Absolutely enthralling story about three women of the Weyward family that spans three generations - one tried for witchcraft, one who lives through an abusive childhood, and one who flees an unhappy marriage. The author is masterful at threading together the three timelines, and the story comes together in a very satisfying way. Each story and each character is compelling, and I found it hard to believe this is a debut novel - you'd never guess. At the end all three women come to find out who they really are and how their history and family have shaped them. 5 stars for an excellent historical read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

A tragically beautiful story about the lives of three women living in three different time periods. Altha is being tried for witchcraft in 1619. Violet is living a sheltered existence in an English manor during World War II. Kate is living with an abusive boyfriend in 2019. They are all connected, yet these connections are slowly revealed throughout the story.

I loved the themes of connection to nature and the ultimate triumph of women over adversity. Though much of each woman’s story is upsetting, they eventually find agency to help themselves. I liked that the witchcraft elements were secondary to the stories of their relationships.

It was nice to read something a little more serious and literary. Definitely a book I’ll be recommending!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

Weyward is gorgeously written. Hart weaves a tale of love, loss, and nature through the lens of three women's separate (yet connected) lives. Hart's writing is full of emotion and vivid imagery, and her characters are full of yearning for connection and freedom. She has created a beautiful novel perfect for fans of magical realism, historical fiction, and women's fiction.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing a digital copy of Weyward in exchange for an honest review. Weyward will be available March 7, 2023!

I knew I was going to love this book as soon as I saw that it was told through three perspectives spanning five centuries. Then there were witches? Like I said, I was in love with the synopsis, and I was not disappointed.

It’s 2019 and Kate is fleeing an abusive boyfriend. She ends up at Weyward cottage which was left to her by her great aunt she barely remembers. She begins to suspect her aunt had a secret and sets out to uncover it.

In 1619 Altha is awaiting trial for murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his cows. She’s accused of being a witch. The deck is stacked against her when she is put on trial.

1942, as the great war rages, Violet is trapped by her overbearing father. Her mother is dead, and she’s been told a lie her entire life of when she did. When her cousin on leave from the war, takes what he wants from her, she is cast to a small cottage where she lives the rest of her life.

This book guys, it is so good! I loved all three storylines and finding out how they intersected. I was so invested in the characters, I felt connected to Kate right from the get-go. I have been in abusive relationships, and it just helped me relate to her plight.

This one isn’t out until March 7th, but you should definitely do yourself a favor and get it pre-ordered now. It is so beautiful and well done you won’t want to miss it. Thank you thank you thank you to @netgalley and the publisher, @stmartinspress, for my advanced e-arc in exchange for this honest review.

Weyward by Emilia Hart is wonderful story about three different women over the span of several hundred years. I loved the small connections and breadcrumbs that led up to a really satisfying ending.

I would categorize this as magical realism. The magic was intriguing and the story gave enough to keep me feeling informed but still mysterious enough to keep me on my toes and guessing. I’m a big fan of everything coming together at the end and Weyward did just that.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Emilia Hart for the opportunity to read and review Weyward. I really enjoyed it and it gets 5/5 from me!

Weyward by Emilia Hart is such a great book! It weaves together the stories of three generations of Weyward women and explores their mystical connections to nature and witchcraft. Altha, Violet, and Kate are all exceptional characters, full of heartbreak and strength. They are each so dynamic in their storytelling that I would honestly love to read a book dedicated to each one! The underlying themes of female intelligence and gifts that thread them together is as powerful as the betrayals that seem to follow them. I couldn't put this book down and I think it's one of my current favorites in the magical realism genre.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for an opportunity with this title. This is one I can see selling like hotcakes to the Alice Hoffman/Practical Magic crowd. It has a heartfelt center and well realized characters in addition to the gorgeous cover.

The US version of “Weyward” has a mesmerizing cover and an equally mesmerizing story to accompany it. This is a tale of three related women across 400 years who are affected by nature as well as by encounters with toxic men but who nevertheless prevail over them.

The author mentions that the word “weyward” appears in MacBeth but was later conjugated to “weird.” The women, Altha of the 1600s, Violet of the 1920s and Kate of today are not “weird” as we now think of the word, but all are eventually in touch with nature in a way we would think of as unusual. The three intertwining stories are beguiling and spellbinding and empowering.

The reader gets immediately invested in present day Kate’s predicament — an abused, captive wife in London with a husband trying to impregnate her (to further imprison her spirit). Kate escapes to Weyward Cottage — once owned by her great-aunt Violet. Violet was initially imprisoned in the same cottage after being betrayed by her father, but came to make the little house and garden her very own. Violet, in turn, connected with the history of the house and her ancestor, Altha. The story is haunting and often stressful as all three women find themselves escaping people who should have loved them. And there’s some, um, delicious revenge involving crows and insects. 4 stars!

Kudos to whoever created the US cover design.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Frederick has bright green eyes which mark him in later years.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Crow’s Beck is imagined like a piece of fantastic botanical art,

I really enjoyed the way Weyward is written, moving between the three main characters. There is plenty going on and lots of clever ways of bringing the women together as each story is told, but it is so well written it keeps the reader engaged and not lost with the characters from each period in time.
A very satisfying read which I won’t hesitate to recommend.

WEYWARD
BY: EMILIA HART

"The Weyward
Sisters, hand in
hand,
posters of the sea
and l do go, about,
about,
Thrice to thine,
thrice to mine,
And thrice again to make up nine.
Peace, the charm's
wound up." MACBETH

"Weyward is used
in the First Folio
edition of Macbeth.
In later versions,
'Weyward' was replaced by 'Weird'"

1619 ALTHA
Altha is on trial being prosecuted as a witch. Herself, and her mother before her used herbs as a vehicle to heal. She sits in prison, when she is not in court being glad to have a spider for company. I felt so bad for her, because I could feel the sensations of being unjustly accused. Blamed for things that she didn't do.

2019 KATE
Kate flees an abusive relationship from her partner Simon who she lived with. Totally abusive both physically and emotionally. She worked in a job that brought her pleasure, but Simon undermined her, since he felt that he earned more money. Knowing what I know about controlling people, this was a deliberate act to isolate her from others. Simon tracks her phone. Lucky for Kate she has bought herself a second phone, that he doesn't know about. Kate has learned before she flees that she is pregnant with Simon's child. Good for her that she won't bring a child into the world of Simon's abuse. Kate has inherited a cottage from her Great Aunt Violet. It is there that she travels to. Her father had died while Kate was young being hit by a car. She was with him, and because she survived the word "Monster," enters her head as if she was to blame. Her mother lives with her husband in Toronto, Canada. When Kate calls her mother she is worried about Kate, since Simon has telephoned her mother already, saying Kate is missing and she left behind her phone. Kate has never met her Great Aunt Violet who left her the cottage in the United Kingdom.

1942 VIOLET
Such a beautiful name. She lives in a huge estate with her brother Graham, and her father. Violet knows very little about her mother. Her father treats her terribly. Her cousin Frederick who is visiting from fighting in Africa gives Violet her first secret kiss. While her father is gone to fetch Frederick Violet bribes her brother Graham not to tell her father that she has sneaked into her father's study by rifling through his desk looking for clues about her mysterious mother. Violet bribes Graham by offering her dessert a custard or pudding for a length of time. She had found the word Weyward scratched onto the wall of her bedroom. Violet thirsts for the knowledge and education denied her, but offered to her younger brother, Graham. She loves all living things and wants to become a biologist or entomologist.

This was an excellent story of three women who are connected somehow. I thought it was very impressive for a debut historical novel. I did feel the claustrophobia that these women I am imagining felt by their confinement or being stuck. I know an Author is talented if Emilia Hart had the ability to make me feel as these three women must have felt--such as confined or trapped. I was totally absorbed by the storytelling and the atmospheric settings. There is a love of nature and an appreciation of animals felt by Altha and Violet. I would totally be interested in reading whatever Emilia Hart chooses to write next.

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Thank you to Net Galley, Emilia Hart and St. Martin's Press for generously sharing with me their Arc for me to read and review. All opinions are my own.

#Weyward #EmiliaHart #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

I really liked the style of writing in this book! Right out of the gate I wanted to know more about these characters circumstances and she does such a good job jumping eras chapter to chapter it’s seamless — whereas with other authors it can be confusing. Brilliantly done Emilia Hart.

The generations of the women in this family was intriguing to follow. In fact it would be fun to dive deeper into one as an offshoot, to focus on one and build a whole other story around that character. Without sharing any spoilers I would love to hear more about the mechanizations of their individual lives!

The author’s debut(!!!!) work, Weyward is pure magic; it pulled me in from the opening, transporting me to the English countryside with its wildly engrossing story.

Told in three parts (Altha - 1619, Violet - 1942, Kate - 2019), each part of the Weyward women’s stories is compelling and wonderfully atmospheric. The writing is gorgeous and really evokes images - you see what she’s written, the snow, the woods. I love visual storytelling and Weward is rich with it.

The stories link, and I loved the buildup to this connection. Though it’s not completely without some issue - I found parts to be predictable - the quality of the writing, and the slow build up here seriously keeps you turning the pages. I’m happy rating this at five stars because, again, the imagery here is so vivid and lush, each character is complete - you come to understand these women, their motivations, and what’s driving them. Fiction that transports can be difficult to find - this was one such novel and I will absolutely keep an eye on Hart so as to read her future works.

I will re-read this one as well, and likely listen to it as an audiobook. Strongly recommended. Fans of Alice Hoffman should love this one.

Three women with a natural affinity for mother nature's creatures have a familial bond that can be felt in their bones.  From Altha Weyward, accused of witchcraft in 1619, to Great Aunt Violet, who lived out her life in Weyward Cottage, to Kate who flees her domineering, abusive partner in 2019 in search of respite in Weyward Cottage, all of these women suffered some form of emotional or physical abuse.  Yet all of them were able to survive, albeit with emotional scars, and were able to forge forward in their lives, at times using their inherited Weyward "connection" to Mother Nature.
Emilia Hart has written a powerful novel about three powerful women who were able to successfully live their lives despite the cruel men who tried to control them.

There are triggers in this novel but due to the way Hart expertly brings them to the reader, I was able to get through the novel without being affected.

Wow. This book was a treat.

Weyward tells the story of three different generations of women from the Weyward family. Altha, a woman accused of witchcraft in the 1600's, Violet, a woman struggling against her father's control in the 1900's, and Kate, a woman escaping her abusive husband in 2019. Their stories interweave to create a beautiful tale of resilience and strength.

Hart's writing immediately drew me in and kept me hooked the whole time. Multiple POV's in multiple time periods can be tricky, but this one was executed perfectly. It was easy to get attached to all three characters, and I think their stories will resonate with a lot of women. There was a perfect amount of witchy vibes without it overpowering the central message of the book. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

Highly recommend for anyone who enjoyed The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved the intertwined stories of the women of the Weyward family. Despite how awfully they are treated by the disgusting men in their lives, they find a way to persevere. They get revenge or justice in the very best ways. That theme of resilience and how the women are one with nature is what helped me enjoy this book. The witchy vibes were perfect. This is a good book for fans of The Change.Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this in exchange for my honest review!

I am so in love with this book. I really love Hart's grasp of language and storytelling that really kept me fascinated with the story. She does an incredible job of keeping readers interested in three central characters across different times, which can be complicated and confusing if not done well.

This novel is incredibly nuanced, telling the stories of three women who all struggle at the hand of the patriarchy in different periods of time. I love how their stories mirror one-another, but shows their individuality.

I love all three of the characters. Altha, Violet, and Kate will have a place in my heart. This is the type of book I honestly think everyone should read; it's a truly enlightening book with a story that ought to be told. I wait impatiently for more of Hart's work. I will most certainly be adding this to my favourite books.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book.

Weyward is a magical read. I loved the different perspectives and the different time lines. I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover. Emilio Hart did a great job and I'm looking forward to seeing what the next offering holds.

Release: March 7, 2023

*Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review*

I went into this book struggling. I don't generally like historical fiction, so the 2 POVs that are from a time long ago were rough for me..... until I realized I was falling in love with those two women and cared so deeply about what happened in their lives.

The "current" woman's POV was also so powerful, she's the one I instantly cared about.

This book has such a powerful message for women and if you liked the book The Change, then I HIGHLY recommend this one as well. It's not wildly twisty, but the power behind the whole message left me ending the last page and taking a moment to sit and think. It was a slow-burn, but one I grew to love.

[Instagram to be posted 11/10]

The Weyward Emilia Hart
A clue to the vibe of this tale is the main character's (s) penchant (love) for the Brothers Grimm ... yes & it delivers. That dark unnatural "nature" twist to stories that are closer to the truth -makes them more unsettling.It is what makes it haunting & unnerving to a non-believer. Not a fan of concurrent storylines, but this was done well and added to the suspense. The Weyward (Weird) is worth devouring

Emila Hart
Weyward is a multigenerational story about three incredible women. First we meet Altha. It is 1619, and Altha is accused of using witchcraft to murder the husband of her estranged best friend, Grace. Next is Kate. It is 2019, and Kate has fled an abusive relationship in London to find sanctuary in the Old Weyard cottage her great aunt Violet has bequeathed her. Finally, we meet Violet. In 1942 Violet is a young girl who unfortunately hears all sorts of rumours about her "mad" mother, who died when she was born. Neglected by her cruel father, Violet finds solace in befriending spiders and marveling at damselflies.
After their introductions, we quickly learn that the lives of each of these women are interwoven. Their histories begin to crossover and run parallel to each other. Violet eventually learns about her ancestor Altha and uses Altha's wisdom to help take direction of her own life. And Kate, well, Kate soon has to channel the wisdom and strength of all the strong Weyward women before her to not only survive but to protect her unborn daughter.
I really, REALLY liked this book. One of my favourite formats of novels is to have different chapters written from different characters' viewpoints and then have their stories diverge either with regard to plot or theme. It was an easy escapist read that was the perfect book to finish on a cold, snowy day. I may have to buy a hard copy once it is published because the cover looks absolutely beautiful.