When I first read about The Leviathan last year I was instantly drawn in by the comparisons with other witchcraft and superstition filled historical fiction. I had not realised however, quite how different this debut was to anything I’d ever read before. This was one of the most atmospheric novels I’ve read in recent years, and as you can probably tell, left me unable to find the words to properly describe it. An undefinable, unforgettable and beguiling debut, I look forward to whatever Andrews writes next.

As this book has three parts, I have made notes on each part as well as an overall view.

Part 1.
The bit of time jumping wasn't always obvious to me although I was able to make sense of it, the flash forward gave me food for thought indeed.

Part 2.
What a wild part, such a twist I did not see coming. Very intriguing plot lines and a backstory that wipes all others out of the water!

Part 3.
Shorter than the other parts but oh so revealing. The ending, being slightly abrupt, shocked me and left me wanting more.

Overall a great story that I really enjoyed, it was frustrating when my reading was interrupted. The pacing was unusual to me, but I can't say I didn't like it, in fact it worked well.

The story begins in 1703 before heading back to 1643, Norfolk where the main story takes place. It’s troubling times and Civil War soldier, Thomas returns home after finding out his father has suffered a stroke and their servant is now also facing charges of using witchcraft against their him. Coming home, he finds their livestock dead with no apparent reason apart from the possibility of witchcraft.

It’s upto Thomas, a non-believer of witchcraft to find out what really happened between their servant and their father and uncover the truth before it’s too late. But he’s about to uncover a secret that has been asleep for many years and something sinister is now about to be awoken. We learn a lot about their background and what it was like during those times due to her highly detailed writing and storytelling. We also get to encounter many sinister and gripping moments on his journey to finding out what really happened to his father. The book bounces a bit between two different periods as the truth begins to unravel.

An atmospheric read with creepy undertones. ‘The Levathian’ is an eloquently written and compelling book that will draw you in from the first page.

A brilliant debut from Rosie Andrews and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. If you love historical fantasies then you should definitely check this one out.

I'm afraid that the layout of this proof on both my Kindle and phone made reading it impossible, shame as I the premise of the book everything that I like in a book.

Incredibly immersive, thoroughly researched, an absolutely addictive tale written in an unforgettable voice.

After reading the blurb, I really wanted to enjoy this book but then I saw it likened to The Essex Serpent (not one for me - sorry) and I thought "oh oh! Undeterred I gave it a go and I am so pleased that I did
It starts in the 17th century when we discover "she is awake." Who is she and what's so important about her being awake?
The story is told from the perspective of Thomas Treadwater in a dual timeline and starts when his sister writes to him urging him to return home because something terrible is happening. When he gets there he finds that his father is dying and the sheep in the field are already dead. What on earth could cause sheep to just die en masse where they stand? Could it maybe be witchcraft? Suspicion quickly turns to Chrissa Moore who is new to this parish.
This book has witchcraft, the bible and even a bit of love thrown in for good measure. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look to reading more from this author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Very well written characters however it just wasn't my cup of tea as it's more fantasy horror than what I expected. I expected more historic a very good debut novel if this is your type of story.

A compelling exploration of witchcraft in the 1700's, beautifully written and a well told tale. Highly recommended if you love historical tales with a spooky twist

A beguling tale of witchcraft, superstition, war, families and secrets. Set in Norfolk in 1643, civil war is raging and reluctant soldier Thomas Treadwater is summoned home by his sister, who accuses the new maid of being a witch. With dual timelines and amazing historical details, this book is clearly beautifully written. Definitely worth a read and an author to look out for.

4.5 stars

The Leviathan is a fantastic historical mystery with a hint of fantasy and follows Thomas as he arrives home from the army to an ill father and a sister accusing the maids of witchcraft. It had me completely hooked.

The Leviathan is mainly set in Norfolk in the mid-1600s but there are also chapters set in the early-1700s. This was fantastic in linking the witchcraft accusations to the story as it was the height of the witchhunt era where villages has their own hunters. The majority of the story occurs in a rural setting and towards the end, I found this increased the creepiness. My heart was in my mouth during the dark field scenes - I felt like I was there with Thomas.

I really liked Thomas as a character. I liked his skepticism and his need to figure things out with logical explanations instead of going along with the accusations. His protectiveness of Esther was lovely to read. I loved his kindness. And I loved seeing his relationship with Mary develop.

The godliness of some of the characters did annoy me at times, but in the end, this fits both the time period and the plot perfectly. And the characters were all pretty easy to distinguish between with their personalities. Even the side characters are memorable.

The story is told in first person from Thomas' POV. We see firsthand his complete confusion regarding what is going on on his return home. Like Thomas, you're not sure who to trust. I didn't find the story predictable at all, but in hindsight, there are bits that are obvious when you really think about it.

I found the story quite fast-paced and a definite page-turner. I needed to know what was happening - particularly the final 25%. I really enjoyed the majority of the story and I really thought it was going to be a 5-star read. However, the last couple of chapters let me down. I wasn't 100% happy with how The Leviathan ended and wanted more answers.

Overall, I found The Leviathan absolutely brilliant and it was only the ending that was a letdown. The writing, setting, and characters were all fantastic, memorable, and 5-star. I'd definitely recommend to fans of historical mysteries and fantasy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of witchery during the English Civil War. The novel was well written with great characters and excellent sense of atmosphere.

I also bought the audiobook version and found the narrator to have a pleasant voice which aided immersion in the story.

A recommended read and I’ll definitely look out for more by this writer.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

This is a very well-written period piece set in 17th century England. It concerns a soldier, Thomas, coming back from war to find things are very much not right at his family home. There's accusations of witchy business going on but we aren't sure if this is Salem-style hysteria or if there's actual supernatural forces at work.

I picked this book up because of the supernatural elements in the blurb. But in fact, the supernatural stuff was probably the least convincing aspect. I found the first third of the book the most satisfying, as the author beautifully builds the characters of Thomas, Esther, Chrissa, Manyon and others. When the shit starts to hit the fan in the later sections, it wasn't quite as impactful as it could have been for me. It felt like there was an intended Lovecraft vibe but I never felt any real chills.

However, this was a satisfying read and I'll look out for the author's subsequent works as she is clearly an excellent writer.

A dark and claustrophobic book despite being set in sweeping landscapes. Thomas Treadwater is coming home from the Civil War, and although he is responding to a plea for help from his sister, it is a welcome return. He had wrecked his chances of an education and career by creating turmoil in the house of his tutor, John Milton, and hoped enlisting for Parliament would redeem his good name. But Thomas is not a warlike man, and on his journey the memories of battle and a physical wound distress him. He is hopeful of a reconciliation with his father, of the comfort of his own home, of sorting out his sister′s concerns about a new servant. But on his arrival he finds their flock of sheep dead in the fields, the house empty of all servants, his father struck down by a stroke, and the new serving woman taken up for witchcraft.
Thomas is a rational man and does not believe the tales of curses and spells. But as he tries to unravel the story of what happened in his absence he begins to believe there is something supernatural at work, and that his beloved sister may know more about it than he would like. The mystery is linked back to his father and John Milton, and he will need to somehow reconcile with the latter to find a way forward.

The book is partly set at Christmas but there is nothing festive about it, instead the short days and harsh weather close down the choices of the characters. Even the parts of the book which are set in the Spring 60 years later are restricted to one location. People are trapped in rooms and situations, and for some it seems that death is the only escape.

The descriptions throughout the book contribute to an impression of everything closing in while you′re reading. I liked the cameo by John Milton as a person rather than a remote poet. It is not a book that shocks with its horror, but builds up an atmosphere of dread. But I think it is also readable by people who might not be drawn to a horror story.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

Thank you for the chance to review. Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. I just couldn’t get into it.

Mogłabym Wam powiedzieć, że zachwyca językowo i fajny pomysł - i to byłaby prawda. Prawdą jest też to, że mam dwa przepiękne wydania specjalne i sama nie umiem wybrać, które jest ładniejsze.
Ale!
Prawda jest też taka, że się wynudziłam. Język był piękny, ale wymęczył mnie okrutnie. (Akcja dzieje się w XVII wieku). Patriarchat tamtejszych czasów doprowadza mnie do szału. Wątek fantastyczny, który był rozreklamowany, bardzo mnie rozczarował. Ogólnie: ech, meh. 🙁 Szkoda!

The age of saints and superstition is drawing to a close but it is not yet the Age of Enlightenment, and as the country is turned upside down by Civil War, something evil might slip through the crack.
I've seen this described as "The Book of Revelations meets Stephen King's Carrie." I'd like to expand this and describe it as: "The Book of Revelations meets Stephen King's Carrie meets Paradise Lost meets the Exorcist."
Wonderfully atmospheric and genuinely unsettling - I'd also compare it to cheese: be careful of consuming large quantities of it before bedtime - I look forward to seeing what Andrews writes next!

I have, oddly, read more than a couple books on the English civil war in the last few years but none have sparked my imagination quite like The Leviathan. This story stuck with me.

Setting off in Norfolk 1643 things are not quite as they seem when Thomas Treadwater receives a letter from his sister urgently recalling him home from the battle. He obeys and finds things in a terrible state. Rosie Andrews deftly weaves a tale that I mistook for a particular direction but, instead, it twists back on itself to reveal something entirely different. It was well executed and created a novel I was happy to have lead me about knowing not where it would go. Atmospheric, suspenseful and enthralling. The Leviathan has it all.

An atmospheric historical fiction story with complex characters and an engaging mystery. Lush, rich and rewarding storytelling.

3.5 stars - it was atmospheric and very readable, well written and promising but it meandered everywhere and ends up sort of nowhere.

The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews was very interesting and felt well researched. It took on the subject of a witch trial in an intriguing way and showed how a lie or a rumour easily can get great consequences. But the witch trials soon become a small part in a larger, much more complicated plot. Excellent historical fiction with a supernatural twist.