Synopsis from jacket :
It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers; steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.
Aleksander Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She’s a brilliant airman. But her secret in constant danger of being discovered.
With the Great War brewing, Alek’s and Deryn’s paths cross in the most unexpected way …. Taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.
In one word – yes. Scott Westerfeld is an author that always surprises me. I never really know what to expect when I read his books. He always creates a complex world full of well-defined protagonists who are a mission to prove themselves. This book is no different. I LOVED that he chose to depict a male and female protagonist and gave them both equal time to develop.
The books is full of beautiful, detailed artwork, and as a teacher who struggles to find books to recommend for students who “hate” to read, I find it refreshing to have found a young adult book that has a great plot line and pictures to help lure readers in.
Leviathan is full of action providing full on explosions and weaponry. Boys will eat this book up.
What Bothered Me?
Nothing really; but, I would warn some that struggling readers may find the book hard to read, at first. Leviathan is told from two different points of view (Deryn’s and Alek’s) and some of my lower readers would find it hard to switch from one point of view to the other. It is something that takes a while to get used to, and I would encourage my readers to continue through as it becomes easier once they are “into the book.”
I'm glad I came across your review of this book. I read the entire Uglies series and adore Scott Westerfield's writing style and stories, but I did not know if I would be as intrigued by this book as the Uglies series. Now I think I might try to add it to my to-read list.
ReplyDeleteIt's great if you like a little bit of history thrown in. It's much more of a "boy" book than the Uglies series. Thanks for following!
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