Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Weyward

Title: Weyward
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."

Content Warnings

taleofabibliophile's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

4.75

Content Warnings

pandemonicbaby's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

Content Warnings

kathyuhh's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.75

Content Warnings

magsapt's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Personally, I found this book a bit frustrating. While the pace was there, thanks to the short chapters that provided the story with a reliable rhythm, the plot had a lot of issues. First, I was not a fan of the generational trauma: I think it made the book a bit repetitive. The women could've had a myriad of other problems that would also be historically accurate OR socially relevant to broach. However, the author mercilessly went for that ctrl + C + P.
Secondly, I think there were a lot of tedious moments: I know I just said that the pace was good, but there were definitely some bits when Hart was dragging the plot. I felt this mostly during

Violet's chapters since she's the one who has the most "boring" life (given the fact that she's been under house arrest since she was born). I wish the author would've written more about her life after the ab*rtion, focusing on the woman she became after her trauma (since we were always reading about her scientific achievements) rather than spending so much time on the events before the ab*se. Violet is the perfect example of a character that has a lot to give but is forgotten by the writer.

Altha's storyline was my absolute favourite and

I LOVED the lesbian romance (even if nothing ever happened).

I think the way this was handled, considering the historical period, was very good.
Regarding Kate, where do I start?

Breaking the cycle of abuse is never easy, and it hurts me to see her suffer. However, the moment she knew she was f*cked (after ordering the baby things to her old e-mail) was when I stopped empathising with her. She could've talked to someone, alerted her friend or her mother, and taken bigger precautions like changing houses, installing cameras, and alerting the police. I don't think anyone who has suffered what she did would've just shrugged it off. And then, when Simon finds her, she acts like she's never seen a horror movie. It was very irritating and it was the main reason why I didn't give this book more stars.

Would I recommend it? Not really. It's a quick read, but it's not a book that will change your life or one you'll forever remember.

Content Warnings

julalbert56's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

Female rage books are the best. Not sure how none of these women were at least a little gay, though.

Content Warnings

More...