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
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
jamieleepilk's review against another edition
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?
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?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Confinement, and Death of parent
Minor: Infertility, Fire/Fire injury, and War
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