REVIEW: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Review by Alexandra.

Interesting.  This is an alternate historical fantasy.  It mixes elements of the past (around the time of World War I) with elements of what could be the future.  All of this is done with adventure for the characters (and reader) in a way that makes you work along with the book.

Deryn and Alek are two teenagers, from very different backgrounds, on two sides of impending war.  Alek’s people are Clankers, they build machines to protect themselves and Deryn’s people are Darwinists, they have learnt about the ‘threads of life’ and create (‘fabricate’) creatures they believe are capable of anything any machine maker could build. 

When Deryn and Alek meet, their pressing priorities allow them to connect.  Both of them have big secrets.  Reading Leviathan you’ll find out how long those last…

Scott Westerfeld sums up the nature of the book blending past and present himself in his afterword:  “So Leviathan is as much about possible futures as alternate pasts.  It looks ahead to when machines will look like living creatures, and living creatures can be fabricated like machines.”

Leviathan brings you the brink of the start of the First World War but with a different angle, one worth reading. With Leviathan you end up fully living the journey with the characters.

I didn’t feel instantly pulled into the world of this book, or as if I was racing along with the plot, but it was still very exciting, and I enjoyed the world created by the author.  I’m looking forward to the next instalment.

Review by Alexandra

Comments

[The Brain Lair]

I really enjoyed this one. It's one I book talk to get kids into the steampunk books that I know they will love! Looking forward to Behemoth in the fall.

[Sophie]

I love Scott Westerfeld's books so my enjoyment of was was a little biased think. Though I probably wouldn't have read it if he hadn't of written it!

[Ria]

Scott Westerfeld....
Is he the author of the Uglies series?
Oh yeah- it says at the bottom!
I love historical, but its a pity you weren't to keen on it al. Do you like his other books?

[Alexandra]

Ria, it is, and I did really like it, it's a really great story, I'm now waiting for the sequel.
Alexandra

[Clover]

I think it took me a little while to get into the storyline and the characters, but once I did I really got into it all. I cannot wait for the next one! Did you read the paperback? Does it still have the fab illustrations that the hardback has?