Actual rating: 2.5/5, rounded up.

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.

CW: This book contains mentions of death (incl. animal death), violence, misogyny, confinement, and possession.

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. ( )

I so wanted to like this book: historical fiction combined with the paranormal, and the first page promised much in terms of eloquence and atmosphere; alas, it did not deliver, and I really tried.

A shame that those readers who rated this novel only two or three stars didn't provide a review to explain their choice. I think the problem has several sources: first, apart from the occasional mention of soldiers, king and parliament, this novel could have been set at almost any point during the first and early second half of the seventeenth century. I expect more from historical fiction set during a specific, and especially such an incisive, period of history.
Second, I could tell early on that this was going to be a slow-burner, but at times the plot didn't appear to move at all.
Third, I think it's very difficult to get first-person narrators right, and for some reason I couldn't warm to Thomas.
Fourth, there was no need for the romantic sub-plot, which seemed to have been crowbarred in, for additional appeal.
Fifth, I simply didn't feel the 'atmosphere of intense evil' that everyone kept talking about around a certain person.

I stopped around two-thirds of the way in, and then skim-read ahead to see if I was making a mistake. Sadly the answer to the riddle leaves only more questions in its wake that as far as I could tell don't get resolved.

Let's hope Rosie Andrews' follow-up, The Puzzle Wood, out early next year, lives up more to its promise. ( )

Rosie Andrews’ debut novel The Leviathan opens with a prologue set in 1703 – the work’s “present”, to which we will return at regular intervals in the novel. It then immediately takes us back six decades, to the final days of the year 1643, where the main storyline is set.

Narrator Thomas Treadwater, a soldier in the English Civil War, receives a barely credible letter from his younger sister Esther, alleging that their pious widower father is being seduced by one of the servants, “the harlot Chrissa Moore”, and urging him to come home without delay to the family farmstead in Norfolk. Thomas returns to find the farm animals dead, his father struck down with a debilitating stroke, and Chrissa and another servant jailed on suspicions of witchcraft. Thomas is a (relatively) learned man of his age, and is losing his faith in God, let alone his beliefs in witchcraft and old-fashioned superstition. But it will soon appear that truth is not a matter of black and white. Thomas’s beliefs – or lack thereof – will be sorely tested.

At this early stage in the novel, I was wondering where the narrative would lead. Would Andrews follow an Ann-Radcliffe-style “rational Gothic” and eventually show us how the charges of witchcraft were trumped up by a superstitious mob? Or would this turn out to be a work of supernatural fiction? I would not like to reveal much about the pleasurable twists and turns of the plot, but suffice it to say that The Leviathan turns out to be an unsettling piece of Gothic horror and that, yes, the evils it portrays are not (only) of this world.

The Leviathan is an exciting and gripping yarn which, despite its surprises, does not require much suspension of disbelief (naturally, within the parameters of a speculative novel). The narrative juggles ably between the “past” and “present” timelines until the satisfactory ending. The language used is archaic enough to give a sense of authenticity, without, however, making it any less flowing to the modern reader. That same sense of authenticity is reflected in details which, albeit not essential to the plot, serve to create atmosphere. In one scene, for instance, we witness the preparation of the evening meal of snipe; in others we get descriptions of an England ravaged by plague and civil war. This ability to provide “context” is surely the result of a good mix of research and imagination – the sights, smells and sounds of a distant era are well conveyed. The novel also raises interesting themes, such as faith, belief and doubt – although this is done with a much lighter touch than the “theological Gothic” of, say, Sarah Perry’s Melmoth.

Poet John Milton appears as a character in the novel, in the unlikely role of paranormal investigator. At one point he observes:

It has always been my weakness: a novel story, well constructed. I must congratulate you on the telling.

This could well sum up my reaction to this engaging debut.

For the full review go to: https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-leviathan-by-rosie-andrews.html

4.5* ( )

Ébren van...

Norfolk, 1643. Angliát polgárháború szabdalja, Thomas Treadwater, a katona kelletlenül veszi tudomásul, hogy a nővére/húga hazahívja, mert azzal vádolja az egyik szolgálójukat, hogy gondatlanul bánt özvegy édesapjukkal. Mire Thomas hazaér, az édesapjuk már magatehetetlen, szélütést kapott, és az új szolga börtönben van, boszorkánysággal vádolják.

Thomas szereti azt hinni magáról, hogy észelvű, modern ember, de a történteket kibogozva nem pusztán babonaságokba botlik, hanem valami ősi, sötét titokba, amely egy korábbi hajótöréssel függ össze.

Ami eddig szunnyadt, most már nem hajlandó tovább pihenni. (Goodreads)

England, 1643. When young Thomas Treadwell arrives at his family farm on leave from the army, he finds much chaos and turmoil that mystifies his mind. Approaching his father's farm, he sees hundreds of dead sheep sprinkled across the lawn. Upon entering his home, he finds his father lying in bed, eyes bulging, babbling nonsense, in a total state of apoplexy. The family maid is imprisoned accused of witchcraft. A woman and her daughter who are neighbors are also in a jail cell accused of the murder of a young girl; more witch threats!. His 16 year old sister does not seem normal and he is at a loss of words as to what malevolence has fallen upon them all.

Rosie Andrews sensational debut novel The Leviathan should hopefully soar right into landing her an Edgar Award in my opinion. This superbly well written and finely executed story is what I would tag as a historical mystery/horror combo. Its supernatural entity is quite unique and a breath of fresh air in a literary world of redundant plots. The eerie suspense in The Leviathan builds very slow and will keep you turning each haunting page quickly. I was totally mesmerized and captivated at the brilliance of this incredible story. For a debut novel Rosie Andrews knocks it out of the park with an unforgettable tale. 5 brilliant stars, standing ovation!

I treated myself to a Collectors copy from Goldsboro Books in the U.K. The Leviathan's cover art is gorgeous depicting blue and aqua entwined snakes with a touch of gilt. This copy is a signed 1st, numbered limited edition, with black sprayed edges with the words " she is awake"! It is a beautiful book. ( )