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. 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.
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 oneIf 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Death, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Gore, Child abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Pregnancy, War, and Cursing
bookforthought's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Confinement
rhi_'s review against another edition
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
Graphic: Misogyny and Confinement
Moderate: Death
Minor: Abandonment, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, and Infertility
theirgracegrace's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.0
The Leviathan is an interesting take on the cosmic horror genre. Thomas Treadwater is a returning soldier during the English Civil War who returns home to find his father on his deathbed, his sister inconsolable and their servant accused of witchcraft. While Andrews clearly has an understanding of the time period and of the mindset of those who lived in it, much of the book feels sluggish as Thomas desperately searches for answers. Even after getting them, he refuses to do much with them, causing a time jump of 60 years to when he finally gets the nerve to confront his fear. While an interesting take, only those with a deep interest in cosmic horror or period dramas will find the book "bewitching."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexism, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Vomit, Police brutality, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
The book takes place in the mid-17th century so there is a lot of Christian religious imagery and content. Also,Spoiler
Esther and later Miltonmegpadams's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
I wanted to love this book so badly. I pre ordered it because the cover was so beautiful and it sounded intriguing. Sadly, it just didn’t deliver.
It was definitely an enjoyable read, but it missed on all the points I was looking for; the suspense and the eldritch horror of a leviathan. I think my expectations were probably too high.
I’d recommend this book for fans of The Essex Serpent or Karen Maitland’s books.
It was definitely an enjoyable read, but it missed on all the points I was looking for; the suspense and the eldritch horror of a leviathan. I think my expectations were probably too high.
Spoiler
Also, I really didn’t like how Andrew’s made Milton’s blindness some sort of demon curse by having the Leviathan grant him a mystical vision and leading to Paradise Lost. Can’t we just have a normal blind person for once? Why does it always have to be mystica? <\spoiler>I’d recommend this book for fans of The Essex Serpent or Karen Maitland’s books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Violence, and War
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