Weyward

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Combining elements of women’s fiction, historical fiction and magical realism author Emilia Hart expertly weaves the three different threads of this story into a compelling narrative. The narrative is shared through multiple perspectives. We follow Kate’s story in the present day with separate chapters detailing Violet‘s and Altha’s stories interspersed throughout the novel. Superb characterizations, vivid imagery, atmospheric settings and simple yet elegant writing make for an immersive reading experience. The narrative has strong feminine overtones and though several (not all) of the male characters are unlikable, the author does not indulge in verbose male-bashing or farfetched revenge drama but instead weaves a narrative highlighting the personal growth and resilience of these women and the comfort and strength they harness from their deep connection to nature, that sees them through the adversity they face in their lives. It is sad that despite living centuries apart each of these women had to endure instances of neglect, abuse and oppression. The symbolism of Weyward cottage and how it continues to be a safe haven and a source of strength for the Weyward women through the centuries is particularly significant. This is a story about family, legacy and courage. Emilia Hart’s Weyward is an impressive debut that I would not hesitate to recommend. I also must mention that the cover art for this novel is absolutely stunning. Hart was inspired to write “Weyward” in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. At this time, she was living in the Cumbrian countryside and had fallen in love with the dark tunneling woods, purple with heather and windswept fells. Many thanks to author Emilia Hart, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Maybe I should have anticipated the content in this based on the synopsis, but I really did not expect the endless amount of abuse featured here. Every single storyline in this involves physical, sexual, and psychological abuse of women at the hands of men. On top of that, the three women featured are fairly isolated and have very little support, and most of the male characters are vile and controlling abusers with no nuance. The suspense around the climax of this novel is built upon the question of women's safety at the hands of their abusers, which is just something I did not enjoy. The three timelines and the compelling stories of each of the women intertwine and are layered with the natural magic that runs through the female line of the Weyward family—magic that will help and heal. This combination of magical realism and historical fiction is perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman and Megan Giddings." –– Library Journal Maybe I should have anticipated the content in this based on the synopsis, but I really did not expect the endless amount of abuse featured here. Every single storyline in this involves physical, sexual, and psychological abuse of women at the hands of men. On top of that, the three women featured are fairly isolated and have very little support, and most of the male characters are vile and controlling abusers with no nuance. The suspense around the climax of this novel is buil Felicity sent Weyward out on submission, and I was absolutely blown away to have offers from Carla Josephson (Borough Press) and Sarah Cantin (St. Martin’s Press). I feel so privileged to have worked on Weyward with Carla and Sarah — they’re both incredible editors and I think the three of us make a great team.”There was something about us—the Weyward women—that bonded us more tightly with the natural world . . . The animals, the birds, the plants—they let us in, recognising us as one of their own.” Look, I'm sorry, I just did not have a good time reading this book. I actually wanted to put it down due to the high volume of confronting content and my own discomfort with it. I was also just not engaged with the characters and frankly, bored. I was somehow both confronted and bored. However I was gifted such a beautiful advance copy, I speed read the second half just so I could form an overall impression. The story is well-paced and beautifully written with vivid imagery, with a strong connection between the characters that come together with a rewarding ending. Bringing us up to modern times, Kate is a woman whose lifestyle and career is gradually being erased by her overbearing boyfriend Simon. To escape, Kate flees London – abandoning everything – for Cumbria and Weyward* Cottage, inherited from her great-aunt. There, a secret lurks in the bones of the house, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century. After practicing for a few years, she enrolled in the Three Month Online Novel Writing Course by Curtis Brown Creative. She was one of the most highly commended authors at the Caledonia Novel Awards in 2021.

Wonderfully written (and it's a debut), this is a great look into what was and what continues to be if women do not use the rights that have been theirs for some time.

Weyward is a novel of witchcraft over five centuries, told through the stories of three women—Altha, Violet and Kate—who share a family line. In modern-day London, Kate flees her abusive live-in boyfriend before he can discover that she’s pregnant. Taking refuge in her great-aunt Violet’s cottage, she attempts to rebuild her life and her eroded identity.

Thank you to Melissa and Sheyla for the invitation to my first official Buddy-read! You're the best! In 1942, teenaged Violet lives a cloistered life within the confines of her father’s estate at Orton Hall. He finds her unladylike behavior of climbing trees and collecting insects so appalling that he threatens to send her to a finishing school so he can marry her off to an eligible young man.I started off by writing Altha’s story in full first — in many ways she feels like the core of the book, given her tale has such an impact on the lives of the other characters. She was the initial thread that I wove Violet and Kate’s stories around. Also, anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely adore puns — so the link to ‘wayward’ was definitely intentional!” In the end the characters are triumphant, that despite all of the difficulties and obstacles put in their way, each of the women in their own way succeed, and I suspect that it is this element that makes the book work. As an aside, I thought that it was good to read a book with a definite ending for a change, as a result of what happens to these women. And it is, save for the fact that I’ve read it before — hi there, New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman — over twenty years ago, in fact.

and each of their passions for nature —(birds, insects, plants)….were eloquently written and captivating. Panic flutters in her, like a bird. She takes a deep breath, touches the ribbon of scar on her left arm. Smiles one last time into the bathroom mirror. She can’t let him see that anything is different. That anything is wrong.However, when she had the idea for Weyward her debut she started thinking that if she could draft complicated legislation and legal advice perhaps she was ready for a novel. However, it turned out that writing is way harder even though practicing as a lawyer provided her with the confidence to try. Sadly, I wasn’t able to incorporate the most bizarre fact that I uncovered, so I’m grateful for the chance to relate it here. I was very surprised to learn that up until the 1960s, frogs functioned as pregnancy tests! A frog would be injected with a woman’s urine and if she was pregnant the relevant hormones would cause the frog to produce eggs. I’m quite glad that technology has moved on since then!” This story came together so beautifully and I buzzed through the last part because I couldn't wait to see how it played out. There was one characters that was in need of more development but it wasn't one of the main characters, and I felt the 'love and magic of nature' in the story over-shadowed any writing flaws. Three women in different time periods who like nature are treated horribly by men. That's it, that's the book. Told in separate narratives that intertwine ever tighter as their stories unfold, Weyward is an epic drama of three remarkable women finding their strength and power through the words of each other and a unique common legacy.