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emeraldjulep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Abortion, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Cursing, and War
augustboymama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Blood, Pregnancy, Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Grief
readdanoread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Miscarriage, Murder, Abortion, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Rape
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Vomit, Abandonment, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Confinement
a_reads_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Abortion, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Car accident, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Author: Emilia Hart
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: March 7, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Harrowing • Atmospheric • Absorbing
📖 S Y N O P S I S
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.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Weyward was one of those historical fiction novels I held at a distance for the longest time. I finally decided to give it a try when it was selected as a featured read of the month in my book club. And I was absolutely blown away by the power and resilience of this atmospheric debut.
Following three generations of Weyward women across three different timelines, this story is filled with family secrets, all of the witchy and magical vibes, and a cottage with character. Each of the timelines was engrossing, which kept me immersed in the story. It was at times uncomfortable and heavy (check content warnings), yet what stood out to me was the resilience and strength of this women.
And then there is the lyrical writing and gothic vibes. Emilia Hart has done a fabulous time capturing the atmosphere of the times and weaving the natural world into the narrative in such a way in truly felt like its own character.
It's no surprise Weyward was the 2023 Goodreads Choice winner in the historical fiction category. I was completely surprised with how much I enjoyed this story. If you're looking for a book you can get lost in, this is the book for you. I am eagerly anticipating Emilia Hart's 2025 release and there's no doubt in my mind she has a bright future ahead of her.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• novels spanning centuries
• female resilience
• Kate Morton
⚠️ CW: domestic abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, violence, toxic relationship, misogyny, sexism, pregnancy, abortion, miscarriage, infertility, blood, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, murder, death, death of parent, child death, grief, car accident, incest, child abuse, confinement, injury/injury detail, medical trauma, alcohol, stalking, gaslighting, vomit, animal death, war, alcoholism
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Nature, to us, was as much a life force as the very air we breathed."
"The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet."
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Miscarriage, Infertility, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexism
Moderate: Grief, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Child death, and Car accident
Minor: Stalking, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Animal death, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Medical trauma, War, and Alcohol
pandemonicbaby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Incest, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Violence, Physical abuse, Abortion, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Gore, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual harassment, Grief, Murder, Confinement, Vomit, and Sexual content
Minor: Cancer, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Classism, and Religious bigotry
hayley_read_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Car accident, Abortion, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Absolutely brilliant...must read!amygardin's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Stalking
Moderate: Rape, Car accident, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Body horror, Grief, and Confinement
wickeddelights's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I wish we could have seen a glimpse into the life of the last child in the book. To know if her fate could be better. But it still feels complete.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Rape, Stalking, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, and War
nerdyforbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
We follow 3 women of the Weyward family line. Here I was like, great, cool! Strong witches from a long line of powerful women! Yeah… Althea is probably the only one who “owns” her power & likely because she’s the only one who knows their history. Her POV is also pretty jarring as it’s told in 1st person while Violet & Kate are told in 3rd. Eventually this makes sense as you get further into the book, but it takes until late in Part 2 (also not sure those were needed but… whatever).
I honestly liked Violet’s chapters the best. She was such a bright, inquisitive teenager who had to deal with hard tragic situations. Kate was, oh boy, Kate was rough. She also was dealt a shit hand in life. I just found myself getting annoyed with her and then annoyed at myself because her situation was not her fault, but damn girl, she needed therapy as a child. She needed Violet to BE THERE in her life damnit. It just made things so annoying as you find out more.
Wow this turned into a rant… I’m not saying this book is poorly written. It’s just not for me. I’m glad all these women found their inner power. Damn tho. Someone needed to step up to stop this generational trauma sooner.
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Grief, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Rape, Miscarriage, and Suicide attempt