Dalen Keys

Leviathan. I'll be honest I really didn't know what to expect when I received this book. The write up I received from the publisher & the back of the book sounded great and very interesting since it was about history and the lives of people who made an effort to make a difference in the lives of others but when I saw the cover I was like ho hum and then I began to read...

The writing and the dialogue weren't what caught my attention but the Civil War background and the story of the people who helped save escaping slaves is wonderful. It's a great way to introduce young people to that sad period of American History and a perfect opportunity for parents to open discussion for how we can help others who need help in so many ways. There are sections of the book that take the reader to a battle field and the story overlaps with actual battles that are about to take place and show the emotions and feelings of a 15 year old bugler during the war and some of the other soldiers, there is the story of a woman and her "staff" (yes, she refused to call them slaves or servants even) and how she set into motion a group of men who committed their lives to keeping secret how she helped slaves escape.

This is a very interesting story and I would love to read The Sacred Mountain which is the first book in this series. Very very interesting. I would say this book is for kids that have strong reading skills and the ability to stick to what they are reading. I found the dialogue a little hard to read personally but I think kids would definitely connect with this story if they enjoy history and "true story" type books about heroes.… (more)