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A review by teamoxfordcomma
Weyward by Emilia Hart
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.75
This came very highly recommended to me, but I didn't anticipate loving it as much as I did! In this utterly captivating debut, Hart manages to weave an intricate, beautifully written novel about three women and their inextricable connection to nature. This intergenerational tale snared me from the first page and wouldn't let go. If you enjoy complex conversations about legacy, gender and control, nature and witchy-ness, and female power, this should be next on your list.
Altha, the pauper and natural healer accused of witchcraft and tried for it. Violet, the fiercely intelligent entomologist who reckons with her family history while making space for the next generation. Kate, the woman escaping an abusive partner who just inherited Great-Aunt Violet's Weyward cottage and discovers some family secrets...
This novel gripped me. I was sort of expecting it to be a slow meditation on these three women across the centuries (as is pretty much the default in literary fiction anymore). But no – each chapter, there was something new that ensnared me. I flew through it, anxious to learn the intricacies of these women's connection to nature. The fact that their stories mirrored each other across the centuries was magnificent. Certain portions were emotionally hard to read, likeKate's experience in her abusive relationship and Violet's rape and resulting pregnancy , but obviously it was a through-line in the family and needed to be included. Plus, reading these women experiencing it bonded me to them like no other. This novel is a powerful rebuke of the abusive power of men through the centuries. Elegantly done.
As a Cozy Connoisseur™️, Weyward is a perfect example of a (slightly) fantastical/magical realism novel which fits the autumnal/cozy season vibes but is not itself cozy fantasy. That sentence will make sense to those whom it needs to reach.
If you are a fan of slightly witchy novels, complex conversations about what (if anything, ha!) women owe men, nature-personified stories, or if you like tracing a family of women through the centuries, pick up Weyward ASAP.
Altha, the pauper and natural healer accused of witchcraft and tried for it. Violet, the fiercely intelligent entomologist who reckons with her family history while making space for the next generation. Kate, the woman escaping an abusive partner who just inherited Great-Aunt Violet's Weyward cottage and discovers some family secrets...
This novel gripped me. I was sort of expecting it to be a slow meditation on these three women across the centuries (as is pretty much the default in literary fiction anymore). But no – each chapter, there was something new that ensnared me. I flew through it, anxious to learn the intricacies of these women's connection to nature. The fact that their stories mirrored each other across the centuries was magnificent. Certain portions were emotionally hard to read, like
As a Cozy Connoisseur™️, Weyward is a perfect example of a (slightly) fantastical/magical realism novel which fits the autumnal/cozy season vibes but is not itself cozy fantasy. That sentence will make sense to those whom it needs to reach.
If you are a fan of slightly witchy novels, complex conversations about what (if anything, ha!) women owe men, nature-personified stories, or if you like tracing a family of women through the centuries, pick up Weyward ASAP.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Racial slurs and War
While there are definitely some heavy and triggering topics discussed in this book, they are not brought up with flippancy nor with no reason. This is an abject condemnation of men abusing their power/need for control, so while I encourage readers to read with care, just know there is comeuppance in every case.