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jotee76'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
megharris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
lillianfc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
fohale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
hgalvin'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
3.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
lawbooks600's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Score: Five points out of ten.
So this one won the Debut Novel and Historical Fiction Awards. Why? I found Weyward at my library alongside other books, and I noticed it won some titles as mentioned above, so I headed in with high expectations when I picked it up and read it. When I finished it, I only felt depressed. If Maame or Chain-Gang All Stars won Best Debut, a Black author would've won. Same with The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store or The House of Eve for the Historical section.
Weyward starts with the first three characters I see, Kate, Violet and Altha, all Weyward family members, each facing their predicaments. Kate had to run away to Weyward Cottage to escape her abusive partner, while Violet defies society's expectations placed on women in the 1940s. She would rather climb trees and study insects (future entomologist?) than be a 'proper' woman, until some events force her to escape to Weyward Cottage. Altha lived in the 17th century when she is accused of witchcraft due to her connections with the earth and murdering another person. Weyward was a heavy read, in fact, the heaviest read of 2024. I hoped it would get better, but it didn't, so I had to wait until the concluding pages for the mood to change from miserable to hopeful. I'm glad all the women could find all their happy endings, but Weyward felt like exaggerated and glorified trauma to me. I also didn't like how the male characters were all evil. I'm sure not everyone is like that. The fantasy aspects are barely there, so maybe that's why some consider Weyward to be more of a historical fiction or a piece of magical realism than a speculative composition.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Vomit, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Full trigger warnings: Sexual abuse and assault, abusive boyfriend, blood depiction, physical injury, emesis, death of a person in a car crash, animal attack, pregnancy, childbirthem_n_ay's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
fruitwash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
jazzyinthewild's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer