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bookb1itch's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Abortion, Murder, and Pregnancy
so glad this became available when I was on holiday and able to binge it! What great characters - strong and female. Lots to think about and so many potential triggers, yet the book is written with sensitivity. I think my favourite part is that the birds and insects which so often take on a sinister aspect in stories about "witchcraft" were mostly benevolent. I will certainly view crows differently in future! I also liked the conflict between the established medical men and the female Healers.allyem_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
5.86 CAWPILE
I thought this was a very solid debut novel. Each of the three women we read about had distinctive voices and there was no danger of losing track of who was speaking. But there were a lot of triggering things happening so I had some trouble finishing the book, unfortunately. I think if it either didn't include these triggers, or if I was aware of them beforehand and had the chance to prepare, then I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
I thought this was a very solid debut novel. Each of the three women we read about had distinctive voices and there was no danger of losing track of who was speaking. But there were a lot of triggering things happening so I had some trouble finishing the book, unfortunately. I think if it either didn't include these triggers, or if I was aware of them beforehand and had the chance to prepare, then I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, and Death of parent
Descriptions of hanginglemurdance's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Despite the outside world's best efforts to suppress it, the magical lineage of the Weyward women finds a way to the surface in each and every generation.
This story expertly weaves together three Weywards over three centuries. As each woman learns about her ancestors and their ties to the natural world, they find that even with the wide expanse of time between them, they share an all-too-common bond of trauma at the hands of men.
This beautiful book is about finding buried pieces of self, inner strength and fortitude, and using both magical and nonmagical methods to thrive in the world. The Weyward legacy, in spite of its roots in sorrow and pain, is filled with hope and love.
This story expertly weaves together three Weywards over three centuries. As each woman learns about her ancestors and their ties to the natural world, they find that even with the wide expanse of time between them, they share an all-too-common bond of trauma at the hands of men.
This beautiful book is about finding buried pieces of self, inner strength and fortitude, and using both magical and nonmagical methods to thrive in the world. The Weyward legacy, in spite of its roots in sorrow and pain, is filled with hope and love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abortion, and Pregnancy
alexalala's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read this book on a whim and it did NOT disappoint. First I want to say - please check the trigger warnings. I was so excited to read this book that I didn't check them and I really regretted not preparing myself for what was inside.
Altha is a lone woman in the 17th century on trial for witchcraft. Violet is a wealthy, sheltered daughter who yearns to know more about her mother, her only connection a love of nature. Kate is a modern-day woman escaping an abusive relationship. They all share blood and a strange connection to the natural world as they try to make it through their respective times.
The pacing was very well done, I was constantly on the edge of my seat. Each narrative ended on a minor cliffhanger, but I would become totally enraptured in the next narrative instead of wishing to just get through it. The prose was beautiful, yet readable, which makes it a perfect book for most readers who are looking for sophistication and entertainment. Each woman went through a powerful, female experience that had me feeling very connected to them.
I ADORED this book. Each of the narratives was interesting and I was rooting for the women. I loved their connection to nature and their personalities. Altha in particular became powerful to me at the end of the book when we discover what she did. Violet was a girl after my own heart, and her story really resonated with my experiences. Kate was inspiring and I loved her ending.
You will like this book if you like: the natural world, witchy vibes, magical realism, feminine power, multiple POVs, and revenge.
Altha is a lone woman in the 17th century on trial for witchcraft. Violet is a wealthy, sheltered daughter who yearns to know more about her mother, her only connection a love of nature. Kate is a modern-day woman escaping an abusive relationship. They all share blood and a strange connection to the natural world as they try to make it through their respective times.
The pacing was very well done, I was constantly on the edge of my seat. Each narrative ended on a minor cliffhanger, but I would become totally enraptured in the next narrative instead of wishing to just get through it. The prose was beautiful, yet readable, which makes it a perfect book for most readers who are looking for sophistication and entertainment. Each woman went through a powerful, female experience that had me feeling very connected to them.
I ADORED this book. Each of the narratives was interesting and I was rooting for the women. I loved their connection to nature and their personalities. Altha in particular became powerful to me at the end of the book when we discover what she did. Violet was a girl after my own heart, and her story really resonated with my experiences. Kate was inspiring and I loved her ending.
You will like this book if you like: the natural world, witchy vibes, magical realism, feminine power, multiple POVs, and revenge.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
sarahdufton's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
allapaz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
oh boy okay, this is a story of 3 women across 400 years and it's woven together so intricately, so beautifully, that I just can't get over it. I would read this if it were 1,000 pages long. the themes and experiences that mirror each other and reach these women in varying stages of finding who they are and how they're connected...it's lovely. this author is magic, some scenes in this book had my breathless with how hauntingly beautiful the descriptions were. what a wild ride. (that being said, read the content warnings on these reviews, spoilers be damned. keep yourself safe pals!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: War
quirkylitlover's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent
apmreads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Weyward is a gorgeously written novel with an equally gorgeous cover and a promising premise that, at its roots, tries to be feminist in its storytelling. Weyward follows three women through time: Altha, a young witch in the early 1600s, as she learns from her mother and makes bold decisions regarding the livelihood of a childhood friend and love interest; Violet, a young woman in the 1940s who is struggling with finding herself and wrestling with the unsettling feelings around her mother's death and her father's role in her life; and Kate, in her early 30s, caught in a violently abusive relationship with a controlling partner.
What I loved: the descriptive writing, the alternating timelines, the magical realism, and the overall idea for the story. Green witches are my favorites, so there is cottagecore aesthetics to the max here.
What didn't work for me: That every man, with the exception of Adam Bainbridge, Graham Ayres, and Henry Ayres (all with relatively minimal page time, and one who is dead for the entirety of the story), is an absolute wretch. I was so disappointed that there weren't more male characters (since it's trying to be feminist after all) that were not better people, who displayed good natures and kind hearts, and who played bigger roles within the narrative. Instead, this book makes one believe that the sole reasons for the Weyward women's woes comes from men, which not only makes it look like they're just terrible at picking men, but also just misses the mark in my opinion.
A great concept, but one that didn't meet the expectations I had for it. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me advanced reader access to this. Weyward publishes March 7, 2023.
What I loved: the descriptive writing, the alternating timelines, the magical realism, and the overall idea for the story. Green witches are my favorites, so there is cottagecore aesthetics to the max here.
What didn't work for me: That every man, with the exception of Adam Bainbridge, Graham Ayres, and Henry Ayres (all with relatively minimal page time, and one who is dead for the entirety of the story), is an absolute wretch. I was so disappointed that there weren't more male characters (since it's trying to be feminist after all) that were not better people, who displayed good natures and kind hearts, and who played bigger roles within the narrative. Instead, this book makes one believe that the sole reasons for the Weyward women's woes comes from men, which not only makes it look like they're just terrible at picking men, but also just misses the mark in my opinion.
A great concept, but one that didn't meet the expectations I had for it. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me advanced reader access to this. Weyward publishes March 7, 2023.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, and Death of parent
bookmaddie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Weyward was the perfect cozy, witchy, historical fiction novel that I'm always looking for. Hart follows three women bound together by blood, across three different time periods, as they all figure out how to live the way they want to. This is a heartwarming story about family, perseverance, and the power of community, whether that be found in-person or across generations, through writing and storytelling. Hart also writes beautifully of healing from trauma, and of the natural world—it made me yearn for spring, when you can watch the world bloom around you. This novel is a strong yet tender story of female power. Hart writes in the vein of Alice Hoffman, but is more mature in theme and writing, in my opinion. This story is one that will imbue your daily life with magic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Rape, Abortion, and Murder
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