Maddy‘s Review of Weyward by Emilia Hart
Publication Date: 7 March 2023
Pages: 336
Stars: 5 out of 5
*Disclaimer: Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for letting me read and review this book.
Publisher’s Blurb
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.
Review of Weyward
I love the characters and the world Emilia brings us into. Kate is definitely my favorite character. She is the most relatable out of the three main characters. I worry for her and her safety and just want what is best for her! Violet and Altha are great characters too. The different timelines; 2019, 1942, and 1619, were intriguing. I like seeing the similarities between the women and what they have gone through, especially with fighting the patriarchy. You get to see how they are connected with each other, and their connection with nature. Emilia writes characters so beautifully, and has a great writing style. I couldn’t put the book down and finished it so quickly.
I loved her descriptions of the surroundings, the characters, and her writing style. If you enjoy strong and relatable female characters and nature, you should definitely give this a read! I can’t wait to read another one of her books.
