Parent reviews for Leviathan

An adventerous read that will excite adults and kids a like. The books takes place during WWI and has some battle scenes but they are not graphic. I found Deryn to be an especially inspiring and relatable character.

Very very good I would read every book in the world if they were written by Scott westerfeld

If you like historical Sci-Fi then you will Love, I mean LOVE Leviathan. Leviathan takes place in World War I in the Hungary Empire. The book has two different sides, Clanker and Darwinists. Clankers are a steam-punk based society that run on steam and engines. Alec is a clanker that is the prince of Austria-Hungary. His parents were killed by Serbian assassins. Alec is on the run from the Germans, Serbians, and the rest of the Darwinists. The Darwinists are scientist structured and rely on fabricated monsters. Deryn is a girl from Scotland and is sneaking into the Darwinist military as a boy. Are Deryn and Alec going to meet? Will Deryn get caught? What is the Leviathan? If you want the answers to this, you'll have to read Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. Written by Drew-7th Grade

The first thing that could bother you is how Deryn works very hard and has her brother Jaspert as accomplice, to pull off the deception that she's NOT a girl. She goes to great lengths. I doubt kids will get ideas from her, because if your kids are determined, they are going to try it any way. This subject is something to discuss with your children who read the book. Also, the swearing is not our modern swearing, but there's a lot of it, and your kids may feel they can start doing the same. Then one day start using the real things. It's fine for adventure but it's not a moral based book. Darwinism and God are put head to head, with characters growing up in both worlds, but Dawrinism is favored. You can see the writers bias. This definitely became a subject of discussion with my Daughter who is eleven. There is no discussion of God or religion, which is a failure on the writers part to be fair and unbiased in presentation. Deryn is hard working, as is Alek, and they both show courage and face challenges a little too well. Alek startles a soldiers horse that pitches the soldier backwards to the ground resulting in the soldiers death. The book never approaches Alek's thoughts or feelings again on the matter which is another grave failure. In a world where death in media is so common and video games revel in it, it's discouraging that Scott Westerfeld was unwilling to have his character show remorse or further thought about it. The best part of the book is the descriptions of the bonding that Deryn and Alek have with the Leviathon. A living airship. But that coupled with description of the clankers and the belching smoke and oil, clearly indicates that Mr. Westerfeld has environmentalist sympathies. I believe he could have described or used "wise stewardship" or "management" as a proper angle. I only bring this up because Environmentalist groups are aiming at younger and younger individuals to assimilate them. They do not allow for discussion or difference of opinion.

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European Powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans (Clankers) use Kerosene-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British (Darwinists) employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, part of the British fleet. Aleksandar is the son of duke Franz Ferdenand who is on the run from the Darwinists who use fabricated animals as their war machines. His parents were killed and with the help of two of his father's assistants he hides from the enemy until he can take his father's place as ruler of the Clankers. The Clankers use machines for war instead of animals and they think its wrong to use animals. So naturally, the two groups are at war. Meanwhile Deryn is abord the Leviathan training to be a pilot, but instead of planes they use animals to fly. One of the best books for your child to read this summer! This is a new and original concept that is easy to pick up, but impossible to put down!!!