I just don’t know where to start with this review. It has amazed and frustrated me in equal amounts, and I can only say, that the story at the beginning, is not the same as at the conclusion. Strange and weirdness combined , I had a headache at the end trying to work out, just what the author was trying to describe.
Thomas Treadwell is away from his home in Norfolk, fighting in the English Civil War. He returns to the family farm for a brief visit, and finds his crops are almost dead in the fields, his cattle are sick and dying, and his father has suffered a stroke and is lying insensible in his bed. His sister, Ester, tells him that a newly arrived servant girl has used the power of witchcraft to bewitch the father and has caused all the misfortunes on the farm.
Witchcraft was a dangerous subject to discuss in the 1700’s, women were burnt at the stake, and those associated with being in their presence were considered to be in league with them. The witch finder is called in to get to the truth of these accusations…………………………………and then things became weird and I got rather confused. We had a woman in a drugged sleep, who was now awake, and who may or may not have been
psychologically disturbed and made up stories about witches, John Milton was mentioned, and The Leviathan, a mythical Sea Serpent made an appearance.
The parts of the story I understood were very good, the battles, and general campaign details were excellent. I couldn’t always work out, in which direction this story was going. The biblical references of the Leviathan and Ester possibly being possessed, and being kept sedated for her own good, it puzzled me. Kill or cure seemed to be the answer, but that didn’t really happen, or perhaps it did, the ending was perplexing.
This novel is set in Norfolk, which is where I live. When some event puzzles us locals, we always say’ Normal for Norfolk ‘, and that sums up this book perfectly. It’s strange, but under some circumstances, makes perfect sense. The historical detail is good, the rest is mysterious and probably defies belief .
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Bloomsbury, for my digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion and review.
I have rated this as a three star read. I will leave a review to Goodreads and Amazon.

My mum always told me that she has a theory when it comes to starting a new book. She says that the good stuff starts to happen half way through, but for me, this isn’t a good thing because that’s too far in to read nothing of relevance.
This book was a real slog and was full of waffle for me. The godly speeches were also way too much.

There were some interesting twists and realizations but honestly, it just wasn’t enough.
One minute it seemed like a book about witches, then it felt like a book about possession, but then it was about a snake-like monster?
It all felt a little bit confused and I’m sorry to say I’m glad it’s over.

It had all the potential but just didn’t follow through.

1643 - and a young soldier, Thomas Treadwater is summoned home by his younger sister who is worried about their widowed father and the new servant, but by the time Thomas arrives home, his father is on his deathbed and the servant in gaol accused of witchcraft.
The Leviathan is dark, atmospheric and rich in historical detail. There's a great cast of characters including the poet John Milton.
I really enjoyed this, but the ending left me feeling a bit flat - I think I was looking for a bit more. I even read the last page again in case I'd missed something.
Apart from the ending, it's still a very enjoyable read and I would recommend this if you like beautifully written gothic tales.
Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC

Thomas arrives home from service in the war to an ailing father and a distressed sister claiming a maid has brought witchcraft into their home; killing livestock and diminishing the patriarch’s health.

As the investigation into alleged witchcraft unfolds, Thomas fields an investigation of his own as to who is the maid is. She’s undoubtedly a beguiling woman. He questions whether his war wearied self can reconnect with his kinsfolk after his years away, and ultimately, he begins to question just how much witchcraft, and evil, exists.

I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with this book. Unfortunately I found the tail end of the novel a little lacklustre (the sea serpent felt very out of place) and it felt very long drawn to get to the climax. Nevertheless, it definitely sticks in my mind and on the whole enjoyed the book.

The time period was illustrated flawlessly. Moreover, the characters were likeable and throughly fleshed out. The dialogue between the characters, the structures of the homes and towns and the religious influence and fear of witchcraft, altogether created a gripping page-turner, enriched further by the mystique and richness of Andrews prose.

The quality of Andrews writing is stunning for a debut, and I will be keeping an eye out for any future novels on the horizon, as I truly believe Andrews has the potential to own the gothic historical fiction genre.

The Leviathan was a very atmospherical and suspenseful story. Rosie Andrews has written a gem of historical fiction that will delight lovers of Stacey Halls, Laura Purcell and many other gothic lover aficionados.

Thank you kindly to Bloomsbury Raven Books for an e-ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

I love my historical fiction, even more when it is mixed with superstiton and myth. The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews covers these bases brilliantly, with a rich and dark atmosphere and a compelling, if at times sinister plot line.
In 1643 England is in its first year of the Civil War, with eight difficult years still to come. Thomas Treadwater is on leave from fighting and going home to his family’s farm. When he arrives things are not as they should be, animals have died, his father has had a stroke and his sister, Esther, has accused the maid Chrissa Moore with witchcraft for spellbinding her father. As Thomas faces these challanges and tries unravel the truth, his beliefs are challanged by myth and superstition going back years.

The Leviathan grabbed me from the first page with it’s sense of menace and beautiful writing. There is a dual timeline, in 1643, where Thomas goes home and the plot plays out as he tries to understand the circumstamces around his sister and father. In 1703, Thomas, now in his late 70’s living with his wife Mary, is looking back on that time and also dealing with the awakning something terrible. Thomas is a believable narrator, not religious like his father, not believing in god or witchcraft. He is someone who seeks justice in life, which shows in his dogged search for the truth of what has happened to his sister Esther and their maid Chrissa; he actually shows more sense of justice than those trusted with the investigation.

The setting of the backdrop of the Civil War was fascinating. The war had only been going on for a year and the feeling was that people wanted it to end. The loss of life and terrible conditions of the battle fields were leaving both mental and physical scars on the soldiers. It’s not just the soldiers that were suffering, farmers and landholders had trouble getting men to help and even the wealthier people were facing difficulties with the source of food and clothing ; it was a time of frugal food and dull,and threadbare clothes. It is intersting that Rosie Andrews chose one of the themes as witchcraft, the witchcraft trials and fear had been at their height under James I of England, VI of Scotland. In 1643 the idea of witches was waining but there were still accusations and investigations if a lot less traumatic than the years before. Rosie Andrews research shines through in her historical details, capturing the atmosphere of this time and how the war split towns, family and friends. She also brilliantly kept the suspense up throughout the book, the underlying menace had me gripped until the last shocking page.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Leviathan. It was an immersive read, full of dread, suspense and superstition. The stetting of the Civil War was the perfect backdrop with its harshness, grey landscape and the country split over who they support. Beautifully written, atmospheric with a the feel of a classic gothic novel, this is compelling and fascinating, a book I highly recommend adding to your book shelves.

3.5* --> 4*

To be honest, I’ve been staring at a blank screen for a good hour now and I still don’t really know what to say about ‘The Leviathan‘. This is why we need half star ratings!

Thomas Treadwater is summoned home by his sister, who claims a servant has been engaging in improper conduct with their widowed father. By the time Thomas arrives home, the servant is in jail, his father is confined to bed due to a stroke and all the sheep are dead. Superstition hangs in the air like a dark cloud but Thomas is a rational man and doesn’t believe in witchcraft. However, while he tries to get to the bottom of things, his sister begins to act rather strangely. If not witchcraft, then what exactly is going on?

This story is told in three parts. Part one was quiet the slow-burner with a focus on a witch-hunt, part two took somewhat of a different turn as the story veered a lot more into myth territory and by part three I felt like I was reading a completely different book than the one I started.

I’m by no means saying none of it was enjoyable because it was. I haven’t exactly been on a role with historical fiction (although I suppose this one comes with a supernatural twist) lately so this was definitely a pleasant surprise but, I’m sorry to say, I often found myself pretty confused. While the writing is truly beautiful, I also felt it was maybe a tad too convoluted at times and I didn’t always get what was going on.

On the other hand, these characters are brilliantly crafted with a delightful contradiction between Thomas and his incredibly pious sister, but also with rather “streetwise” Mary. The struggle is real for Thomas, and the year 1643 will change his life forever when all his dreams and hopes are dashed. This is something you get an extremely good feel for since we get to know Thomas as a young man and as an old one. On top of that, ‘The Leviathan‘ is immensely atmospheric which is always something I particularly adore. And, definitely at the later stages, the story is pretty creepy and tense. But that’s also where it lost me.

And all of that combined is why writing this review is giving me such a headache. It is indeed spellbinding and I often found myself utterly enthralled but not throughout the entire story. I liked it, but didn’t love it. I enjoyed most of it, but not all of it. I’ve no idea what else I can say. Except, all in all it is a remarkable debut by Rosie Andrews and in a round-about sort of way I do recommend you pick it up.

Apologies if your head is aching too now. 😳

I found this a strange read as it didn't quite deliver on its promise. It didn't start with a bang or anything that suggested what was to come - eventually - and although the premise was what made me read, I only really kept going because I wanted to know if the story would ever get there. It didn't really.

It starts as a pretty standard Roundheads vs Cavaliers witch hunting tale of a group of innocent women with a hero trying to save them without incriminating either himself or his sister, the person who gave them up. So far, so good if not what was promised. It floundered then, and the plot failed to materialise. There is a Leviathan, and it is a fascinating tale that involves John Milton the poet and supernatural goings on, but as it takes up a fraction of the book, it is almost an also-ran to the witches (or lack of) and the strong characters and relationships built along the way.

Which is all the more the pity as it is gorgeously written. If the prose were worse, I couldn't suggest it is worth reading but the grasp of language by the author is stunning and for that, have a go. You might like it more than me.

There's a lot of books about witch hunt and witches in the XVII century, this one was one of the best as both plot and style of writing are brilliant.
You are left wondering what is what, if you are going to read a gothic novel with a rational explanation or a horror novel with paranormal involved.
The characters, the historical background, and the atmosphere are fascinating and I was involved in this story that kept me turning pages.
A great debut, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A big thank-you to Rosie Andrews, Bloomsbury Publishing, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
A brilliant debut character-driven novel that had my all attention for a couple of days and that will stay with me for a long time.
The plot revolves around Thomas Treadwater who, after 60 years, tells a story of his life and of the events which he, being a man of reason, found hard to comprehend.
I loved everything about this novel - the characters, including John Milton, the way Ms Andrews uncovers the tale piece by piece, and the idea of the Leviathan on which I am not going to say anything so as not to spoil the pleasure of reading.
Some debut novels are spectacular and in my opinion The Leviathan belongs to this category. The Author set the bar high for herself regarding future books.
I would love to have a print copy as the cover is stunning!

Absolute loved this book. If you love gothic and folklore you will love this. Kept me enthralled until the last page.. Highly recommended.

I read The Leviathan before going to sleep and that night dreamt the creature featured in the story was in my bed, thrashing around next to me. In reality, it was my 4 year old but it shows you the power of a book when it infiltrates your dreams! This is a truly evocative slice of historical fiction.

So, if you’re looking at this book’s title and wondering: what is a leviathan? Well, it’s essentially a mythical sea-serpent, and yes, it does play a key role in this story that has a dark, Gothic feel overall.

Set in Norfolk and told in two time frames (1643 and 1703) – the time-shift works to give us both present and past versions of what’s happening. Detailing the events leading up to things and a more reflective tone in the present, 1703 narrative.

Thomas Treadwater is our narrator and what starts as a tale of witchcraft becomes something far more sinister. Thomas’ sister, Esther, accuses one of the housemaids, Chrissa Moore, of bewitching their father. When his father then dies, Thomas takes it upon himself to find out what’s really going on before Chrissa is hung for witchcraft…

Depending on your knowledge or love of 17th century literature, you might be familiar with Thomas Hobbes and John Milton‘s talk of the leviathan. Go back even further and there’s a reference in the Bible: ‘And what of the Bible?’ There are sea creatures in the Bible. Powerful ones.’ Milton looked troubled. ‘You refer, of course, to the leviathan.’

In this story, poet John Milton is actually our lead character, Thomas Treadwater’s tutor. It’s done so well and an example of one of the brilliant ways real people and events blend with fiction so well here.

The Leviathan has a very different pace to a lot of books I’ve read recently. It did take me a little while to get into, but I’m so glad I kept reading as I fell into its rhythm and liked the nostalgic traits in its syntax. This translated into longer, descriptive paragraphs and a slow sense of menace that builds.

This really is wonderfully crafted historical fiction, mixing myth into reality and absolutely catapulting you into a world where that could happen. It pulls just enough from real people to make it even more interesting. The wonderful writing and pulsing, Gothic tone meant I was totally hooked.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

This book blew me away. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the plot and the characters, I thought they were very well written, though the intrigue could have been woven in a more subtle way, as I guessed the plot twist quite quickly. I enjoyed that the overall reasoning and details of a certain character's possession was left to the reader's imagination; was it biblical, occult, or something else unknown to mankind.

I will say that the abrupt ending did give me slight pause, but overall it was a fantastic read for cold winter evening.

An atmospheric historical read about witchcraft in the 17th century following the Civil War, about a young man called Thomas who is called home when his father has an accident. His sister accuses their new maid of witchcraft and seducing their father. But what’s the truth?
I felt like premise of the book, of the mythical beast, took awhile to come into fruition. This novel felt like two books in one. The first half is like a historical suspense read with the protagonist playing detective and trying to find out if where this maid, Chrissa, came from. The second half is more horror with the characters trying to figure what this mythical beast is and how to eradicate it. I wasn’t a fan of the latter. Tonally I couldn’t figure out what the book was supposed to be and I wasn’t a fan of the twists regarding the antagonist, whose actions I didn’t quite understand. I think Thomas was limiting as a narrator, and had we had Esther (the sister) and Chrissa’s POV, it could’ve been more compelling.

I wanted to read this book as I am interested in this particular period of English history and the witchcraft scenarios. This book covered well the religious zealotry, political issues, witchcraft and with many biblical references. This was excellently written and full of historical facts but I have to say that it did not give me the buzz I wanted. The actual mythical base story of the Leviathan was a little too much for me to accept, as was the idea of Esther being left in an attic and no-one knowing about her for over 60 years.

This book is perfect. It reaches into your soul and transports you to the time of the English Civil War and the darkness of superstition and fear.

Drawing on Hobbes’ 1651 text Leviathan, we are told in the first person a story of murder intwined with myth by Thomas Treadwater, a man tired of war and longing to return to his father and sister and farm. What greets him on his leave is far from his hopes and something has begun which no one could have predicted; evil has taken root at the farm and with his father ailing, it is down to Thomas to find the truth and save those closest to him.

This novel is steeped in atmosphere, from the bleak winter landscape, to the filthy towns and crashing surf of the Norfolk coast, we are transported to the era with ease. The superstition of the day, fear of witchcraft and treatment of women takes us down a route we might feel we are familiar with, and yet Andrews creates a fresh take on a dark time in history. There are twists and turns; some very big and some very subtle, and the story flows superbly throughout to a dramatic climax. Thomas as protagonist is a strong and wholesome character, he takes no nonsense and has a clear head, searching for truths amongst superstition. I particularly liked John Milton too, the poet was a welcome addition and we got a real feel of his character.

I’d give this a very solid 4 stars. Super stuff. I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us next.

An interesting story once it finally got going . It showed once again the fine line some women lead when they had a basic knowledge of healing through Herbs & other means ,& hence left them open to being accused of Witchcraft , it's a dark story & may not suit everyone . #Goodreads, #NetGalley, #FB, # Amazon.co.uk, #Instagram ,#<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/358a5cecda71b11036ec19d9f7bf5c96d13e2c55" width="80" height="80" alt="100 Book Reviews" title="100 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>,#<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>

Amazing book, loved it so much, especially it being set in Norfolk. Totally gripped from the first page. I hope there are more books like this from Rosie.

I’m sad to say that this one didn’t live up to my expectations - maybe the hype just bigged it up too much for me. I will start off by saying what I did enjoy. Given the time period that it’s set in, and that our main point of view is male, I found it really refreshing that he was very open minded. Whilst he harboured some of the typical viewpoints of women back in the day (being prim and proper), he was a bit of a world weary and learned, from his own past experiences in the civil war.

This book is also like several in one: it’s starts off as a typical witch-hunt but then flips into a very different book. I really enjoyed how the women in this story, as told through the eyes of our male POV, are mysterious, strong and hold all the cards (very tightly to their chests).

But sadly, I was expecting more creepy goings on, more scares, more darkness. It just felt a little too drawn out for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, the team at Bloomsbury & Raven books, and the author for the opportunity to read this review copy.

This was very well-written, wonderfully atmospheric gothic novel! This book follows two timelines; one in 1643 and the other in 1703- I do admit I didn't enjoy the 1703 timeline as much as the former and honestly would have been more than happy if the focus was just on 1643. I believe that the author, Rosie Andrews has some witchery powers of her own, because I was really mesmerised by her writing! I didn't get the need for 'the sea serpent' other than it gives us the name for the book. Nevertheless, I'm really glad I picked this ARC I was pleasantly surprised.

The author has a lovely writing style and this is certainly atmospheric however I didn't feel invested in it. The initial story line of a witch hunt started to get interesting and then it changed into a different mythical story. I didn't understand why certain choices were made but kept going and didn't find out at the end either.

I think was due to the ARC rather than the author but the lack of capital letters and sentences running into each other made it really difficult to follow at times and harder to get into.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.