The Gist: A whimsical historical fiction that explores feminist resistance to patriarchy over five centuries through magic and reclaiming autonomy.
Series: Standalone
Release Date: February 2, 2023
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.
• R@pe
• Sexism
• Attempted murder
• Murder
• Abortion
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5-stars
•••
Weyward was a five-star prediction when I selected it as my Book of the Month pick back in April. It has everything I gravitate toward in historical fiction: feminism, a character-driven plot, and magical realism. The novel follows three women from the same family in three different timelines spanning 2019, 1619, and 1942. Connecting the women are their struggles with male violence and sexism and the power that ties them together: their magical relationship with nature.
Feminism
The first perspective follows Altha in 1619, who’s standing trial for witchcraft. This narrative invokes the most classic feminist imagery: the witch trials that lashed out at independent women who existed outside the patriarchal archetypes of wife and mother. I loved how this storyline centred a complicated friendship between Altha and her ex-best friend, the wife of the man Altha is accused of killing. The author subtly explores the nuances of womanhood during this time and lightly touches upon a potential sapphic relationship between the two friends.
Violet’s story in 1942 and Kate’s in 2019 are more closely connected and explore intimate partner violence. I enjoyed how Kate’s story appeared to end the trauma cycle that started with Violet. The contrast between these two storylines shows how the decades have given women more agency through increased rights and education. However, despite these differences, Violet and Kate struggle with the same problem. I loved the emphasis on healing fractured family relationships in these timelines (Violet and her brother and Kate and her mother).
I thought magic in Weyward felt very realistic – it lent itself more towards magical realism than the paranormal. There was a common theme of how women are socialized to punish themselves – to make themselves smaller – because a powerful woman (represented by the protagonists’ access to magic) is seen as a threat. Altha, Violet, and Kate each have a moment where they realize they have suppressed, ignored, or feared their powers because they have been socialized to believe that powerful women are dangerous to everyone, including themselves. But, really, their power only threatens patriarchy.
Character-Driven
The writing in Weyward felt very whimsical, capturing the protagonists’ magical relationship with nature. I’ve always loved character-driven books, especially historical fiction and literary fiction, as they allow the reader to better connect with the characters.
However, my only critique of the book was that the discourse felt highly internalized, which means the secondary characters didn’t feel developed. There was a distinct lack of depth between the protagonists and their supporting cast, which made the stakes of losing their relationships not as impactful.
In Conclusion
Considering the author navigates three timelines, spanning 500 years in just over 300 pages, I’m blown away by Weywards‘s impactful and nuanced feminist messaging. While the book isn’t easy to read, I became completely absorbed in the witchy and whimsical atmosphere. I’m blown away that this is the author’s debut novel! I’m hoping for more developed supporting characters and a diverse cast in her sophomore book.
Buy Weyward
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