuous dark fantasy creates a deliciously twisted tale with rich worldbuilding. Astrid, much like the author, lives with Crohn’s disease, something seamlessly and accurately woven into her character. However, there are moments that lack smooth integration within some characters’ dialogue or growth. Monsterizing the unknown is a clever theme revealed as Astrid works to break the generational trauma her family invoked on Unden. The outcome has readers pondering the concepts of following tradition blindly and letting go of once loved ones. Those well acquainted with fantasy will be able to predict the revelations throughout, though this will not take away from the reading experience. An author’s note, including a content warning list, precedes the novel; a pronunciation guide is available on Seitz's website. Astrid and Soren are both white.