Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - 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

pandemonicbaby's review against another edition

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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

wickeddelights's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

I enjoyed this book. It isn't the style of my usual reads, but it had a way of holding your attention and beckoning you to turn the page. The story is one that so many women have faced, and in that sense it was familiar. And yet it was a story I was glad to see to the end regardless.
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.

Content Warnings

nerdyforbooks_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

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

I hate when I have high hopes for a book after hearing all the hype + getting nominations (BOTM)/rewards (Goodreads) - that just doesn’t work for me. And I’m pretty basic. I did like the large majority of GR’s Choice Awards winners. This one wasn’t it.

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.

Content Warnings

ellenigrace's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful tense

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

Content Warnings

coffeebean216's review

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Unengaging and slow. The main characters were immersed in misery and consequently showed little personality, making them difficult to connect with. Not the narrative for me.

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