Valet Reader

Steampunk. I really have/had no idea what it meant. So, what’s the natural next step, to wiki it of course. You may be scoffing at me for not knowing what this term means but honestly that’d be unfair. The only images of steampunk that I had had were of people dressed up in funky (yet cool) Victorian costumes adorned with metal. Frankly, funky costumes can mean anything. Anyways, for those of you like me that are somewhat clueless, steampunk is apparently a genre that fuses sci-fi, fantasy and the idea that the world is still powered by steam. Most of the steampunk “artifacts” have a very Victorian feel, yet also involve (as I said) a sci-fi/fantasy element.

Where does that leave us and how does it relate to Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan? Well, apparently Leviathan is a steampunk young adult book. At least that’s the critics are saying. I’d have to agree, the book, for the most part has everything that description says and some. I didn’t even know I liked steampunk until I was finished with the book, that said, I liked the book.

(The below paragraph could possibly be a spoiler, I don’t think so, but reader beware and no blaming me. Just skip it if you’re worried.)

However, I’m going to start with something I did not like about the book. What is with that cliffhanger and what the hell are in those eggs?? Why oh why do I have to wait for the sequel to come out (advanced reader copy welcomed)? Unlike the cliffhangers in Uglies and Pretties (which Westerfeld also wrote) this one is ridiculous. I want to know now!!

Ok, onto the good. I’m going to start with most obvious and unconventional of the goods. This book has illustrations. Yes, you read that correctly, full on drawn pictures. No more do you have to rely on your imagination to picture what people or things may look like. Westerfeld has finally found a way to solve those problems! But seriously, they were actually really cool. I actually know what a “walker” or the “Leviathan” look like according to Westerfeld which is really cool. On to more things I liked, the story. The story was cool, new a steampunk’d (if that’s a word) vision of 1914 on the verge of World War I. Cool right? You need more evidence of good do ya? Well, there are two different stories in the book right, and for the longest time I had no idea how in the world Westerfeld was going to bring them together. Obviously he did and I was rather impressed, surprisingly enough I liked it.

Rather than try and summarize the story I thought I’d show you this trailer (yes, trailers are no longer just for movies):

Now, besides the cliffhanger, what can I be critical of? Like his other series Uglies Westerfeld finds a way to create his own language and it’s kind of starting to bother me. I had enough trouble trying to pick up and understand the words in his previous books and then to have to do it again was somewhat trying. For instance the use and subsequent overuse of “Barking spiders!” began to drive me a little nuts. Although, it was easier this time to cope with. I think I may just be getting more and more comfortable with his style of writing.

While I would like to continue being critical it’s somewhat difficult with this book, cause I enjoyed reading it. Unlike the Uglies series I get the feeling that Westerfeld chose to make the themes of this book somewhat opaque. Some of course are visible on the surface like the boy vs. girl and aristocracy vs. plebeian themes but there are others buried in there. But I’m not going to go any further into it. I leave it up to you to read the book and figure out what I’m talking about.