It took me a while to get into this book for some reason, particularly with the dual timeline. I enjoyed the latter half though and thought the clever cameo appearance from John Milton worked really well, especially in relation to his knowledge of demons and the blinding scene.

1643. Parliament soldier Thomas Treadwater is called home to Norfolk by a disturbing letter from his younger sister, Esther, talking of an inappropriate relationship between their widowed father and a newly employed servant. By the time he reaches their family farm, events have taken a worrying turn: his father lies on his deathbed, and Esther is alone and unprotected in the farm house. Thomas is at a loss to understand what has been going on in his absence, especially since Esther's story of ungodly acts sounds far fetched to his rational mind.

The servant Esther claims to be at the root of the mayhem, Chrissa Moore, stands accused of witchcraft. She has been imprisoned awaiting trial, but when Thomas meets this beautiful and defiant woman he finds it hard to believe she is guilty, despite Esther's testimony. Thomas is determined to get to the bottom of the matter, but rather than being able to dispel superstitious stories, he discovers a dark and terrifying tale of murder, shipwreck, and evil at work in the world.

I came to The Leviathan expecting a novel about witch trials set against the political and religious turmoil of the English Civil War, and although Rosie Andrews draws you cleverly into thinking that this is indeed what this brilliant debut is about, it gradually becomes clear that this is a tale far darker and more deadly. Here there be monsters... something has awakened and it will not rest until chaos reigns.

It is difficult to talk too much about how this story unfolds without giving away spoilers, but I can tell you that Thomas' narration moves seemlessly back and forth between the time of his alarming discoveries that defy rational thought in 1643, and his later account from 1703 when he is an old man struggling with a terrible burden. The two combine to make a glorious whole in which Andrews conjures up a tale of ancient forces, possession, and the eternal struggle between good and evil, that is as spellbinding as it is terrifying.

Andrews delves into faith, responsibility, and human frailty, building tension slowly and keeping you on a knife edge of suspense about how the unenviable situation Thomas finds himself in can ultimately be resolved. She asks some intriguing philosophical questions along the way about the fate of humankind, and its path towards destruction, which are really thought provoking and work well with the surprising appearance of poet John Milton.

This book is one of the creepiest tales I have read in ages, with highly original twists and turns that kept me focused from beginning to end.

This is a beautifully written book. It is very atmospheric. It was fairly slow paced.
I wasn’t a fan of the mythology aspects but I did appreciate the skilful story telling

I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

There is no doubt that the author is an excellent writer; the prose is beautiful and the descriptions are vivid and wonderful. However I was not overly drawn into the story; I wanted to like it and to find it gripping but felt it dragged somewhat. A pity as it has the potential to be incredible.

Really enjoyed The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews. Such an unusual story, and so gorgeously written! Would recommend.

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.

(Actual rating 2.5/5, rounded up)

I enjoyed this book. I find this period of history, when witches were hunted and tried at courted, fascinating. It has an atmospheric Norfolk setting. However, my attention wandered for the final 20% of the book, when supernatural aspects took over.

I could not get into this book, ultimately it was not form me and I could not finish it. It may be one for other readers

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

I just can’t read this I’m sorry. Sometimes your mind just refuses to let a book in, to stop the words from making sense and confusing your senses.

Atmospheric and dark gothic horror encompassing witchcraft and mythology.

Returning from fighting in the English Civil War, Thomas discovers his father to be very ill with his sister blaming a newcomer's witchcraft for his declining health. Called on to give evidence and with other neighbours implicated, Thomas feels there must be another explanation and determines to investigate.

A rich story emerges dating back to his childhood and Thomas has to decide how to deal with the terrifying knowledge and protect his family.

I really struggled with this book and couldn't finish it until 2 years later, which I think could speak volumes for my lack of planning or also for how captivating I found the book itself. It's historic and very mysterious, unfolding slowly. Full of suspicion and witchcraft, which is why I thought it would be my cup of tea. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

Did not finish at 82 pages

Sadly this book just wasn’t for me. The pacing was a bit too slow. Honestly, I think I was expecting this book to be something it wasn’t and that’s totally on me.

The writing however is absolutely beautiful and flows is such a stunning way. I know for some people it’s going to be amazing and the perfect book but, right now, it’s not for me. I may come back to this book in the future but right now I just can’t see myself reading it without taking months to do so.

What I really liked about this book was that it had elements of horror, witchcraft and ancient mythology. The writing is very atmospheric and eerie. There is a strong feeling of foreboding that creates lots of tension in the air.

The historical detail of the time period of this tale is rich and well researched. I think the author gets the culture, politics, religion and the superstition of the witch trials during the 17th century spot on.

The main character of Thomas has many trials to get through in this book. He comes from a war back home to his family’s farm to find his father severely unwell and many animals dead and one of the servants imprisoned for witchcraft. Then to have his sister acting odd and the suspicion of some evil mythical creature lurking at his doorstep certainly makes for an entertaining read! Thomas has to question his beliefs and what is real or not.

The only thing that I was unsure of was how quickly things wrapped up at the end. I felt like the build up about the terrifying Leviathan was highly suspenseful but by the time I got to the ending it felt like something was missing. I needed a bit more of an explanation about the creature. However, I still throughly enjoyed it and I think it is a fantastic debut. I will certainly be looking forward to more from Rosie Andrews.

The Leviathan is a chilling, unsettling novel that will keep your eyes glued to its pages.

3.5 stars.

A really engrossing gothic novel that left me unable to sleep! Would strongly recommend this for fans of gothic and historical novels.

Well, after a year of having this I'm ashamed to admit I couldn't finish it, it just wasn't my cup of tea! However, my Wife very much enjoyed it, to the point where she purchased a copy for her Sister to read. She found the story to be fascinating, the characters strong and a really beauty setting. Definitely a hit with her!

3.5 stars

Rosie Andrews is an excellent writer. The language and the characters felt authentic and well-rounded and the majority of the plot as Thomas Treadwater returns home during the English Civil War to find his father incapacitated by a stroke and his younger sister Esther accusing their servant Chrissa of seducing and bewitching the older man. There is a wealth of research behind the story, a wonderful sense of time and gothic texture. The complexity of social relations and expectations is well-illustrated and the misogyny of witchcraft accusations made against and by women.

What prevented this from getting a higher star-rating for me was the mythology that provides the title. The Leviathan as a specific mythological creature was underdeveloped and, for me, jarred with the historical fiction element. It worked so well as a witch trial story rather than a witchcraft story that the fact that there were unambiguous supernatural elements was less interesting than the historical elements to me.

3.5 stars
A dark and mysterious read full of witchcraft and monsters. A mysterious tale which slowly unfolds as we follow Thomas through his life trying to understand what has happened to his family.

It’s 1643 and Thomas Treadwater has returned home injured from the Civil War. His father’s farm is in Norfolk, and his sister sent Thomas a letter, accusing their maidservant of bewitching their religious father. When Thomas arrives on the family land, it is to the sight of dead livestock, a sick father (a stroke), and a servant held responsible for both occurrences by way of witchcraft. Thomas doesn’t believe in witchcraft though, and decides to investigate what has happened for himself.

This beautiful story really does evoke the time: how women were regarded as witches if they knew too much, looked to beautiful, looked too ugly, or were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. I enjoyed reading about their thoughts on religion, philosophy and how the law worked. There was even a part for John Milton himself.

There are secrets galore, a shipwreck and a real leviathan. The menace seems to be constantly radiating off the page in this dark (and it felt to me) grey and damp time!

Recommended.