Leviathan is an
alternative history set in 1914 Europe that I first heard about on the podcast
Escape Pod. I was instantly drawn in by Deryn, a teenage girl who disguises
herself as a boy to join the British Air Service. Deryn reminds me a lot of
Lyra Belacqua from Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. Both young
ladies have a strong set of core values, and do not hesitate to stand up to any
challenge. Deryn is a Darwinist—in the British Empire, the Darwin family has pioneered
crossbreeding innumerable creatures to create a vast array of living ships and
weapons. This strange menagerie is one of the most alluring parts of the story.
In stark contrast are the machines of the Austo-Hungarian Empire. Though quite
different than the British creations, these machines are equally intriguing.
Prince Aleksandar is our guide to these powerful creations, and the other half
of the story. Unlike Deryn, Alek is not worldly, or embarking on adventure of
his own choosing.
As with any book with two
narrators, you know as a reader that the storylines are bound to meet up. Though
this can make a story feel predictable at times, it is not the case with
Leviathan. The curious creatures and machines, as well as the threat of
impending war, make it very easy to envelop yourself in the story. If you are a
fan of sci-fi and YA, you are bound to enjoy Leviathan. If you are not a fan of
sci-fi, don’t let that discourage you from reading Leviathan. The story of two
teens fighting at the heart of a vast world war will captivate you.
Westerfeld, Scott. Leviathan. New York: Simon Pulse, 2009. Kindle Edition
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