Reviews with content warning for Confinement - The Leviathan

Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews

4 reviews

edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book is (all puns intended) bewitching. The suspense is so well done that I could hardly stand to put it down. There were a few moments were I felt like it was drawn out too much, but for the most part, it kept the plot moving seamlessly. I really liked the protagonist and Chrissa Moore, and the secondary and tertiary characters all felt well fleshed out and like individuals.

For most of the book, it is unclear whether or not the witch accusations stem from the supernatural.

Spoiler

Even though I am not the biggest fan of the supernatural in books, I was won over by this story. It might have been cooler to have Esther as the 'witch', hiding her true malicious nature under a facade of religious sweetness and docility, and the accusations merely a ploy of hers; however, that would have taken the story in a much different direction. I also would like to know where Thomas got his information about M... He certainly kept us all in the dark about that one

I loved the ending, and felt that all the loose ends were tied up effectively. I look forward to any future books that Andrews may publish!

If you liked The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, or The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell, you will like The Leviathan.

Content Warnings

bookforthought's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Right from its beautiful cover and intriguing synopsis, The Leviathan promised to be an unsettling and atmospheric read. Although it did achieve some of that thanks to some pretty impressive research and evocative writing, it ultimately left me somewhat disappointed.

The 17th-century setting works very well to help create that unnerving atmosphere of danger and distrust, with a Civil War and witch hunts looming in the background as we focus on Thomas's home, a deeply domestic setting and a safe haven that is safe no more. Despite this, the dual timeline removed much of the tension, as certain key points were very easy to guess once a few elements were revealed in the future.

Although the setting and atmosphere were mostly on point, the characters are where this book really lost me. None of the relationships felt established enough, remaining mostly surface-level and lowering the stakes even further. There were a lot of different elements to this (maybe too many), but none of them ever felt as if it came to completion, stopping just short, and all potential conflict elements (even those relating to the historical setting) were quickly dismissed. In the end, I found I just really didn't care much about any of it.

Still, this is by no means a bad read if you enjoy slower-paced and understated stories or if you're looking for an unsettling book just for the vibes as we enter spooky season, because this had spooky vibes aplenty. I just wanted something more from it, so sadly it didn't work for me.

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rhi_'s review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Content Warnings

jamieleepilk's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

Thank you so much for Raven Books/Bloomsbury for sending this my way.
UK Release 3/2/22.

Myths, Monsters, and Mystery. All the glorious stuff you want in a brand new Historical fiction novel from what may be one of the most exciting debuts this year! A well plotted, rich historical fiction story with incredible written characters and thrilling horror.

Told from two time periods from the point of view of Thomas, one as a young man in 1643 returning to his home and then as an older man in 1703. You are instantly hooked from page one, it grips you so much that you can't turn yourself away for fear of missing something. Lots of mystery to keep it exciting and keep you guessing until the last page as you uncover the horrors and mystery of what's happening. Some parts of this do actually feel like they cross over into horror which I loved and made for perfect reading during the early dark nights! The writing style is beautiful and makes it a very atmospheric read that I still can't believe this a debut.

It's so annoying that this is a debut, I can't just go and get her other books. I loved this and can't wait to see what Rosie Andrews does next. Don't miss this in February. Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate the beautiful cover?

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