A review by marosq
Weyward by Emilia Hart

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Fairly good job interweaving three protagonist POVs. I found the voices of each protag distinct, though having one POV in first person annoyed me until much later on the book when I realized why the author chose to do that. The book says a lot about the power and wildness of women, but the short segments that protested the term "witch" didn't really do a lot to separate the idea of women's wild power from witchcraft. Especially since one of the POVs endures a trial accusing her of murdering a man with witchcraft. Also felt that the majority of men in the novel were extremely underdeveloped, almost one-dimensional, in the service of displaying how women have suffered at men's hands. As such, the commentary on abuse, especially domestic violence and the lack of structure in place to amplify the voices of survivors, doesn't feel very original or sage; more direct confrontation would have needed to take place between the sufferers and the system for that to be the case. I realize that Violet and Altha were speaking with the mindset of their social upbringings, but I wished that I could have seen Kate engage more deeply and introspectively with the "Why did I allow it? How did this happen? How can I make sure it never happens again?" line of thought. (Kate's mother particularly enraged me with the "I'm your mother, I sensed it, I should have done XYZ" hand flailing) There was an opportunity to bring the story full circle from Altha's "How could I not have seen this happening?" to Violet's "Was it my fault somehow?" to what could have been a powerful, contemporary statement from Kate: "This doesn't happen in a vacuum, survivors aren't weak, and healing isn't linear."

Would also have loved to feel a stronger, more believable sibling relationship between Violet and Graham, and to have seen Kate have any other positive male presence in her life but her father's. Altha concerned me a little, being written as covertly queer; the lack of strong secondary characters in her story made her strained relationship with Grace feel sort of unmoored and surface-level, which then gave the whole situation around Grace and her husband's death an oddly hollow resolution. 

Altogether I liked Kate's story best, and having Violet's story framed inside it was a good narrative device. I'm still not sure I agree with how Altha's story is set up, but she had some of the better one-liners and revelations in the entire book. Particularly loved "A great many things look different from a distance. Truth is like ugliness: you need to be close to see it." The thread of generational trauma woven with the thread of legacy and power was interesting, and I had a fantastic time with the depictions of the wild coming alive for each woman. Would recommend.
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