A review by alaina_reads_and_wanders
Weyward by Emilia Hart

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

Generally speaking, if a book consists of witchcraft as a lens by which to look at patriarchy as well as a tool to dismantle it, I'm going to love it! Hart did not disappoint with her ability to delicately balance  elements of magical realism with details of historical fiction. The book felt dark and magical, but also hauntingly true. This careful maneuvering between the fantastic and historical is what allowed the plot to effortlessly carry the reader through an analysis of the patriarchy and the oppression of women through history. 

The book follows multiple generations of Weyward women, each of which is exposed to different methods by which men and society control and restrain women's true power. (Be aware of trigger warnings!) Through Hart's masterful ability to shift between narrative voices and tenses, which place the reader in different relationships with each generation of characters in this book, she is able to tell a beautiful story of ancestry, heroism, and the true power of women. 
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