Pack Animals

by Idun Klinga

Real fairytales don’t have happy endings.



What if Alvar isn’t as weak as everyone always thought he was?





Stuck in the foster care system for most of his life, Alvar has been passed from one family to the next, never belonging and always a target of bullies. But now, at the age of seventeen, he has learned to mask everything about himself that makes him other and things are finally looking up – that is, until he has a mysterious meltdown in the middle of school.





The only person who seems to know what is going on with Alvar, is Ulf – the strange kid in senior year who always used to keep to himself, but now won’t let Alvar out of his sight. With Ulf, Alvar doesn’t need to mask. He can be completely himself. But at what cost?





Under normal circumstances, the butterflies that appear in Alvar’s stomach when he’s around Ulf would be world-ending, but circumstances are far from Alvar’s mind is caving in on itself, something is watching him from the shadows and he knows that if he keeps falling apart, his foster parents will change their mind about adopting him – and he’s running out of time. In a year he’ll be a legal adult, homeless and officially on his own.





But what if he isn’t going mad? What if the walls of the world really are crumbling, and the dark things hiding in the shadows really are spilling out? What if there are people pretending to be human who live alongside us that we never knew about? And what if Alvar is one of them?





Pack Animals is a modern changeling story steeped in Nordic folklore and the first book in a YA folklore fantasy duology, which follows seventeen-year-old Alvar as he delves deeper and deeper into the Shadow realm – and beyond – in his desperate search for answers.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBT

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2025

Reviews

[Teru · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw the cover and the blurb, something about Pack Animals called to me so much that I had to read it immediately. And after reading the first few pages, I got the sense that I stumbled upon something very special.

It’s a queer YA coming-of-age story full of Scandinavian folklore and a little surprise in the form of alpha/omega dynamics (get your mind out of the gutter, guys, come on! No knotting and slick to be seen here 🤨) with dreamy, fairy tale vibes.
However, as the cover itself says, real fairy tales don’t have happy endings. I didn’t take that quite seriously.

Alvar has just turned seventeen, and to say that his life has been hard would be a massive understatement. Since his parents died when he was five, he’s been going through foster families and schools, unable to really put down roots because no family wanted to keep him for long, and school bullies always somehow clocked him as an easy target. It’s only now that he’s been with Stella and Martin for three years, he’s given himself to hope that things might finally turn for him.
Instead, his life is completely upended when he finds out he might not even be human.

Guys... I declare Alvar as one of my precious strays. He’s quite prickly and distrustful, self-reliant because he needs to be, perceiving any worry about his person as a weakness others can eventually pick on, as a personal failure to be strong. And all the while, he yearns for a place to call home, to belong, and for people who actually want him.
His loneliness and feelings of abandonment, him trying to survive in a world of constant rejection while not knowing what he’s doing wrong, the never-ending fight for his own place... That’s what this book truly is about.
Alvar is also being pushed and pulled in two very different worlds, the human one and díser one (the so-called Shadow People), and with one foot in each, he feels like he belongs to neither - I’m sure biracial people could draw some pretty strong parallels.

I have a file for this boy in my head, but enough about him, because there’s also Ulf, a brooding but sweet classmate who one day befriends Alvar (despite Alvar’s reluctance). He’s a pivotal character, and yes, there is a romantic subplot between the boys, but I don’t think I can talk about him more because I might cry.

I truly loved the way alpha/omega dynamics and the lore were handled here. It’s not the end-all-be-all, and even when an alpha and an omega imprint on each other, it doesn’t always ensure a happy relationship forever - it still all depends on the individuals, and some people are assholes no matter how “fated” they’re supposed to be for someone. And the imprinting isn’t even about love necessarily, but about a strong empathetic connection. It’s not often I see this spin on the A/O theme.

As you can probably tell, the overall mood of the story was very melancholic, tinged with desperation, and my heart is a bit bruised and battered. I need a good cry to let it all out, but I wasn’t able to do that - which takes me to my only complaint.

Pact Animals is the author’s debut novel, I’m pretty sure, and maybe that’s why I found the writing to not be quite up to par for this story. It’s beautiful, descriptive, setting the atmosphere perfectly...but there’s something about it that kept me at arm’s length emotionally. I was reading a good part of the book on the verge of tears with puffy eyes, but I couldn’t actually shed them; the final emotional push never actually came.

And after that ending, I seriously needed it. The sequel is at work (hopefully!), but damn, I beg the author to give Alvar a rest because he finally had one good thing in his life for the first time, and...oh yeah, spoilers. Sorry 😭

So, despite my mostly stylistic complaints, the story itself has a big heart, and that’s what made me feel like I’m reading something special. And I was right. ❤️

ALSO - I beg you, go look at the cover of the Kindle edition, that one was the reason for me jumping at it. Once you see it, come back and tell me it’s not an AU version of Neil Josten - I’ll call you a liar 🥰 Yes, I’m that simple.

It’s not that Alvar doesn’t know what he wants. On the contrary, he wants a whole lot of things: a family, a forever home, Ulf, to be able to let go of the tension wrapped around his body like armour, friends, and yes, he wants to know who he is, beyond the survivor that was born out of necessity as soon as he was old enough to walk, wants to know who he could be. All of these are things he wants and he is painfully aware of every single one, at all times, and none of them are things he can ever have and he knows that too.

[Melody Violeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS BOOK SPOILERS:

I had the greatest pleasure of being an ARC reader for Klinga’s debut novel, ‘Pack Animals’. This novel had me up until six in the morning, making sure I didn’t receive a wink of sleep as I kept falling further and further down the story’s rabbit hole. ‘Pack Animals’ is something I deeply resonated with, as its main character, Alvar, goes through a journey of pain, identity, and hope. The beginning for me was slow (in a good way) as it eased me into the world, and then I was hit by a truck as I kept reading. As soon as the Nordic folklore was introduced, I was kept on the edge of my seat, practically begging for more.

Klinga’s writing is so raw and emotionally charged as she explores themes such as teenagehood, identity, and love. At its core is Alvar navigating the brutal terrain of physical as well as mental health struggles, bullying, and homophobia, whilst at the same time, grappling with the profound loneliness of being an orphan. The story unfolds with unflinching honesty, capturing the ache of not belonging and the desperate search for connection.

Alvar became such an important character to me. As a Queer, neurodivergent reader who has suffered to the bone when finding community, not belonging anywhere, the constant need to hide myself, and hesitating my every move to avoid scrutiny, Alvar became a comfort. I see myself so much in him, to the point where I could quite literally feel his pain.

Klinga’s portrayal of mental health is both sensitive and unvarnished. Rather than romanticising depression or anxiety, the narrative delves into Alvar’s internal battles with clarity and empathy, which is something very few authors manage to do. The psychological toll of constant bullying is rendered with painful realism, making the reader feel the weight of every insult, every exclusion, every moment of silence. My heart broke with every snide comment made by Alvar’s so-called “friends”, and the beating he took once he was caught with Ulf made me tear up. Klinga really showcased the lingering anxiety that seeps into your chest. The constant need to hide such an important part of yourself just to avoid being called weak, or worse, being harmed, is something so many young Queer people struggle with, and Klinga conveyed it so realistically.

Some of the novel’s most touching moments are watching Alvar fall in love with Ulf. It is slow, gentle, and oh so intimate. This tender, conflicted journey is written with grace, avoiding clichés and instead offering a nuanced look at Queer desire in a hostile environment. Alvar’s fear of rejection, the thrill of intimacy, and the agony of secrecy are all present, making the romance feel both fragile and fiercely authentic.

Equally compelling is the theme of identity, and not just in a sexual manner, but emotionally and physically. Alvar’s quest to understand who he is, where he belongs, and what it means to be whole is the beating heart of the story. The absence of family creates a vacuum that he tries to fill with self-discovery, chosen relationships, and moments of quiet reflection. I absolutely love the trope of found family, and although Alvar still has some walls to break down, I can see him opening up much more in the second book. I am also curious to see his relationship with Ulf and how it develops. Maybe some more soft scenes? Maybe something a little more… intimate? Wink wink. Or perhaps some more vulnerability, not just from Alvar, but Ulf too. I am very much looking forward to reading more of Ulf’s backstory, especially regarding his mother. Either way, I just know Klinga won’t disappoint.

Ultimately, ‘Pack Animals’ is a testament to the power of storytelling as a form of resistance and healing. It doesn’t offer easy answers or tidy resolutions, but it does offer hope. The cliffhanger ending has left me in a chokehold, and I cannot help but hyperfixate on this masterpiece. This book was a huge comfort for me, and I know others will feel the same. For readers seeking a narrative that confronts pain with honesty and celebrates identity with courage, this book is unforgettable.

[acalithas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much that I binged it in an afternoon! I thought that the world-building was realistic and it wasn’t overwhelming. The characters were relatable and I found myself really looking forward to what would happen next in the story while I was reading. I liked the dynamic between the two main characters a lot. It felt very authentic and not forced, even when other aspects of the characters were later revealed. I breezed through this book simply because it was an exciting read. I also really liked the plot/storyline and I am already dying to read the next book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite fell in love with this book a little!

We follow Alvar as the life he carefully pieced together and the mask he hides behind suddenly break apart. After years of being pushed around between foster families he thought he finally found a home to stay and he just figured out how to mimic a "cool kid" to stop being bullied in school. But then life happens and sends him on his way. Fortunately he is already surrounded by ahelpful teacher and a sweet guy who show him that nothing in the world is quite as he thought.

This book isn't just about a boy finding out that he's different and falling for another boy. There is so much more in the mix: the magical suspense of folkloric beings lurking behind every corner, an insight to brains that work differently (aka neurodiversity) as well as coping mechanisms and mental health, the struggles of being a foster child and searching for a place where you just "belong", the power of friendship and a supportive community.

At times I really shed some tears for all the struggles Alvar has to brave through. Idun Klinga absolutely involves the reader through her writing style - so I often found myself emotionally agitated and at the edge of my seat to find out how the story unfolds.

The plot per se is already engaging. And since we follow teenage boys there is also a huge part about character development and dealing with life and all it's challenges.

My only point of semi-criticism is that some characters don't quite behave according to their age all the time (e.g. overly selfless & responsible teenagers and conflict-averse guidance counselors). But since those might be linked to their folkloric nature I'll let it slide.

The cliffhanger at the end is major and I can't wait for the next part to continue the story.

Since Alvars life is not an easy one there might be some triggers in this book: bullying, physical violence (beatings), foster care/ changing foster families, LGBTQ hostility, sensory overload, mention of rape, mention of murder, mention of suicide, esoteric rituals including blood offerings, getting lost, almost drowning, loss of loved ones (parents, partner, children).

I was given the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book [ARC] via booksirens.com for free and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:

If I am going mad, then so be it, Alvar decides. At least there’s another freak to go mad with.

I know who I am. A small, weak thing born broken, taken off life support and left to die, but to everyone’s annoyance, doesn’t. Doesn’t die, doesn’t weaken. Grows stronger, grows up. Survives and keeps surviving against all odds.

It is nice to spend time with someone he can be himself around. He’s never really had that before.

You’re only five, but you know in your heart that you’re dying and yet you still struggle, you know that they’re killing you, yet you fight it, because you also know that there is no one in this world who cares enough about you to bother saving you, so it’s up to you.

[Cesar Erba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pack Animals hit me in a way few novels do, quietly at first, and then all at once. It’s haunting, intimate, and deeply human. Idun Klinga captures the raw, interior world of adolescence, the confusion, the ache for belonging, the slow discovery of who you are, with such honesty and grace that it felt like someone had cracked open a memory and written it down.

As a queer reader, I saw my younger self in Alvar, in the way he carries his difference like both a burden and a secret gift. His connection with Ulf felt genuine, so delicately alive. There’s something magnetic about their bond, not just romantic or emotional, but transformative. The story doesn’t label them; it lets them be, in all their fear and tenderness and unspoken longing. That felt incredibly personal to me, the way identity here is not declared, but felt.

The filmmaker in me, was moved by Klinga’s imagery and structure. The writing feels cinematic, the imagination and movement shape the emotional landscape as much as the dialogue does. The scene where Alvar collapses under the hum of fluorescent lights or the quiet exchange when Ulf offers him his hoodie, they unfold like film shots, rich with tension and vulnerability. The emotional pacing is so meticulous that I could almost picture the edit in my mind, the cut between silence and chaos.

What stays with me most is how Pack Animals treats transformation, not as a metaphor, but as a truth of being. Alvar’s journey toward self-acceptance, his shifting sense of body and belonging, mirrors what it feels like to grow into your queerness, that strange mixture of fear, beauty, and liberation. Klinga doesn’t just write about identity; she animates it.

Reading this made me want to create, to capture that same balance between fragility and strength, pain and beauty. Pack Animals reminded me why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place. It’s bold, lyrical, and full of heart, work that doesn’t just tell a story, but transforms you as you read it.

[Keturah Sergeant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine overall, and being an arc it has further rounds of editing to go through, it just felt incomplete and the ending was somewhat forced. The premise was interesting but never fully explained, first from the secrecy of his community, then the MC's avoidance and denial of information. The spiralling of a misunderstood teenager who has never known stability, being in the foster system, attempting to blend in by endearing himself to the bullies at his newest school, suddenly struck by episodes he doesn't understand. The school 'freak' and the councillor his only supportive aids, but they are both concealing his true identity from him. Even when it is revealed, he isn't human at all, it is barely explained. His slow building relationship with his fellow 'dis', an alpha to his omega, it is constantly undermined by secrecy.

Then his foster family, overwhelmed by his sudden 'illness', his need for medication and support, pushes him out. One rejection too many. He runs, to find his true parents, but away from his friend/supporter/alpha, to the homeland of his people. It is an incredibly fast-paced adventure, he reaches the house if someone his councillor had sought for aid, but she instead attempts to kill him. His alpha friend appears suddenly, to help him, they have a conversation that resolves their somewhat strained relationship and friendship into love, just in time for the love interest to sacrifice himself for him... Setting up for a sequel that sets the MC on a dark path.

It was interesting, a good idea, it just had a very long build up, barely any world building and an abrupt, unnecessary ending.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[A.K. Adler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alvar, the main character, is really going to stay with me (and not just because of that mega cliffhanger ending!). He's amazingly well-written, with a backstory woven into the plot. I especially liked how he's worried that his burgeoning abilities are a sign of mental health issues, which is handled well.

The plot had me gripped, particularly the earlier parts where the ordinary and extraordinary worlds are colliding. Towards the end, it leaned more into the mythological, and the ending stretched my credulity a bit, but overall it was well-crafted and compelling.

I certainly feel emotionally engaged, and was rewarded for my investment by interesting character development and a lovely slow-burn romance.

[Maria Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Pack Animals” completely captivated me. Alvar’s story is raw and emotional, a boy caught between worlds, struggling with identity, belonging, and the dark forces that mirror his own inner turmoil. The blend of Nordic folklore and contemporary reality is seamless, and the atmosphere feels both eerie and deeply human.

Idun Klinga writes with such tenderness and intensity that you can’t help but root for Alvar. The slow unraveling of his world, and the growing bond with Ulf kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s the kind of YA fantasy that lingers long after you close the book.

If you love dark folklore, emotional depth, and stories that explore what it means to truly belong, Pack Animals is an absolute must-read.

[Kate Machon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The use of Nordic folklore is fantastic, and Alvar’s story is deeply intriguing. His fear of losing his foster family, his struggle to trust, and his search to uncover who his parents were — and what he truly is — made for such a powerful and emotional journey. Dark, magical, and full of heart. I can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you Idun Klinga for the ARC and the chance to fall in love with your story.

[Idun Klinga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, I am the author of this book. For a list of Content Warnings please see my website!