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ClareR (6197 KP) rated The Leviathan in Books

Feb 3, 2023  
The Leviathan
The Leviathan
Rosie Andrews | 2022 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
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.
  
Traitor in the Ice
Traitor in the Ice
K. J. Maitland | 2022 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I keep saying that I don’t like reading book series. I’m clearly lying, because read them I do (historical fiction = one of my great weaknesses!)

These Daniel Pursglove books are on my list of “Series I didn’t want to read and now I’m addicted to”, and they all seem to be historical fiction mysteries. Because, y’know, I don’t like mysteries either.

So! Daniel Pursglove is a spy in the early 1600’s and here he is, embroiled in the religious goings-on of the Montagues - a family who are rumoured to shelter Catholics. King James isn’t happy.

There are loads of secrets, spooky occurrences, a murder or two and plenty of suspense. It seems very historically accurate to me: it’s winter, and everything is cold, dark and difficult to live in!

This is a series I’ll be continuing with, there are another two books so far, so that should illustrate how good they are. He’s a very likeable main character, and he’s clearly being pressurised into being a spy.

Recommended!