WEYWARD is a stunning tale about three women’s journey to self-discovery spanning five centuries. Hart takes her readers in and out of the past as she delves into the lives of Kate, Violet, and Altha. Each combatting personal adversities and being pushed to realize the power they hold within.

To say that I loved this book would be an understatement. The eloquence and masterful storytelling by the author brought the characters to life. There was emotion and realness behind the situations our leading ladies find themselves in that captures the reader. And then you have the hint of magic passed down from generation to generation, which only makes the story that much better.

WEYWARD is a perfect combination of family lore, female fortitude, and historical fiction. From beginning to end, Hart delivered a truly special book.

I have already read this book three times since receiving it as a ARC. I find new reasons to love it every time I read it. Lavishly written, deep and dark enough to make you think.

it was a nice read. Rather interesting to follow multiple generations of women who had 'special. talents' that were pass on tother first borns who were always girls. Sadly, beyond having special talents in common, these women also had in common choosing 'bad' men to marry,

4 stars

This was an interesting and layered book with just enough witch stuff and birds and insects to keep me going. I don't think it says anything particularly new as the thesis seems to be "men are bad we should be single badass witches instead" including the first born child of the Weyward women always being a girl to keep the witching going, but I had a good time reading it anyway.

The thing keeping it from being a 5 star read is I had issues with a few of the narrative choices like the witch trial in the 1600s seeming way too modern. I'm pretty sure trials weren't like that at all but I wasn't there so what do I know.

Anyway, solid entry into the women's witch fiction genre!

I absolutely loved this book. It’s a coming-into-strength story, a rediscovery of yourself and your own power, a love letter to women finding themselves and their strength even when the world is set up to take it away from them. There are hard moments in it (trigger warnings for abuse and rape) but it serves a purpose in showing how the characters overcome it all.

The switching between points of view and timelines was expertly done and had a great flow to it. I enjoyed all three characters equally, I can’t even pick a favorite. It was really interesting how the author could make each of the women distinct but also draw familiar, similar lines between them all regardless of the hundreds of years between them. If you’re not a big fantasy person, don’t worry about it. The magic is very light, very nature-based, and really is more a vehicle for the character’s development than anything else.

I received a free audio (and ebook) version of the book (which I absolutely recommend as the narration was stellar and gave the whole story even more character) but I enjoyed it so much that I plan to buy myself a physical copy of it. I don’t know of a more ringing endorsement than spending my own money!

I would recommend this book wholeheartedly. It’s a great story that you won’t want to put down and you’ll fall in love with these characters as they find themselves.


Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

I can’t get over how much I truly loved reading this book. I liked the 3 view points of different generations and how they all connected. I really connected with this book because I am very sentimental and love family heirlooms. I also named my daughter after my great grandmother. This was a fantastic debut novel! Im really looking forward to reading more of her books.

“After all, I am a Weyward, and wild inside.”

In the village of Crows Beck, the Weyward women have been the subject of whispers, rumors, and tales for many centuries. They are known as healers, suspected for witchcraft, thought to be different and strange, kept at an arms’ length, misunderstood. They have a wildness that cannot be tamed and a deep connection to nature, with plants that bloom under their fingertips and creatures that draw near to them.

This novel shares the stories of three Weyward women; Altha, a young healer living in the 1600s, who stands trial for witchcraft; Violet, a teenager living in the 1940s, who knows nothing about her heritage and is kept contained within her father’s estate; and Kate, who flees an abusive relationship in London to seek shelter in her great-aunt’s cottage at Crows Beck in the present day.

Alternating throughout these three perspectives and timelines, the reader learns of the deep history and connection that the Weyward women have both to the natural world and to the women around them, using their gifts to heal, protect, and empower, despite the brutality and violence they encounter at the hands of men who seek to stifle and control them.

The writing in this novel is exquisite and draws the reader in to feel the pull of nature as the Weyward women do. The tales of the women are heartbreaking, as they encounter graphic situations that are honestly very hard to read. I do love that each Weyward woman finds her strength and learns to embrace who she is throughout the novel. However, most of the male characters are portrayed as brutal antagonists in the narrative, with the exception of a few men whose kindness is briefly described towards the end. This is a women’s fiction novel, but I do wish that there was a little more balance in that regard. There are many heavy content warnings to be aware of, as well.

CW/TW: domestic violence, rape, assault, miscarriage, abortion, thoughts of suicide, death of a loved one

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy, in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Weyward women have unique powers that in the seventeenth and twentieth centuries result in ostracism. In 1619, Altha is accused of witchcraft, yet some continue to seek her healing abilities. In 1942, Violet wonders what really happened to her mother and why her father seems to hate her. When her father disowns both Violet and her brother, Graham, but embraces their cousin, Violet and Graham find refuge in the cottage their mother owned prior to her marriage.

Still later, in 2019, Graham’s granddaughter, Kate, escapes an abusive marriage, hiding in the cottage she inherited from Violet. Eager to keep her unborn daughter safe from her evil ex, she learns to harvest the power she inherited from her Weyward forebears. This lovely, absorbing novel reminds the reader of the many injustices suffered by women in the past, but reminds us that women often ultimately triumph. #Weyward #NetGalley

My late Grandma, Mary, used to proclaim that our family descended from “a long line of Lancashire witches”. It is thanks to her I have had a lifelong interest in the supernatural and otherworldly, but have always been keenly aware that my daughter and I are preceded by centuries of female oppression. So it is no surprise that Emilia Hart’s wonderful debut, Wayward, a story of three generations of witches, resonated with me.

In 1619, we find Altha awaiting trial, accused of using witchcraft to kill her friend’s husband. In 1942, Violet mourns the death of her mother, and becomes curious about her past after finding the word “weyward” scratched on her bedroom wall. And in the present day, Kate is fleeing from an abusive partner, to a run-down cottage left to her by her great aunt.

Each of the aforementioned women suffer at the hands of men, but circumstances lead them to discover their inner power, and harness nature to their advantage. The links between Violet, Kate, and Altha are beautifully revealed, but as individual characters the Weyward women are incredibly strong.

I love Weyward; it’s a fantastic novel. It is so incredibly depressing that women are generally still regarded as “lesser” in society, and the huge strides taken by those who came before us amount to fairy steps in the grand scheme of things. But while Hart’s characters are assisted in their liberation by supernatural means, it is the support of other women that ensure that they remain liberated.

I highly recommend Weyward to lovers of powerful, feminist fiction. The story is incredibly engaging and relevant. And the gorgeous ending made me cry.

“Witch. The word slithers from the mouth like a serpent, drips from the tongue as thick and black as tar. We never thought of ourselves as witches, my mother and I. For this was a word invented by men, a word that brings power to those who speak it, not those it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses.
No. It was not a word we ever used.

These words are from the narrative of Altha, the earliest of the Weyward women we meet in this historical fiction from Emilia Hart. We meet her in 1619 and learn of suspicions held by many against her, and her mother before her. We meet Kate next, in London in2019, a woman in a toxic relationship wondering about her future. Lastly, we are introduced to Violet, whose story as we meet her begins in 1942 in Orton Hall in Cumbria. All three stories ultimately center in Cumbria, near the small village of Crows Beck and an old, old cottage named Weyward.

This is a story of women who are different, who have ties to the natural world that seem different, far fetched, unnatural. They have been healers in our past but also misunderstood and feared. And some, growing up without guidance, misunderstood themselves. This story shows the lives of three of the Weyward women, their trials, their success and joy in nature,and discovery of their own selves. This is done through alternating narratives in which each slowly reveals or discovers their self.

I really enjoyed this book and each woman’s story. Each reader will have to decide what they think about the magical elements that occur. For me, they worked beautifully. Recommended.

A copy of this book was provided by the author and publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Weyward by Emilia Hart is truly a written tapestry. Three beautifully written, often heart-breaking stories that are told nearly separately but woven together with expert fingers.

This novel is historical fiction + fantasy underlined with feminist commentary. The way that Hart blends together common themes from different periods in time and interlaces these stories together is absolutely beautiful, and quite surprising, at times, in its effect. These stories are somehow both expected but unique. It takes a talented writer to takes something standard and make it new again.

The only caution (though, not critique) I offer is that this novel was a heavy read for me. The stories themselves did not provide a lot of joy, per se. This novel is one of those that will stay with you and effect your heart in many ways, but I’m not sure happiness will be one of them.

For the talent that crafted this novel alone, I’d highly recommend it! It is often a somber journey, but the story is exquisite.

Interesting story line... I like how the author used the different times to portray the 3 different women.. I do wish there had been a character between the first and second woman though... I am not a fan of the epilog, it felt rushed like an after thought (and contains an error)... Over all it was a good book, great characters and background descriptions...

Quick and Dirty:⁣
-multiple timelines/POV book ⁣
-focused female ⁣
-domestic violence trigger warning⁣
-inter-generational trauma story⁣

Musings⁣
I wanted to love this book, I truly did. But something wasn't right for me. I usually adore family sagas, especially when the stories are linked as these are. But in the case of Weyward, the three storylines felt too similar. At times it felt like I was reading the same story told three different ways. I prefer a bit more variety. I also didn't care for the way men are portrayed in this book. Except for one character, none of the men in the book had any redeeming qualities. They were "the bad guy" of the story, which felt redundant in my opinion. Lastly, the book was marketed as a witchy read, but it had very little magic to speak of, leaving me disappointed and searching for my next witchy read before I even finished. On to the next book!

This story was nothing short of amazing. Now it wasn't an easy read by any stretch - this will test your resolve to read the pain of others, as much of it is on-page and graphic. But this beautiful tale of claiming your power and being who you know you are despite anything telling you differently is a one-of-a-kind story that I feel privileged to have read. We follow 3 women of the Weyward family throughout time as they navigate not only the challenges of the time period they live, but also the inherent difficultly that is being authentically yourself. The blurb tells you everything you need to know about the general plot without spoilers, but understand that this book is written in a style that is engrossing and addictive - I couldn't put it down!

**Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC**

Weyward by Emilia Hart is a novel set in three different time periods. In the modern day, Kate leaves London to stay at Weyward Cottage, where she learns of her past ancestors. She finds out that her great aunt had a secret, and she learns that she herself is more powerful than she realized. This was a very well-written, fascinating book, and I really enjoyed it a lot. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

4 matriarchs out of 5

"Mother of beetles, only unclench your hand:
I'll fly through the candle's mouth like a singeless moth"

For generations, the Weyward women have been touched by nature; born with the gift of understanding it and its creatures, its powers.

Altha. Violet. Kate.
The bloodline of magic.

Nearly 400 years span between them, and the narrative is unchanged: there will always be a hollow, power-hungry prick who wishes to strip you of your power until you're nothing but a shell of yourself, just like them.

"We never thought of ourselves as witches, my mother and I. For this was a word invented by men, a word that brings power to those who speak it, not those it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses. No. It was not a word we ever used."

Weyward is a convincing take on modern day witches and the importance of remaining faithful to our inner voice. Emilia Hart manages to paint a tragic family line with so much grace and hope, skillfully tying these three impressive women together on what could've been an overly ambitious timeline.

I'll definitely be looking out for her next books!

Big thanks to St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WEYWARD is a novel that spans 3 generations of Weyward women over five centuries of time. Hart's novel is rich with unspoken familiar history, of secrets kept by uncanny women, of knowledge quietly passed between generation after generation. While Kate, Altha, and Violet have vastly different life experiences, each of them are women without power in a man's world... until they find a way to take power back.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Weyward women fight the patriarchy and carve out a life for themselves. Hart expertly weaves each woman's story into the larger narrative that should be compelling enough for most readers to find it difficult to put WEYWARD down once they start reading.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

This was a beautiful novel about 3 generations of women over coming things that are thrown their way and giving into the family strength of the Weywards and the magical abilities that come with that. It is told from Kate, who is escaping an abusive relationship and has to run to her aunts cottage to hide away from her abusive ex she is is newly pregnant and will do anything to protect her baby from the life she was living. As she is in the cottage her aunt violet lived in and the small town she learns about the life she once lived and the strange things violet was rumoured to do, as she learns more about her family history we really see her come into her strength. Than we have the story of Violet and how her life was in the early 1900s and how she always liked different things strange things and how life was turned upside down when her awful
Cousin comes into her life and does an awful thing to her. Violets mother died delivering her brother and she never knew a lot about her as no one would tell her, as she learns more about her mother and who she is she also comes into her strength. Than we have the story of there another ancestor who was alive during the witch trials and it tells the story of how she was trialed for being a witch and gives us lots of family history about the wayward. I really enjoyed all 3 stories the magical element really brought alot to it!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. I love the characters and the world Emilia brings us into. Kate is definitely my favorite character. She is the most relatable out of the three main characters. I worry for her and her safety and just want what is best for her! Violet and Altha are great characters too. The different timelines; 2019, 1942, and 1619, were intriguing. I like seeing the similarities between the women and what they have gone through, especially with fighting the patriarchy. You get to see how they are connected with each other, and their connection with nature. Emilia writes characters so beautifully, and has a great writing style. I couldn't put the book down and finished it so quickly.

I loved her descriptions of the surroundings, the characters, and her writing style. If you enjoy strong and relatable female characters and nature, you should definitely give this a read! I can't wait to read another one of her books.  

Summary:
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.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

Author: Emilia Hart
Published Date: 3/7/2023
Pages: 336
Stars: 5 out of 5

This book was everything I adore. There’s magical realism, multiple timelines intertwining with each other, and strong females fighting the oppressive patriarchy. It was both heavy and uplifting at the same time and it’s been living rent free in my head ever since I finished.
 
I can’t recommend this book enough, especially if you love magical realism and witchy vibes. I loved it so much I chose it as my March BOTM book so I could have the physical copy on my shelves. If you enjoyed The Lost Apothecary this one will be right up your alley.
 
There is some content in here that might be triggering for readers, so I definitely recommend checking out the content warnings before diving in.