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Weyward
I am a Weyward, and wild inside.
2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.
1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.
1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.
Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.
2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.
1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.
1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.
Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.
416 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2023
About the author
Emilia Hart
2 books2,649 followersEmilia Hart is a British-Australian writer. She was born in Sydney and studied English Literature and Law at the University of New South Wales before working as a lawyer in Sydney and London.
Emilia is a graduate of Curtis Brown Creative’s Three Month Online Novel Writing Course and was Highly Commended in the 2021 Caledonia Novel Award. Her short fiction has been published in Australia and the UK. "Weyward" is her debut novel. She lives in London, England.
Emilia is a graduate of Curtis Brown Creative’s Three Month Online Novel Writing Course and was Highly Commended in the 2021 Caledonia Novel Award. Her short fiction has been published in Australia and the UK. "Weyward" is her debut novel. She lives in London, England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 19,575 reviews
January 14, 2023
Three women in different time periods who like nature are treated horribly by men. That's it, that's the book.
Look, I'm sorry, I just did not have a good time reading this book. I actually wanted to put it down due to the high volume of confronting content and my own discomfort with it. I was also just not engaged with the characters and frankly, bored. I was somehow both confronted and bored. However I was gifted such a beautiful advance copy, I speed read the second half just so I could form an overall impression.
I've learned that in contemporary fiction, if something is described as "hopeful", it is 98% incredibly miserable, with a tiny bit of "hope" thrown in at the end so you don't jump off a bridge afterwards. Apparently, same goes for "empowering".
This book contains a lot of triggering and hard to read content. I read a review that warned you to "check content warnings". Where?? Where are these magical content warnings?? Why would you say that and then not supply the actual warnings??
Well, here you go: this book contains a lot of r*pe and sexual assault (including of a teenager), domestic violence, pregnancy (including unwanted), pregnancy loss, miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth, and just general male abuse and subjugation of women. Like, a LOT of these things. Also some suicidal ideation and almost attempt. Don't let the pretty cover fool you.
I just couldn't find any useful commentary or message in here to justify an entire book's worth of discomfort for me. I already know that men have been awful to women for a long time. I just don't get why I'd want to read about that. And yet somehow I also never felt particularly engaged with the characters.
The magical realism to me really defeated any "empowering" undertone because I just kept thinking - all this stuff really happens but to people who can't control birds and insects so... it kind of felt like the whole idea of the empowering vengeance and freedom was just a fairytale. Real abused women don't get saved and protected by magical elements. So there's nothing empowering about that for me.
I also felt like there was a real focus on a woman being someone with a womb who can continue a family line. The bit at the end with Altha and Adam made me really uncomfortable.
Overall this book just didn't gel for me and I couldn't get past the ick feelings I felt from a lot of the content. A lot of people seem to rate this book very highly so I guess it has worked for others.
Look, I'm sorry, I just did not have a good time reading this book. I actually wanted to put it down due to the high volume of confronting content and my own discomfort with it. I was also just not engaged with the characters and frankly, bored. I was somehow both confronted and bored. However I was gifted such a beautiful advance copy, I speed read the second half just so I could form an overall impression.
I've learned that in contemporary fiction, if something is described as "hopeful", it is 98% incredibly miserable, with a tiny bit of "hope" thrown in at the end so you don't jump off a bridge afterwards. Apparently, same goes for "empowering".
This book contains a lot of triggering and hard to read content. I read a review that warned you to "check content warnings". Where?? Where are these magical content warnings?? Why would you say that and then not supply the actual warnings??
Well, here you go: this book contains a lot of r*pe and sexual assault (including of a teenager), domestic violence, pregnancy (including unwanted), pregnancy loss, miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth, and just general male abuse and subjugation of women. Like, a LOT of these things. Also some suicidal ideation and almost attempt. Don't let the pretty cover fool you.
I just couldn't find any useful commentary or message in here to justify an entire book's worth of discomfort for me. I already know that men have been awful to women for a long time. I just don't get why I'd want to read about that. And yet somehow I also never felt particularly engaged with the characters.
The magical realism to me really defeated any "empowering" undertone because I just kept thinking - all this stuff really happens but to people who can't control birds and insects so... it kind of felt like the whole idea of the empowering vengeance and freedom was just a fairytale. Real abused women don't get saved and protected by magical elements. So there's nothing empowering about that for me.
I also felt like there was a real focus on a woman being someone with a womb who can continue a family line. The bit at the end with Altha and Adam made me really uncomfortable.
Overall this book just didn't gel for me and I couldn't get past the ick feelings I felt from a lot of the content. A lot of people seem to rate this book very highly so I guess it has worked for others.
Shelved as 'arc'
April 11, 2024Sublime - a beautiful exploration of three women and their deep connection to the natural world and each other.
This is a story of strong, unconventional women who discover their power waging their same-but-different battles against the patriarchy (different centuries, same old shit). There are beautiful elements of magic here for those who like that, but they won't be' off-putting for those who don't (these are green witches, not Halloween witches - there are no spells, cauldrons, or black hats). The author beautifully captured the magic of the natural world, and the way it heals, sustains, and gives life.
I was surprised to learn that this is the author's debut - the story is so layered and nuanced, and written with a confident hand. The book is well-crafted, with beautiful writing, intricate characters, vivid imagery and symbolism, lovely pacing, and three equally-compelling storylines that unfold and interweave seamlessly. The womens' discoveries of their individual and shared gifts is well done, and each woman's behavior and choices are logical and appropriate for her time, place, and historical context. A triple narrative and triple timeline can be tricky as one character's story is generally more interesting or more thoroughly developed than the others, but there is no weak link here - all three characters and storylines equally compelling.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Maritn's Press for this ARC.
This is a story of strong, unconventional women who discover their power waging their same-but-different battles against the patriarchy (different centuries, same old shit). There are beautiful elements of magic here for those who like that, but they won't be' off-putting for those who don't (these are green witches, not Halloween witches - there are no spells, cauldrons, or black hats). The author beautifully captured the magic of the natural world, and the way it heals, sustains, and gives life.
I was surprised to learn that this is the author's debut - the story is so layered and nuanced, and written with a confident hand. The book is well-crafted, with beautiful writing, intricate characters, vivid imagery and symbolism, lovely pacing, and three equally-compelling storylines that unfold and interweave seamlessly. The womens' discoveries of their individual and shared gifts is well done, and each woman's behavior and choices are logical and appropriate for her time, place, and historical context. A triple narrative and triple timeline can be tricky as one character's story is generally more interesting or more thoroughly developed than the others, but there is no weak link here - all three characters and storylines equally compelling.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Maritn's Press for this ARC.
June 8, 2023
4.5⭐
In 2019, twenty-nine-year-old Kate Ayres flees London to escape an abusive relationship and finds sanctuary in Weyward Cottage, Crows Beck, Cumbria – a property left for her by her late Aunt Violet. As she embarks on rebuilding her life, her curiosity about the property prompts her to research her family history. As she learns more about her incredible legacy and the women who came before her, not only does Kate begin to see herself in a new light but also understands that she too possesses the power to take control of her life just like her ancestors.
In 1942, sixteen-year-old Violet Ayres leads a suffocating life in her home at Orton Hall where lives with her father and younger brother. She does not know much about her late mother except for what she overhears in hushed conversations among the household staff. She dreams of becoming a scientist, studying animals and traveling the world. But an unfortunate turn of events finds her cast out of her home, fending for herself alone in a cottage that once belonged to her mother.
In 1619, twenty-one-year-old Altha Weyward, a healer with a deep connection to nature just like her late mother Jennet is on trial after the death of a man in her village. Accused of witchcraft and imprisoned in a dark cell, she waits for the verdict which will seal her fate.
“I am trying to think of where the beginning is. Who decides where things begin and end? I do not know if time moves in a straight line, or a circle. Here, the years do not pass so much as loop back on themselves: winter becomes spring becomes summer becomes autumn becomes winter again. Sometimes I think that all of time is happening at once. So you could say that this story begins now, as I sit down to write it, or you could say that it began when the first Weyward woman was born, so many moons ago.”
Combining elements of women’s fiction, historical fiction and magical realism author Emilia Hart expertly weaves the three different threads of this story into a compelling narrative. The narrative is shared through multiple perspectives. We follow Kate’s story in the present day with separate chapters detailing Violet‘s and Altha’s stories interspersed throughout the novel. Superb characterizations, vivid imagery, atmospheric settings and simple yet elegant writing make for an immersive reading experience. The narrative has strong feminine overtones and though several (not all) of the male characters are unlikable, the author does not indulge in verbose male-bashing or farfetched revenge drama but instead weaves a narrative highlighting the personal growth and resilience of these women and the comfort and strength they harness from their deep connection to nature, that sees them through the adversity they face in their lives. It is sad that despite living centuries apart each of these women had to endure instances of neglect, abuse and oppression. The symbolism of Weyward cottage and how it continues to be a safe haven and a source of strength for the Weyward women through the centuries is particularly significant. This is a story about family, legacy and courage. Emilia Hart’s Weyward is an impressive debut that I would not hesitate to recommend. I also must mention that the cover art for this novel is absolutely stunning.
Many thanks to author Emilia Hart, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
“Witch. The word slithers from the mouth like a serpent, drips from the tongue as thick and black as tar. We never thought of ourselves as witches, my mother and I. For this was a word invented by men, a word that brings power to those who speak it, not those it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses.”
October 21, 2023
Weyward is used in the First Folio edition of Macbeth. In later versions, Weyward was replaced by Weird.
Weyward introduces readers to the Ayres-Weyward family and this is a tale of three women, all from the same family line, we get four hundred years of their history starting in 1619 and ending in 2019. I could have read a whole book on Altha in 1619 or Violet in 1942 as I loved these chapters most. We get all three lady's points of view in alternating chapters and they are clear, distinct voices.
I am fairly new to the magical realism genre but I am fast learning why it is so popular. This particular book encapsulates many genres other than magical realism, we have some women's fiction and of course the historical side. What I found most fascinating was Emilia Hart's ability to set scenery, her way of describing sights, sounds and smells was visceral and I could easily picture all three ladies' lives in my mind's eye.
I loved having three strong female leads to read about and cheer on I cared about them and wanted good things to happen to them. I also liked how the book showed that even in the modern age women are still trying to be equal four hundred years later. My time spent with these ladies was simply magical.
Weyward introduces readers to the Ayres-Weyward family and this is a tale of three women, all from the same family line, we get four hundred years of their history starting in 1619 and ending in 2019. I could have read a whole book on Altha in 1619 or Violet in 1942 as I loved these chapters most. We get all three lady's points of view in alternating chapters and they are clear, distinct voices.
I am fairly new to the magical realism genre but I am fast learning why it is so popular. This particular book encapsulates many genres other than magical realism, we have some women's fiction and of course the historical side. What I found most fascinating was Emilia Hart's ability to set scenery, her way of describing sights, sounds and smells was visceral and I could easily picture all three ladies' lives in my mind's eye.
I loved having three strong female leads to read about and cheer on I cared about them and wanted good things to happen to them. I also liked how the book showed that even in the modern age women are still trying to be equal four hundred years later. My time spent with these ladies was simply magical.
March 7, 2024
“We never thought of ourselves as witches, my mother and I. For this was a word invented by men, a word that brings power to those that speak it, not those that it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses.”
I went back and forth on reading this for ages and I read a LOT of very different reviews. Everything from it being super original (I don’t think so) to being super boring (I have to disagree), from it being anti-abortion to all the men being horrid abusers (#NotAllMen).
Because of this, I went into it unsure what to expect. And I ended up really liking it.
I definitely wouldn't rush to say this is an original tale-- it's pretty heavy on the tropes. Three different generations of women-- Altha from the 1600s accused of witchcraft, Violet from the 1940s struggling with what is perceived as the correct way to be a woman, and Kate from the present running away from an abusive boyfriend --deal with various shit from various men, but discover their inner strength through connecting with one another and with nature.
So, not particularly original but I guess I have a soft spot for a witch (or two or three or four) fighting against the patriarchy.
It's a pretty dark tale about generational trauma, and those sensitive to depictions of domestic abuse, rape and abortion should be aware that Weyward gets quite graphic at times. Personally, I thought the balance was pretty good. Very dark and awful, yet imbued with a positive message about female power.
I understand the complaints about all the misogyny these women have to endure, but it was that, for me, that made the climax of the book so satisfying. It is true that the book is mostly compelling because of all the shitty men and the awful things they do or attempt to do to women, but, hell, do I enjoy seeing an abusive dickwad get his comeuppance!
What can I say? I had fun.
April 8, 2023
5+ stars!
All Time Favourites List! 🏆
A gothic, witchy, mysterious, atmospheric tale that had me addicted to every word and not wanting the story to end.
This was absolute perfection! This debut novel included every single element I love in my books. Deeply buried family secrets. An old, secluded, crumbling cottage in the countryside surrounded by forest. Multiple timelines. Endearing, believable and root worthy female main characters. Hidden locks, doors and diaries. Entrancing tension and foreboding atmosphere. The healing power of nature. Pregnancy/motherhood theme.
Bottom line — I adored every single word of this novel! It was an exquisitely written mystery with a brilliantly woven, slow burn, tension filled plot. I highly recommend!!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!
All Time Favourites List! 🏆
A gothic, witchy, mysterious, atmospheric tale that had me addicted to every word and not wanting the story to end.
This was absolute perfection! This debut novel included every single element I love in my books. Deeply buried family secrets. An old, secluded, crumbling cottage in the countryside surrounded by forest. Multiple timelines. Endearing, believable and root worthy female main characters. Hidden locks, doors and diaries. Entrancing tension and foreboding atmosphere. The healing power of nature. Pregnancy/motherhood theme.
Bottom line — I adored every single word of this novel! It was an exquisitely written mystery with a brilliantly woven, slow burn, tension filled plot. I highly recommend!!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!
January 26, 2024
kinda like The Lost Apothecary but with rape and abuse
so uh, not for me!!!
so uh, not for me!!!
April 26, 2023
"Weyward" by Emilia Hart is a mix of Historical & Women's Fiction with touches of Magical Realism!
In 2019, twenty-nine-year-old Kate Ayres escapes a physically and emotionally abusive relationship in London for Weyward Cottage. This rundown cottage, with its tangled gardens, was inherited from her Great Aunt Violet, who she barely remembers. Struggling with memories of her past, Kate soon discovers secrets Violet has kept hidden dating as far back as 1619 and the witch trials of the 17th century.
In 1619, twenty-one-year-old Altha Weyward remembers being taught the knowledge of the natural world by her mother. Women who are different are presumed dangerous and she finds herself accused of witchcraft and awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer. She knows it will take all her knowledge and powers to sustain her freedom.
In 1942, sixteen-year-old Violet Ayres feels trapped, and longs for the education and freedom her brother Graham is allowed. She craves more detail about her mother who died years ago. All she possesses of her mother is a locket with the initial "W" and the word "Weyward" scratched into the baseboard in her bedroom.
Three timelines of three Weyward women with similar stories, living in three different centuries and bound together by their innate connection to the natural world.
This was a slow starter for me with simplistic writing and alternating chapters that initially hampered my introduction to the three main characters. However, the farther I read, the depth to the story continued to build and before I knew it I couldn't put it down.
I found each of the three women's stories equally compelling and mysterious, becoming fully invested in each of them. The short chapters were a plus for story's pace, and I enjoyed how just enough of a carrot was offered at the end of each chapter to lure you on to the next.
I believe Weyward Cottage to have special importance to this story. It provided shelter and refuge, a garden for nourishment, plants for medicinal purposes, and was surrounded by nature and wild life. The cottage felt like it was "living and breathing" from generation to generation and representative of another character in the story.
This story came together so beautifully and I buzzed through the last part because I couldn't wait to see how it played out. There was one characters that was in need of more development but it wasn't one of the main characters, and I felt the 'love and magic of nature' in the story over-shadowed any writing flaws.
This author has such potential and I'm excited for her! I hope she stays with this genre, but regardless of the direction she takes, I look forward to her next offering! I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a blend of Historical & Women's Fiction with touches of Magical Realism!
Thank you to Melissa and Sheyla for the invitation to my first official Buddy-read! You're the best!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Emilia Hart for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
In 2019, twenty-nine-year-old Kate Ayres escapes a physically and emotionally abusive relationship in London for Weyward Cottage. This rundown cottage, with its tangled gardens, was inherited from her Great Aunt Violet, who she barely remembers. Struggling with memories of her past, Kate soon discovers secrets Violet has kept hidden dating as far back as 1619 and the witch trials of the 17th century.
In 1619, twenty-one-year-old Altha Weyward remembers being taught the knowledge of the natural world by her mother. Women who are different are presumed dangerous and she finds herself accused of witchcraft and awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer. She knows it will take all her knowledge and powers to sustain her freedom.
In 1942, sixteen-year-old Violet Ayres feels trapped, and longs for the education and freedom her brother Graham is allowed. She craves more detail about her mother who died years ago. All she possesses of her mother is a locket with the initial "W" and the word "Weyward" scratched into the baseboard in her bedroom.
Three timelines of three Weyward women with similar stories, living in three different centuries and bound together by their innate connection to the natural world.
This was a slow starter for me with simplistic writing and alternating chapters that initially hampered my introduction to the three main characters. However, the farther I read, the depth to the story continued to build and before I knew it I couldn't put it down.
I found each of the three women's stories equally compelling and mysterious, becoming fully invested in each of them. The short chapters were a plus for story's pace, and I enjoyed how just enough of a carrot was offered at the end of each chapter to lure you on to the next.
I believe Weyward Cottage to have special importance to this story. It provided shelter and refuge, a garden for nourishment, plants for medicinal purposes, and was surrounded by nature and wild life. The cottage felt like it was "living and breathing" from generation to generation and representative of another character in the story.
This story came together so beautifully and I buzzed through the last part because I couldn't wait to see how it played out. There was one characters that was in need of more development but it wasn't one of the main characters, and I felt the 'love and magic of nature' in the story over-shadowed any writing flaws.
This author has such potential and I'm excited for her! I hope she stays with this genre, but regardless of the direction she takes, I look forward to her next offering! I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a blend of Historical & Women's Fiction with touches of Magical Realism!
Thank you to Melissa and Sheyla for the invitation to my first official Buddy-read! You're the best!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Emilia Hart for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
March 6, 2023
What is it to be a (uterus having) woman?
This story follows three women through time, all of them related. Kate lives in the modern era, desperate to escape her abusive partner. Violet lives in the 20th century, with a cold father who keeps their deceased mother a mystery from his children. The 3rd women is Altha, she’s a local healer who is on trial for witchcraft after a man was found trampled by cows. These women are separated by time but not by blood, and all of them face the worst possible realities that their respective society can provide.
This book is touted as a female empowering/female resilience type story, but all it really does is put female characters into graphic situations (note: there are many trigger warnings for this book including but not limited to graphic rape, abuse, abortion, deadly injury, persecution, and humiliation/forced nakedness. Then the woman characters deal with that trauma all alone -ahem, not alone, they have their ancestors’ spirits with them- and only one of them ends up with someone by their side in the end…
There are a lot of female characters in this book, and out of all of them, only a single one wasn’t brutalized, raped, or otherwise ostracized by a male character. The ending, which was written as though it was empowering, instead felt incredibly sad. Is it really the legacy of the line of these magical women to be tormented by the world of men, forever? Is it really the legacy of the men who encounter them to be, at best, a “kind man, but still, a man,”? Does our world really need books like these, where the primary force of “female empowerment” is a connection to nature that only occurs in magical realism? I sure hope not.
This story follows three women through time, all of them related. Kate lives in the modern era, desperate to escape her abusive partner. Violet lives in the 20th century, with a cold father who keeps their deceased mother a mystery from his children. The 3rd women is Altha, she’s a local healer who is on trial for witchcraft after a man was found trampled by cows. These women are separated by time but not by blood, and all of them face the worst possible realities that their respective society can provide.
This book is touted as a female empowering/female resilience type story, but all it really does is put female characters into graphic situations (note: there are many trigger warnings for this book including but not limited to graphic rape, abuse, abortion, deadly injury, persecution, and humiliation/forced nakedness. Then the woman characters deal with that trauma all alone -ahem, not alone, they have their ancestors’ spirits with them- and only one of them ends up with someone by their side in the end…
There are a lot of female characters in this book, and out of all of them, only a single one wasn’t brutalized, raped, or otherwise ostracized by a male character. The ending, which was written as though it was empowering, instead felt incredibly sad. Is it really the legacy of the line of these magical women to be tormented by the world of men, forever? Is it really the legacy of the men who encounter them to be, at best, a “kind man, but still, a man,”? Does our world really need books like these, where the primary force of “female empowerment” is a connection to nature that only occurs in magical realism? I sure hope not.
July 16, 2023
“Perhaps one day (...) there will be a safer time, when women could walk the Earth, shining bright with power, and yet live.”
Separated by centuries but connected by family and sharing similar misfortunes at the hands of misogynistic men. 'Weyward' is the story of three women, their tumultuous lives, and their determination to survive against the odds. This is Kate’s story who has escaped an abusive relationship, is pregnant but determined to rebuild a life with her child away from a bullying and violent husband. The most recent story set in 2019.
Going back to 1942 is Violet’s story who has been disowned and banished to a small cottage by her detestable father at a time when women's reputation was virtually all she had. Finally, we have Altha who is on trial for witchcraft which in the 1600s means sure death. A healer which became the focal point of a man's accusing finger when it suited, or when something could not be easily explained. Thereby feeding the hysteria of witchcraft during this period of history.
"Witch. The word slithers from the mouth like a serpent..... a word invented by men, a word that brings power to those that speak it, not those that it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses.”
What unites them all is Weyward cottage, the book takes its title from. A perfect backdrop steeped in history with its own story to tell as we transcend generations of this family.
Review and Comments
For an accomplished writer this would be considered a great book but as a debut novel, I can’t give this enough praise.
Storyline and Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Weaving three time periods, plots and people was superbly done. Loved all three. If I had one request, then I would like to have spent more time in Altha’s story that involved witchcraft because I am intrigued with an older timeframe and all this period had to offer.
Main Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The character development was wonderful and the strongest element of the book. I felt fully invested in the three female characters which is sometimes difficult to achieve in a novel of this nature.
Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐ simple, easy to read, captivating, atmospheric, haunting, suspenseful, and theatrical. What more could you ask for.
In all a chilling, mysterious and atmospheric book that you would not regret adding to your list.
Separated by centuries but connected by family and sharing similar misfortunes at the hands of misogynistic men. 'Weyward' is the story of three women, their tumultuous lives, and their determination to survive against the odds. This is Kate’s story who has escaped an abusive relationship, is pregnant but determined to rebuild a life with her child away from a bullying and violent husband. The most recent story set in 2019.
Going back to 1942 is Violet’s story who has been disowned and banished to a small cottage by her detestable father at a time when women's reputation was virtually all she had. Finally, we have Altha who is on trial for witchcraft which in the 1600s means sure death. A healer which became the focal point of a man's accusing finger when it suited, or when something could not be easily explained. Thereby feeding the hysteria of witchcraft during this period of history.
"Witch. The word slithers from the mouth like a serpent..... a word invented by men, a word that brings power to those that speak it, not those that it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses.”
What unites them all is Weyward cottage, the book takes its title from. A perfect backdrop steeped in history with its own story to tell as we transcend generations of this family.
Review and Comments
For an accomplished writer this would be considered a great book but as a debut novel, I can’t give this enough praise.
Storyline and Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Weaving three time periods, plots and people was superbly done. Loved all three. If I had one request, then I would like to have spent more time in Altha’s story that involved witchcraft because I am intrigued with an older timeframe and all this period had to offer.
Main Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The character development was wonderful and the strongest element of the book. I felt fully invested in the three female characters which is sometimes difficult to achieve in a novel of this nature.
Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐ simple, easy to read, captivating, atmospheric, haunting, suspenseful, and theatrical. What more could you ask for.
In all a chilling, mysterious and atmospheric book that you would not regret adding to your list.
Want to read
November 11, 2023DNF at 18%. I'm really not feeling it sadly :/
August 13, 2023
I am so tired of stories of female resilience or empowerment being centered around misogyny and abuse, which I suppose isn't entirely this book's fault, but for a book published in 2023, Weyward feels remarkably stale. In some ways, it's almost like a retread of Practical Magic…but much less fun.
Maybe I should have anticipated the content in this based on the synopsis, but I really did not expect the endless amount of abuse featured here. Every single storyline in this involves physical, sexual, and psychological abuse of women at the hands of men. On top of that, the three women featured are fairly isolated and have very little support, and most of the male characters are vile and controlling abusers with no nuance. The suspense around the climax of this novel is built upon the question of women's safety at the hands of their abusers, which is just something I did not enjoy.
It seems like Weyward was maybe trying to fit in amongst the canon of female rage or revenge stories, but there's just something that's missing. This doesn't provide the catharsis that I want from a female revenge story, as there's too much time spent on women being brutalized. The justice is fleeting and the solution to being unsafe is being alone.
Something that is not mentioned at all in the synopsis is the focus this novel puts on pregnancy. Every storyline revolves around pregnancy. If I had known that, I probably would have not picked this up. This may be a plot point that really connects with some readers, but I am just not interested in reading a book that is so devoted to examining pregnancy. It felt like womanhood was inherently tied to the ability and desire to have a children (and not just children but specifically daughters who will then go on to have more daughters), and I just have a lot of complicated feelings about that. I wish the synopsis of the book had mentioned this, instead of pregnancy being a surprise twist in every timeline.
However, the thing that really sealed the deal on this being an unenjoyable reading experience is that it's just straight up boring. Even though I didn't love reading about all the harrowing things happening to these female characters, it didn't really affect me much emotionally because the writing just isn't strong enough. The characters are pretty flat and lacking in distinct personality. There aren't any worthwhile relationships to grasp onto, and the setting is never described in a way that is particularly enticing. It's all just aggressively mediocre.
Maybe I should have anticipated the content in this based on the synopsis, but I really did not expect the endless amount of abuse featured here. Every single storyline in this involves physical, sexual, and psychological abuse of women at the hands of men. On top of that, the three women featured are fairly isolated and have very little support, and most of the male characters are vile and controlling abusers with no nuance. The suspense around the climax of this novel is built upon the question of women's safety at the hands of their abusers, which is just something I did not enjoy.
It seems like Weyward was maybe trying to fit in amongst the canon of female rage or revenge stories, but there's just something that's missing. This doesn't provide the catharsis that I want from a female revenge story, as there's too much time spent on women being brutalized. The justice is fleeting and the solution to being unsafe is being alone.
Something that is not mentioned at all in the synopsis is the focus this novel puts on pregnancy. Every storyline revolves around pregnancy. If I had known that, I probably would have not picked this up. This may be a plot point that really connects with some readers, but I am just not interested in reading a book that is so devoted to examining pregnancy. It felt like womanhood was inherently tied to the ability and desire to have a children (and not just children but specifically daughters who will then go on to have more daughters), and I just have a lot of complicated feelings about that. I wish the synopsis of the book had mentioned this, instead of pregnancy being a surprise twist in every timeline.
However, the thing that really sealed the deal on this being an unenjoyable reading experience is that it's just straight up boring. Even though I didn't love reading about all the harrowing things happening to these female characters, it didn't really affect me much emotionally because the writing just isn't strong enough. The characters are pretty flat and lacking in distinct personality. There aren't any worthwhile relationships to grasp onto, and the setting is never described in a way that is particularly enticing. It's all just aggressively mediocre.
May 1, 2024
5/5 ✧₊⁺☆
I did not expect to be taken back by this book as much as I was, towards the end I did let out a few tears. There's something about powerful women in this context that pulls at my heartstrings. I love the idea that the past women from your family are with you, and grant you strength. I choose to believe in that wholeheartedly and this story perfectly embodied that.
The entire time I was reading this, 'Can't Catch Me Now,' by Olivia Rodrigo was just playing on a loop in the back of my mind.
︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶
જ⁀➴ Plot:
This book follows 3 women in 3 different timelines. This was so masterfully done - there was high stakes in each of the POV's, so I wasn't dreading any of them or wanting to skim past anything. The main themes revolve around empowering women, and learning to embrace their own nature - not what a man dictates for them.
As a thriller/mystery girl, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy the narrative of this because I felt like it would be more of a recount, but I assure you I was flipping through the pages.
જ⁀➴ Characters:
I think all the characters were well written. I was sort of expecting all the characters to have the same personality in this kind of world - but they are all different and express their 'wild' nature differently. Altha is caring, yet bold. She was such a sweetheart in this. Violet, also bold - but her tendency for justice and her willpower shone through a tad more. Kate was my favourite. Which on reflection is an odd choice. I just connected with her more as a character, and her chapters are the ones that tugged tears from my eyes (for all the right reasons).
જ⁀➴ World/Setting:
I could picture the world beautifully. The descriptions of nature in this are amazing. I thought of forest fairies and living in giant mushrooms type vibe.
જ⁀➴ Pacing:
My only complaint with this - is around 60% I did feel a tiny bit like nothing was happening, a bit too much filler. Other than that, the story flowed and I was able to turn the pages with ease.
જ⁀➴ Enjoyment:
Not to be a broken record, but the power of those who come before you is such a key theme in my life so I loved this.
︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶
score card:
plot: 5/5
characters: 5/5
world/setting: 5/5
pacing: 4.5/5 ( i dont care its still a 5)
enjoyment: 5/5
total: 4.9/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
𐙚 ‧₊˚ reading log
hours of reading: 4.3
avg. minutes per session: 16
avg. pages per minute: 2.8
12/04 9:40pm
this has so many emotions. i love strong women and their power being channeled through those who come after them. i'm almost done, i'm just so tired but i really want to know how it ends!
12/04 11:44am
i love the themes in this. i love the concept of shared blood between women over generations.
11/04 7:30pm
if you’ve watched the vampire diaries, this is giving me petrova blood line vibes
˚ �� ✦ . . ˚ . . ✦ ˚ . ★⋆.
. ˚ ✭ * ✦ . . ✦ ˚ ˚ .˚ ✭ . . ˚ . ✦
pre-reading 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
let's read the 2023 goodreads choice winner for best historical fiction! it's a genre that I used to love as a child, so I'm looking forward to this. I don't have toooo many expectations, I just hope the plot will be able to keep my limited attention span happy (love ADHD)
"Weyward, they called us, when we would not submit, would not bend to their will. But we learned to wear the name with pride"
I did not expect to be taken back by this book as much as I was, towards the end I did let out a few tears. There's something about powerful women in this context that pulls at my heartstrings. I love the idea that the past women from your family are with you, and grant you strength. I choose to believe in that wholeheartedly and this story perfectly embodied that.
The entire time I was reading this, 'Can't Catch Me Now,' by Olivia Rodrigo was just playing on a loop in the back of my mind.
︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶
જ⁀➴ Plot:
This book follows 3 women in 3 different timelines. This was so masterfully done - there was high stakes in each of the POV's, so I wasn't dreading any of them or wanting to skim past anything. The main themes revolve around empowering women, and learning to embrace their own nature - not what a man dictates for them.
As a thriller/mystery girl, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy the narrative of this because I felt like it would be more of a recount, but I assure you I was flipping through the pages.
જ⁀➴ Characters:
I think all the characters were well written. I was sort of expecting all the characters to have the same personality in this kind of world - but they are all different and express their 'wild' nature differently. Altha is caring, yet bold. She was such a sweetheart in this. Violet, also bold - but her tendency for justice and her willpower shone through a tad more. Kate was my favourite. Which on reflection is an odd choice. I just connected with her more as a character, and her chapters are the ones that tugged tears from my eyes (for all the right reasons).
જ⁀➴ World/Setting:
I could picture the world beautifully. The descriptions of nature in this are amazing. I thought of forest fairies and living in giant mushrooms type vibe.
જ⁀➴ Pacing:
My only complaint with this - is around 60% I did feel a tiny bit like nothing was happening, a bit too much filler. Other than that, the story flowed and I was able to turn the pages with ease.
જ⁀➴ Enjoyment:
Not to be a broken record, but the power of those who come before you is such a key theme in my life so I loved this.
"The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet." - Adrienne Rich
︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶
score card:
plot: 5/5
characters: 5/5
world/setting: 5/5
pacing: 4.5/5 ( i dont care its still a 5)
enjoyment: 5/5
total: 4.9/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
𐙚 ‧₊˚ reading log
hours of reading: 4.3
avg. minutes per session: 16
avg. pages per minute: 2.8
12/04 9:40pm
this has so many emotions. i love strong women and their power being channeled through those who come after them. i'm almost done, i'm just so tired but i really want to know how it ends!
12/04 11:44am
i love the themes in this. i love the concept of shared blood between women over generations.
11/04 7:30pm
if you’ve watched the vampire diaries, this is giving me petrova blood line vibes
˚ �� ✦ . . ˚ . . ✦ ˚ . ★⋆.
. ˚ ✭ * ✦ . . ✦ ˚ ˚ .˚ ✭ . . ˚ . ✦
pre-reading 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
let's read the 2023 goodreads choice winner for best historical fiction! it's a genre that I used to love as a child, so I'm looking forward to this. I don't have toooo many expectations, I just hope the plot will be able to keep my limited attention span happy (love ADHD)
January 15, 2023
Three women. Five centuries. One secret.
2019
Kate flees an abusive relationship and goes to Weyward Cottage which she inherited from her eccentric Aunt Violet, an entomologist.
1942
Sixteen-year-old Violet Ayres, years for answers about her deceased mother. The only thing she has of her mother's is a locket. She is viewed as different, yet some would say she is similar to her mother.
1619
Altha Weyward has been accused of witchcraft. She knows about the natural world and will need to call upon what she knows to help herself.
Weyward is a story of three unique women who are connected in many ways. This book looks at how women are viewed, treated and lived at various times in history. Agatha lived in a time where women who were different or did not live by societies standards, were branded witches and put to death. Violet lived in a time where women were strange and different if they yearned for more or wanted to go against the current expectations of women. Kate lived in a time where she was abused by a man who feels he is superior to her.
All the women were strong, all had to deal with the expectations put on females at the time in which they lived, all had men trying to excerpt their power over them.
I listened to the audiobook and thought it was very nicely done. I enjoyed learning about the Weyward women and their many strengths and abilities. The story goes back and forth between them seamlessly. They lived in different times yet had similar experiences. I loved the focus on the strength of these magical women.
I thought the author did a fantastic job setting the stage and transporting readers to each timeline. This book felt atmospheric and historically accurate.
I look forward to reading more of this author in the future.
Beautifully written, captivating and thought provoking.
#Weyward #NetGalley
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
2019
Kate flees an abusive relationship and goes to Weyward Cottage which she inherited from her eccentric Aunt Violet, an entomologist.
1942
Sixteen-year-old Violet Ayres, years for answers about her deceased mother. The only thing she has of her mother's is a locket. She is viewed as different, yet some would say she is similar to her mother.
1619
Altha Weyward has been accused of witchcraft. She knows about the natural world and will need to call upon what she knows to help herself.
Weyward is a story of three unique women who are connected in many ways. This book looks at how women are viewed, treated and lived at various times in history. Agatha lived in a time where women who were different or did not live by societies standards, were branded witches and put to death. Violet lived in a time where women were strange and different if they yearned for more or wanted to go against the current expectations of women. Kate lived in a time where she was abused by a man who feels he is superior to her.
All the women were strong, all had to deal with the expectations put on females at the time in which they lived, all had men trying to excerpt their power over them.
I listened to the audiobook and thought it was very nicely done. I enjoyed learning about the Weyward women and their many strengths and abilities. The story goes back and forth between them seamlessly. They lived in different times yet had similar experiences. I loved the focus on the strength of these magical women.
I thought the author did a fantastic job setting the stage and transporting readers to each timeline. This book felt atmospheric and historically accurate.
I look forward to reading more of this author in the future.
Beautifully written, captivating and thought provoking.
#Weyward #NetGalley
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
December 29, 2023
Not your average Witch story...
What an exquisite novel that expertly weaves a blended genre story that leaves the reader wondering how all the puzzle pieces fit. Solid 4.5 rounded up.
This is a muli-timelime, multi-perspective story that spans 5 generations of women. From 1619 to 2018, I became so attached to each character that I not only found myself hurting for them but also celebrating with them. The writing style is so enveloping it was an effortless read that pulled me right in.
This story address very real and dangerous aspects of what life was like back then for some women and brings forth triggers surrounded around domestic violence. I caution the reader if this is an issue.
This is very present day Women's fiction novel that blends historical fiction in with sprinkles of magic realism and domestic drama. A perfect start to Hallows Eve reads and one I highly recommend!
What an exquisite novel that expertly weaves a blended genre story that leaves the reader wondering how all the puzzle pieces fit. Solid 4.5 rounded up.
This is a muli-timelime, multi-perspective story that spans 5 generations of women. From 1619 to 2018, I became so attached to each character that I not only found myself hurting for them but also celebrating with them. The writing style is so enveloping it was an effortless read that pulled me right in.
This story address very real and dangerous aspects of what life was like back then for some women and brings forth triggers surrounded around domestic violence. I caution the reader if this is an issue.
This is very present day Women's fiction novel that blends historical fiction in with sprinkles of magic realism and domestic drama. A perfect start to Hallows Eve reads and one I highly recommend!
May 19, 2023
“Witch…a word invented by men, a word that brings power to those that speak it, not those that it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses.”
Weyward follows 3 women, across five centuries. All have a love of the natural world. And “nature” loves them back. Altha, in 1619, is accused of being a witch and is on trial. Violet, a teenager in 1942, is trapped by social conventions and a father worried she’ll turn out like her mother. And finally, Kate in 2019, is a victim of domestic violence who finally gathers the strength to run. And she runs to a cottage bequeathed to her by her great aunt Violet. Multiple storylines are often a gamble. It’s rare that all are equal in strength and engagement. But, I was equally invested in all three. In each case, the woman has been plagued by men who use her. But each also found the strength to make her own way and persevere. I wanted to see each story through to learn its outcome. Hart does a good job of weaving just a bit of magic realism into the narratives so as not to make it veer off into fantasy. Many of the twists were obvious to me in advance, but a few took me by surprise.
The writing was beautiful with lush, descriptive scenes. It was easy to picture everything playing out before my eyes.
The three narrators each express their character well.
Weyward follows 3 women, across five centuries. All have a love of the natural world. And “nature” loves them back. Altha, in 1619, is accused of being a witch and is on trial. Violet, a teenager in 1942, is trapped by social conventions and a father worried she’ll turn out like her mother. And finally, Kate in 2019, is a victim of domestic violence who finally gathers the strength to run. And she runs to a cottage bequeathed to her by her great aunt Violet. Multiple storylines are often a gamble. It’s rare that all are equal in strength and engagement. But, I was equally invested in all three. In each case, the woman has been plagued by men who use her. But each also found the strength to make her own way and persevere. I wanted to see each story through to learn its outcome. Hart does a good job of weaving just a bit of magic realism into the narratives so as not to make it veer off into fantasy. Many of the twists were obvious to me in advance, but a few took me by surprise.
The writing was beautiful with lush, descriptive scenes. It was easy to picture everything playing out before my eyes.
The three narrators each express their character well.
January 20, 2024
Boże jakie to było fantastyczne
July 6, 2022
An interesting premise letdown by a cliched plot and an on the nose symbolism that rams in its metaphors rather just telling a good story.
First of all let me clarify by explaining that this book is NOT a thriller, it’s more of a blend of historical fiction and women’s fiction.
The story is told from three female POVs who are ancestors:
- Kate is the modern day narrator who is escaping her abusive partner by hiding in her great-aunt’s house. It’s there she finds clues about her past and the wayward women.
- 1925. Violet (also Kate’s great-aunt) who wants to study but is pressurised by her dad into being the docile woman and her life changes when her cousin Frederick arrives and grooms her.
- 1600s. Althea. Another weyward ancestor who was tried for witchcraft.
Althea’s story was the most suspenseful one, however the reveals were tedious and again the metaphor of a “free” woman as a wild woman was on the nose. The story tries hard to be a feminist story but then the plot is all about pregnancy 🤰 a recurring storyline in all three arcs cause. I mean if women are more than their bodies then please give them a narrative where they can show that and are more than pregnancy 🤰 plot-lines. Cause nothing more exciting happens in our lives (!) It also doesn’t help that writing is dry and bland. Not much suspense and the thread between the women is weak. I mean Kate finding out her ancestors were called Weyward and gasping finding a W on Violet’s grave. Oh. My. God. A W. And look. A W necklace. 🙄. I just couldn’t care less.
First of all let me clarify by explaining that this book is NOT a thriller, it’s more of a blend of historical fiction and women’s fiction.
The story is told from three female POVs who are ancestors:
- Kate is the modern day narrator who is escaping her abusive partner by hiding in her great-aunt’s house. It’s there she finds clues about her past and the wayward women.
- 1925. Violet (also Kate’s great-aunt) who wants to study but is pressurised by her dad into being the docile woman and her life changes when her cousin Frederick arrives and grooms her.
- 1600s. Althea. Another weyward ancestor who was tried for witchcraft.
Althea’s story was the most suspenseful one, however the reveals were tedious and again the metaphor of a “free” woman as a wild woman was on the nose. The story tries hard to be a feminist story but then the plot is all about pregnancy 🤰 a recurring storyline in all three arcs cause. I mean if women are more than their bodies then please give them a narrative where they can show that and are more than pregnancy 🤰 plot-lines. Cause nothing more exciting happens in our lives (!) It also doesn’t help that writing is dry and bland. Not much suspense and the thread between the women is weak. I mean Kate finding out her ancestors were called Weyward and gasping finding a W on Violet’s grave. Oh. My. God. A W. And look. A W necklace. 🙄. I just couldn’t care less.
April 3, 2023
Sometimes, there’s power in a place. Or perhaps, some places help us find our own power.
Generations of women in the Weyward-Ayers family have made their home at Weyward Cottage in the remote village of Crows Beck, Cumbria.
The first Weyward child is always a girl, each of whom share a common familial gift: the ability to connect and communicate with nature.
Emilia Hart’s first novel, Weyward, weaves together three separate stories, spanning multiple generations and eventually linking to tell a larger tale of strength, resilience, and love.
Altha is well versed in plant medicine and is tried for practicing witchcraft in 1619.
In modern-day London, Kate flees her abusive live-in boyfriend before he can discover that she’s pregnant. Taking refuge in her great-aunt Violet’s cottage, she attempts to rebuild her life and her eroded identity.
In 1942, teenaged Violet lives a cloistered life within the confines of her father’s estate at Orton Hall. He finds her unladylike behavior of climbing trees and collecting insects so appalling that he threatens to send her to a finishing school so he can marry her off to an eligible young man.
The three women are linked not just by a family tree, but each one has to endure powerful and controlling men. Hart paints a brutal and vivid picture of what each woman experiences at their hands. These scenes of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse are both graphic and uncomfortable.
Eventually, each woman must discover and come to terms with her affinity for the natural world and the power she wields.
Sounds good, no?
And it is, save for the fact that I’ve read it before — hi there, New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman — over twenty years ago, in fact.
As someone who worships at the altar of Alice Hoffman and devours her new releases in one or two sittings, I found Emilia Hart’s debut a.very.slow.read. Painfully so.
But hey, look at that book cover. Stunning!
Listen, Weyward is an enjoyable tale that explores feminist themes with a hint of magic. At just over 300 pages, give it a read.
The way the three stories of women reclaiming their power intertwine and intersect is quite bewitching.
»»————- ★ ————-««
"Perhaps one day, she said, there would be a safer time. When women could walk the earth, shining bright with power, and yet live."
Generations of women in the Weyward-Ayers family have made their home at Weyward Cottage in the remote village of Crows Beck, Cumbria.
The first Weyward child is always a girl, each of whom share a common familial gift: the ability to connect and communicate with nature.
Emilia Hart’s first novel, Weyward, weaves together three separate stories, spanning multiple generations and eventually linking to tell a larger tale of strength, resilience, and love.
Altha is well versed in plant medicine and is tried for practicing witchcraft in 1619.
In modern-day London, Kate flees her abusive live-in boyfriend before he can discover that she’s pregnant. Taking refuge in her great-aunt Violet’s cottage, she attempts to rebuild her life and her eroded identity.
In 1942, teenaged Violet lives a cloistered life within the confines of her father’s estate at Orton Hall. He finds her unladylike behavior of climbing trees and collecting insects so appalling that he threatens to send her to a finishing school so he can marry her off to an eligible young man.
The three women are linked not just by a family tree, but each one has to endure powerful and controlling men. Hart paints a brutal and vivid picture of what each woman experiences at their hands. These scenes of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse are both graphic and uncomfortable.
Eventually, each woman must discover and come to terms with her affinity for the natural world and the power she wields.
Sounds good, no?
And it is, save for the fact that I’ve read it before — hi there, New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman — over twenty years ago, in fact.
As someone who worships at the altar of Alice Hoffman and devours her new releases in one or two sittings, I found Emilia Hart’s debut a.very.slow.read. Painfully so.
But hey, look at that book cover. Stunning!
Listen, Weyward is an enjoyable tale that explores feminist themes with a hint of magic. At just over 300 pages, give it a read.
The way the three stories of women reclaiming their power intertwine and intersect is quite bewitching.
»»————- ★ ————-««
"Perhaps one day, she said, there would be a safer time. When women could walk the earth, shining bright with power, and yet live."
March 23, 2023
What is going on between the covers
Weyward is a compelling story that combines historical fiction, magical realism, and modern feminism that weaves in some of my favorite themes around the oppression of women while exploring the conventional idea that a woman’s identity and role is to marry and have children. Told through three distinct, brave, resilient women, all victimized, oppressed, and controlled by weak men and subject to their whims and abuse in different ways. The story alternates between Altha, who is on trial for murder in 17th-century British witch trials, and her fate is in the hands of men. In the 1940s, Violet, who her father isolates and controls as she unravels the secret of her mother’s death by mysterious circumstances, and our modern witch Kate, who escapes her controlling, abusive husband who sees Kate as someone to give him a child.
My Two Cents
It’s all about female power and resilience but not about female revenge and rage, even though I do love a good female revenge/rage story. We see each woman find strength and power from their connection to their female line and to nature. Emilia Hart gives each woman something unique as they can creepily communicate with nature in a yet powerful way. While even the thought of some brings on some irrational fears, it felt empowering and fitting to the story.
The story is well-paced and beautifully written with vivid imagery, with a strong connection between the characters that come together with a rewarding ending.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
Weyward is a compelling story that combines historical fiction, magical realism, and modern feminism that weaves in some of my favorite themes around the oppression of women while exploring the conventional idea that a woman’s identity and role is to marry and have children. Told through three distinct, brave, resilient women, all victimized, oppressed, and controlled by weak men and subject to their whims and abuse in different ways. The story alternates between Altha, who is on trial for murder in 17th-century British witch trials, and her fate is in the hands of men. In the 1940s, Violet, who her father isolates and controls as she unravels the secret of her mother’s death by mysterious circumstances, and our modern witch Kate, who escapes her controlling, abusive husband who sees Kate as someone to give him a child.
My Two Cents
It’s all about female power and resilience but not about female revenge and rage, even though I do love a good female revenge/rage story. We see each woman find strength and power from their connection to their female line and to nature. Emilia Hart gives each woman something unique as they can creepily communicate with nature in a yet powerful way. While even the thought of some brings on some irrational fears, it felt empowering and fitting to the story.
The story is well-paced and beautifully written with vivid imagery, with a strong connection between the characters that come together with a rewarding ending.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
March 13, 2023
We get it, Emilia. You hate men.
March 7, 2023
Kate has to leave her home for she has a husband who abuses her. She takes off to Weyward Cottage an old home left to her by her great aunt. The cottage offers Kate solace but it also holds secrets of her family that date back to the sixteen hundreds.
The author takes us back in time to meet up with Altha a woman living in 1619, as she awaits trial. Altha is accused of causing, through black magic, a herd of cows to trample a local farmer to death. Altha does know the magic of nature taught to her by her mother, but not the evil kind she is being accused of. Of course in those days every woman was thought to be a witch or to be capable of being one, so Altha's fate seemed to be that of many others and death to be her final judgement.
Next, we arrive in 1942, where we meet Violet, a woman who wants what she can't have, the freedom and education given to her brother. She lives a life confined until she finds a baseboard in her room with the word Weyward scratched into it. She carries the locket of her deceased mother who it was claimed went mad.
This character study into the hearts and souls of these three women living centuries apart, is wonderfully intertwined into a riveting story that points to both magical realism and the hardships these women faced.
The men in the story do not come off well as they exert their power over these women and of course others that cross their path. It is a story of how women have struggled to be able to stand side by side with their male counterparts. In its chapters which flip back and forth in Kate, Altha, and Violet's lives, we see a progression of strength, of the nature of women, and the magic they often possess.
Wonderfully written (and it's a debut), this is a great look into what was and what continues to be if women do not use the rights that have been theirs for some time.
Thank you to Emilia, Hart, narrated by Aysha Kala; Helen Keeley; Nell Barlow who did a fine job, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio version of this book due out March 7, 2023
The author takes us back in time to meet up with Altha a woman living in 1619, as she awaits trial. Altha is accused of causing, through black magic, a herd of cows to trample a local farmer to death. Altha does know the magic of nature taught to her by her mother, but not the evil kind she is being accused of. Of course in those days every woman was thought to be a witch or to be capable of being one, so Altha's fate seemed to be that of many others and death to be her final judgement.
Next, we arrive in 1942, where we meet Violet, a woman who wants what she can't have, the freedom and education given to her brother. She lives a life confined until she finds a baseboard in her room with the word Weyward scratched into it. She carries the locket of her deceased mother who it was claimed went mad.
This character study into the hearts and souls of these three women living centuries apart, is wonderfully intertwined into a riveting story that points to both magical realism and the hardships these women faced.
The men in the story do not come off well as they exert their power over these women and of course others that cross their path. It is a story of how women have struggled to be able to stand side by side with their male counterparts. In its chapters which flip back and forth in Kate, Altha, and Violet's lives, we see a progression of strength, of the nature of women, and the magic they often possess.
Wonderfully written (and it's a debut), this is a great look into what was and what continues to be if women do not use the rights that have been theirs for some time.
Thank you to Emilia, Hart, narrated by Aysha Kala; Helen Keeley; Nell Barlow who did a fine job, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio version of this book due out March 7, 2023
August 9, 2023
2⭐️ I should be monetarily compensated for wasting my time on this.
I was bored as hell. The summary of this book is everyone is looking for where their mum or grandmum was buried, for what? I don't know 🤷🏽♀️ oh and everyone suffers an unwanted pregnancy from an abusive baby daddy 😔
Also, a lot of triggering content coming at readers from all sides: sexual assault, domestic violence, pregnancy loss, suicidal ideation and a lot of uncomfortable situations and I couldn't see how exactly they played into the story.
I was bored as hell. The summary of this book is everyone is looking for where their mum or grandmum was buried, for what? I don't know 🤷🏽♀️ oh and everyone suffers an unwanted pregnancy from an abusive baby daddy 😔
Also, a lot of triggering content coming at readers from all sides: sexual assault, domestic violence, pregnancy loss, suicidal ideation and a lot of uncomfortable situations and I couldn't see how exactly they played into the story.
January 31, 2023
**Edit to add (now that I've read it) this is similar to The Lost Apothecary**
Three stories, three women, three time periods.
Kate 2019 - When she finds out that she is pregnant, something that her abusive boyfriend wants but she doesn't, she finally makes the move to run away. With a new cell phone that he doesn't know about she leaves the home they share and moves to the cabin left to her by her distant great aunt. Once there she attempts to learn more about her family and the aunt that she'd only met once as a child.
Violet (Kate's great aunt) 1940s-2018(ish) - After her mother died when she was a child Violets father did all in his power to erase her from his childrens memory. Violet was kept secluded, but when a cousin who's fighting in the war comes to visit everything changes and she's again exciled to her mother's old cabin where she learns the secrets about her mother that her father had been hiding.
Alva (quite a few times great grandmother to Violet and Kate) - 1600- 1619 - Raised in a cabin in the woods by her mother who's a healer she was brought up close to nature. After her childhood best friend's mother died while her mother was trying to save her rumors started about them being witches. These rumors continued even after her mom's death and by 1619 she was on trial for witchcraft.
Trigger Warnings - Domestic Violence, Rape, Incest, Abortion, Miscarriage... Maybe more 🤷♀️
This is definitely a woman's fiction and I'm all about girl power... But, every single man in this story was utterly horrible (except maybe Kate's father who's dead🤷♀️) It's painted very black and white that men are awful and women are great and way too polarized for me to give more than three stars.
Three stories, three women, three time periods.
Kate 2019 - When she finds out that she is pregnant, something that her abusive boyfriend wants but she doesn't, she finally makes the move to run away. With a new cell phone that he doesn't know about she leaves the home they share and moves to the cabin left to her by her distant great aunt. Once there she attempts to learn more about her family and the aunt that she'd only met once as a child.
Violet (Kate's great aunt) 1940s-2018(ish) - After her mother died when she was a child Violets father did all in his power to erase her from his childrens memory. Violet was kept secluded, but when a cousin who's fighting in the war comes to visit everything changes and she's again exciled to her mother's old cabin where she learns the secrets about her mother that her father had been hiding.
Alva (quite a few times great grandmother to Violet and Kate) - 1600- 1619 - Raised in a cabin in the woods by her mother who's a healer she was brought up close to nature. After her childhood best friend's mother died while her mother was trying to save her rumors started about them being witches. These rumors continued even after her mom's death and by 1619 she was on trial for witchcraft.
Trigger Warnings - Domestic Violence, Rape, Incest, Abortion, Miscarriage... Maybe more 🤷♀️
This is definitely a woman's fiction and I'm all about girl power... But, every single man in this story was utterly horrible (except maybe Kate's father who's dead🤷♀️) It's painted very black and white that men are awful and women are great and way too polarized for me to give more than three stars.
April 8, 2024
Rating 4.45
Yet another remarkable debut, Emilia Hart immerses the reader in a story of three related, strong willed women across a period of centuries. Driven by human resilience, they share an unusual connection with Nature and the mystery of the Weyward surname.
We first meet young Altha in 1619 whose been imprisoned for allegedly murdering a neighbor and branded 'witch'. These are times where ignorance breeds fear especially of those with healing abilities. She became a student of her mother's ability to cure using plants rather than leeches and with it, a connection with animals and insects.
As WW II rages, Violet Ayers is held captive in her family mansion on the outskirts of London. As if part of the animal kingdom, she's not only drawn to birds and insects, she has the ability to summon them at will, crows in particular. For unknown reasons, her father keeps her mother's cause of death a secret while she grows jealous of her brother Graham's education. At age 16, she's introduced to cousin Frederick who's on leave from the war, and becomes an 'emotional prisoner' through her innocence and desire. With a complete lack of experience with men, a friendly walk in the woods becomes the loss of her virginity. Weeks after Frederick returns to the war, Violet becomes ill and over time finds she's with child and knowing the consequences, keeps it secret from her dominant father. Realizing he may eventually find out, she escapes to Weyward cottage in Crows Beck. It's here where her 'connection' with Nature's cures, creatures and insects blossoms as she journals the 'lessons' in her diary.
Toggling to the present, 30 year old Kate Ayers lives in London and struggles with an abusive boyfriend. Scott ridicules and chastises every area of her life and the relationship comes to a boil. As luck would have it, Kate learns she's inherited her great aunt Violet's cottage in Crows Beck and decides to use it as an escape. The cottage is battered and bruised due to years of neglect, save the garden and a friendly crow. As she slowly acquaints with the Crows Beck area, she finds a gold pendant with a "W" along with her great aunt's diary. While paging through it, Kate learns details she'd never known especially those related to Nature. Fascinated by the mystery, Kate begins testing her summoning powers which play an important role in her journey
A beautifully written narrative that toggles back and forth between them, we see similar patterns with their relationships as well as with nature. The commonality Altha, Violet and Kate share is uncanny and filled with revelations. Its rare that I read half a book in one sitting, but from the start, I was taken and played 'tea totler' to make it last. As debut novels go, this is a winner and Emilia is an author with promise.
Yet another remarkable debut, Emilia Hart immerses the reader in a story of three related, strong willed women across a period of centuries. Driven by human resilience, they share an unusual connection with Nature and the mystery of the Weyward surname.
We first meet young Altha in 1619 whose been imprisoned for allegedly murdering a neighbor and branded 'witch'. These are times where ignorance breeds fear especially of those with healing abilities. She became a student of her mother's ability to cure using plants rather than leeches and with it, a connection with animals and insects.
As WW II rages, Violet Ayers is held captive in her family mansion on the outskirts of London. As if part of the animal kingdom, she's not only drawn to birds and insects, she has the ability to summon them at will, crows in particular. For unknown reasons, her father keeps her mother's cause of death a secret while she grows jealous of her brother Graham's education. At age 16, she's introduced to cousin Frederick who's on leave from the war, and becomes an 'emotional prisoner' through her innocence and desire. With a complete lack of experience with men, a friendly walk in the woods becomes the loss of her virginity. Weeks after Frederick returns to the war, Violet becomes ill and over time finds she's with child and knowing the consequences, keeps it secret from her dominant father. Realizing he may eventually find out, she escapes to Weyward cottage in Crows Beck. It's here where her 'connection' with Nature's cures, creatures and insects blossoms as she journals the 'lessons' in her diary.
Toggling to the present, 30 year old Kate Ayers lives in London and struggles with an abusive boyfriend. Scott ridicules and chastises every area of her life and the relationship comes to a boil. As luck would have it, Kate learns she's inherited her great aunt Violet's cottage in Crows Beck and decides to use it as an escape. The cottage is battered and bruised due to years of neglect, save the garden and a friendly crow. As she slowly acquaints with the Crows Beck area, she finds a gold pendant with a "W" along with her great aunt's diary. While paging through it, Kate learns details she'd never known especially those related to Nature. Fascinated by the mystery, Kate begins testing her summoning powers which play an important role in her journey
A beautifully written narrative that toggles back and forth between them, we see similar patterns with their relationships as well as with nature. The commonality Altha, Violet and Kate share is uncanny and filled with revelations. Its rare that I read half a book in one sitting, but from the start, I was taken and played 'tea totler' to make it last. As debut novels go, this is a winner and Emilia is an author with promise.
July 21, 2023
Bewitched.
The beautiful and mystic cover precipitates the book's interior. More than just a plot, the author’s writing skill had me savoring all the words.
Lovely prose with deep connections to nature and all creatures resonated as I followed the related stories of three women in separate timelines.
Each character was uniquely created but I was especially drawn to Violet who’s family deemed her weird because of her love of all living things. Being in a similar position as a child, my dad once asked me “Where did you come from?”
An affinity for other beings and a family legacy tie the story together and I was absorbed in the entirety.
My last few loves have been Magical Realism while my inclination for thrillers appears to be waning. Maybe a trend? I can’t discount that all have been five stars for me.
Purchased at Barnes and Noble and now a centerpiece on my bookshelf.
The beautiful and mystic cover precipitates the book's interior. More than just a plot, the author’s writing skill had me savoring all the words.
Lovely prose with deep connections to nature and all creatures resonated as I followed the related stories of three women in separate timelines.
Each character was uniquely created but I was especially drawn to Violet who’s family deemed her weird because of her love of all living things. Being in a similar position as a child, my dad once asked me “Where did you come from?”
An affinity for other beings and a family legacy tie the story together and I was absorbed in the entirety.
My last few loves have been Magical Realism while my inclination for thrillers appears to be waning. Maybe a trend? I can’t discount that all have been five stars for me.
Purchased at Barnes and Noble and now a centerpiece on my bookshelf.
March 10, 2023
An accused witch, a young woman forced to conform to her father's rules, and a modern day wife on the run from an abusive partner . . .
I groaned when I started this book and realized there were three different women telling their tales across a span of hundreds of years. Whenever this happens, I always find one of the characters far more interesting than the others . . . but not in this case. I was held rapt by each story-line, and loved how they all meshed beautifully in the end. This beautifully written tale about the lives of women also offers an appreciation of nature, and the importance of living in harmony with all creatures.
A wonderful story, and one of my favorite books of the year so far.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sharing.
I groaned when I started this book and realized there were three different women telling their tales across a span of hundreds of years. Whenever this happens, I always find one of the characters far more interesting than the others . . . but not in this case. I was held rapt by each story-line, and loved how they all meshed beautifully in the end. This beautifully written tale about the lives of women also offers an appreciation of nature, and the importance of living in harmony with all creatures.
A wonderful story, and one of my favorite books of the year so far.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sharing.
January 7, 2024
I'm so late in writing this review but finally, here it goes.
Three women. Three mistreated women are all linked by their resilience and ability to learn to survive in a world that is not friendly to them.
in 1619, Altha Weyward is a teenager. Her mother has passed, she doesn't know her father and she is fighting for her life. She has been accused of witchcraft and killing a neighbor with her powers. How is she able to endure it?
In 1942, Violet Ayres wanted more than what she was allowed. She craves knowledge. She wishes she could be like her brother and be able to learn what he is. Yet, she is told that marriage and having kids is her only purpose. Her father is unyielding and her mother has passed, rumored to have gone crazy. Then two things happen, one involving finding out about the Weywards' past, the other one, a traumatizing event that will change her future.
in 2019, Kate Ayres is running away from his abusive partner. She runs to Weyward Cottage, a place she inherited from her great-aunt Violet. Little by little, she wants to know more about her great-aunt and her ancestors. What she learns baffles her but at the same time, it empowers her.
Great writing combined with a realistic atmospheric setting made Weyward a winning novel for me. I liked all 3 women and was hoping for a good outcome for all of them. The narrators, Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, and Nell Barlow only augmented the experience.
This was a buddy read with Melissa and Terrie.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Three women. Three mistreated women are all linked by their resilience and ability to learn to survive in a world that is not friendly to them.
in 1619, Altha Weyward is a teenager. Her mother has passed, she doesn't know her father and she is fighting for her life. She has been accused of witchcraft and killing a neighbor with her powers. How is she able to endure it?
In 1942, Violet Ayres wanted more than what she was allowed. She craves knowledge. She wishes she could be like her brother and be able to learn what he is. Yet, she is told that marriage and having kids is her only purpose. Her father is unyielding and her mother has passed, rumored to have gone crazy. Then two things happen, one involving finding out about the Weywards' past, the other one, a traumatizing event that will change her future.
in 2019, Kate Ayres is running away from his abusive partner. She runs to Weyward Cottage, a place she inherited from her great-aunt Violet. Little by little, she wants to know more about her great-aunt and her ancestors. What she learns baffles her but at the same time, it empowers her.
Great writing combined with a realistic atmospheric setting made Weyward a winning novel for me. I liked all 3 women and was hoping for a good outcome for all of them. The narrators, Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, and Nell Barlow only augmented the experience.
This was a buddy read with Melissa and Terrie.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
March 4, 2023
I don’t give books one star often, I’m fairly easy to please as a reader and quick to give praise but this book enraged me. Firstly it should come with a trigger warning larger than the title, because this book contains almost all the different ways women can be abused by men and other triggering scenarios - rape (on and off the page), domestic violence of varying aggression, a forced hysterectomy, attempted suicide, self administered abortions, car crashes and neglect/abusive parenting. I’m sure I’ve missed something from the list but basically any way a woman can be treated like dirt is here. The narrative is split between three related women, one in the 1600s, one growing up in the shadow of World War Two and the other in 2019. All of these separate stories have been told before, told by so many writers and given space to breathe, be raw, honest and powerful - and I have loved those books. However crammed together in this book these universal narratives have no meaning, no sense, the characters become caricatures with no weight to them. There are only two men in the book that aren’t villains - one you only see in flashbacks and the other is a bit part mostly seen as a child. The other brutes are atrocious and just as much caricatures as the women - I can’t imagine any man reading this book and seeing any reality in them but it would still seem like an attack to see your gender presented in this way. And to have this book marketed in the way it is - as historical fiction with witchcraft and fantasy elements - is seriously troubling. The fantasy element is merely used to hook readers, to make people buy this toxic and wholly unnecessary book which I am truly thankful I received as an ARC so didn’t waste any money on. The writing qualities of this book are absolutely fine, the author can clearly string a story together- I just wish she’d chosen to write something more well rounded and less biased, something real and tangible, nuanced and thought provoking.
June 23, 2023
What an amazing debut novel from Emilia Hart!
She chronicles the stories of three women from different centuries (17th-21st) and the adversities they face as 'witch' women with abnormal powers. Each of the three stories overlaps at a pivotal moment for the present-day protagonist, who finds out about her heritage and rediscovers who she is.
This is a great book for historical fiction and light fantasy fans. It also speaks to the power of female adversity and friendship. My only complaint is that the ending felt a bit rushed... but you'll have to see for yourself! -Hanna G.
She chronicles the stories of three women from different centuries (17th-21st) and the adversities they face as 'witch' women with abnormal powers. Each of the three stories overlaps at a pivotal moment for the present-day protagonist, who finds out about her heritage and rediscovers who she is.
This is a great book for historical fiction and light fantasy fans. It also speaks to the power of female adversity and friendship. My only complaint is that the ending felt a bit rushed... but you'll have to see for yourself! -Hanna G.
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