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sallytiffany's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
nyxkldragonyx03's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
abaleez's review
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Self harm, and Abortion
mikiroko14's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Abortion, and Pregnancy
dana_dew's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Abortion
Minor: Self harm
kingsteph's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
katscradles's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, and Abortion
Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Self harm, Car accident, and Death of parent
ironspinesally's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
gracefelstead's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I went into Weyward quite excited, as I like a little bit of light witchiness, and a surname on my mothers side of my family is one letter different from Weyward. Instead of an empowering, magical story, this was a depressing, uncomfortable, and silly story.
The story starts very slowly, constantly jumping between the three generations of women. The short chapters mean we don't spend very long with them at all before being whisked off to a different timeline. This stops the reader being able to form any sort of attachment to the characters. Very little happens plot wise in the first half of the book.
I spent a lot of the first 200 pages wondering how and when these three separate stories would come together. To be fair, the plot did pick up quite a bit in the second half, I just kind of wish it had been a completely different plot, with a lot less domestic abuse, rape, mutilation, doctors harming women, truly disturbing descriptions of birthing aborted fetuses, and blood.
In Weyward, the Weyward women use their special (unexplained) bird and insect powers to maim/kill/terrorise the men who have wronged them. Unfortunately, setting a flock of birds to pluck the eyes out of abusers is not really a feasible option in the real world.
There is also a really strong emphasis on the belief that the main achievement of any woman in her life is that she will birth another woman and pass on her knowledge. A character feels she has failed at life after aborting her incest rape baby. This just feels like a really weird message to take away from a book that also so heavily features abortion, and the Weyward women facilitating abortions not only for themselves, but for other women.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
hardcover_hazel'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
3.5
"... spun from charm and flattery, as blinding and delicate as spider silk"
Weyward mixes green witchy (not halloween witchy) vibes and feminist themes that really entralls your senses.
You follow three women across five centuries, who are all related, and who's stories entertwine.
Overall, however, there is a lot of triggers, so definitely have a look at the warnings. There are a lot of power dynamics and graphic scenes. I didn't connect deeply with the characters - not due to situations or feelings, but because there seemed to be a very strong sense of continuing a bloodline which felt a bit overbearing at times. Perfectly understandable that they need to continue it to pass on their power, but still. The plot, while intricate and very challenging to weave five centuries together, felt a bit predictable.
That being said, this book definitely gives power to the earth and femininity. The writing does call to your senses with earthy tones, which I really enjoyed.
Definitely makes you want to go squint at the sun and listen to the birds more often.
"Perhaps one day, she said, there would be a safer time. When women could walk the earth, shining bright with power, and yet live."
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail