Rating: ★★★★☆
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Literary Fiction
Summary:
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF TWO GOODREADS CHOICE AWARDS (Best Debut Novel & Best Historical Fiction)An Indie Next March 2023 Pick • A LibraryReads March 2023 Pick • An Amazon "Best Books of the Year So Far" 2023 Pick"A brave and original debut, Weyward is a spellbinding story about what may transpire when the natural world collides with a legacy of witchcraft." ––Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The London Séance SocietyI 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 suspects 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. When Altha was a girl, her 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 of witchcraft is laid out against Altha, she knows it will take all 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 astonishing debut, and an enthralling novel of female resilience.
My Thoughts:
Emilia Hart’s "Weyward" is an enthralling novel of female resilience that interweaves the lives of three extraordinary women across different times, each connected by a legacy of witchcraft. This compelling intergenerational novel of female empowerment explores the transformative power of the natural world and the enduring strength of women.
Set against the backdrop of the witch-hunts of the 17th century, World War II, and contemporary times, "Weyward" follows Altha, Violet, and Kate—three unusual women bound by the secrets of their heritage. The murder of a local farmer sets the stage for Altha’s story, while Violet navigates societal convention under the cover of darkness during the war. In 2019, Kate escapes an abusive boyfriend to uncover her connection to the weyward women in the ramshackle Weyward cottage. Hart’s wise decision to use separate narratives enriches the plot, creating a spider's web of intrigue and suspense.
Hart's writing brings depth to the lives of her protagonists. Altha, educated in the dark arts by her mother, possesses a deep knowledge of the natural world and spell casting. Violet, under the oppressive thumb of her controlling family, discovers the only traces of her secret strength through the tumbling ivy and bones of the cottage. Kate’s journey from an abusive relationship to self-discovery in the baseboard of her bedroom is both heart-wrenching and empowering. The uncanny connection between these women is a testament to the power of women and their ability to overcome the life-changing power of some very bad men.
Emilia Hart’s voice is a welcome addition to the literary scene. Her robust education in English literature is evident in her evocative prose and the imaginative tale she weaves. The novel’s greatest strength lies in its ability to harness suspense while exploring themes of witchcraft-related fiction, societal constraints, and the secret strength found within a female line. The dark magic and wealth of clues hidden in the bones of the cottage and the initial 'W' carved into the baseboard add layers of mystery and intrigue.
Hart’s depiction of dark magic and spell casting is seamlessly integrated into the narrative, reflecting the weyward women's affinity with the natural world. The crows beck and the transformative power of the natural world underscore the characters' connections to their heritage and the land.
"Weyward" is a truly impressive novel that glows with the secret strength of its protagonists. This astonishing debut by Emilia Hart, author of "The London Séance Society," is a triumph in storytelling. The novel's imaginative tale and compelling characters make it a must-read for fans of Sarah Penner, author of "The Wrong Place Wrong Time," and Sarah Addison Allen. With endorsements from the New York Times Book Review, the Sunday Times, Good Housekeeping, and the Chicago Review of Books, "Weyward" is a triumphant debut that heralds the arrival of a new voice in the world of witchcraft-related fiction.
"Weyward" is a spellbinding story that celebrates the resilience and power of women. Emilia Hart bursts onto the literary scene with this triumphant debut, offering a rich and evocative exploration of the Weyward women's legacy. I highly recommend this book for readers who appreciate a compelling intergenerational novel of female empowerment and the transformative power of the natural world.
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