⭐⭐⭐/5

• historical fiction/magical realism
• multiple POV/timelines
• atmospheric setting & writing

I enjoyed these three generations of resilient women and their stories. It was slow paced for me, but this was a debut and I look forward to more from this author.

🗣️ Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinpress for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

Weyward by Emilia Hart is a striking and thought-provoking debut novel that weaves a mesmerizing tapestry of magic, mystery, and personal discovery. The story is set in a world where magic is an integral part of life, and Hart's lush prose creates a vivid and enchanting backdrop for the narrative. This novel takes readers on a journey into the heart of a young woman's quest for identity and purpose, all while unraveling the secrets of her extraordinary abilities.

Hart's writing is a true highlight of Weyward. Her lyrical and evocative prose effortlessly transports readers into the enchanting realm she has created. Through her vivid descriptions and compelling characters, Hart explores themes of self-discovery, family bonds, and the intersection of magic and humanity. The protagonist's journey of self-acceptance and growth is beautifully portrayed, making it easy for readers to empathize with her struggles and triumphs.

Weyward is a captivating blend of fantasy and coming-of-age, offering a fresh and unique perspective on the genre. Emilia Hart's storytelling prowess is evident throughout the book, as she crafts a narrative that is both spellbinding and emotionally resonant. This debut novel is a testament to Hart's talent and leaves readers eagerly anticipating her future works. Weyward is a must-read for fans of fantasy and anyone seeking a rich, immersive tale of magic and self-discovery.

5 of 5 stars
Pub Date: 07 Mar 2023
#netgalley #weyward

In a truly impressive novel – even more so considering it’s a debut – Emilia Hart has woven the stories of three women from three very different times into a tapestry of resilience and hope.

Kate, in 2019, finds a sudden inheritance may hand her the opportunity she needed to finally break free of her abusive boyfriend.

Violet, a teenager in 1942, learns the story of the mother she never knew, and learns she may not be the disappointment her father has always made very clear he sees her as.

And finally Altha, all the way back in the 1600s, must defend herself from accusations of witchcraft, even as she faces a world not ready to accept women as independent.

These women will make their way through the trials that face them – some of those literal, all of them truly testing – with courage, determination, and a dawning realization of their own strengths and abilities. Emilia Hart has done an impressive job, making each woman a distinct individual, while allowing them to share enough common ground to pull their stories into a cohesive novel overall.

There were elements of magical realism here, too – to different degrees in each story thread, but very present and worked in naturally with the more grounded elements of the story. There’s parts that would have been too harrowing without those hopeful magical touches – these women do have to live through some awful events, but the promise of their unusual abilities keeps the story from sinking too deep into that darkness.

Overall a very enjoyable debut, and one that has me excited for more from this author.

At first this took a bit to get into, having to follow different characters on different timelines. But once it got into the story, it all flowed seamlessly.

With strong female characters and all the Witchy vibes, this book was beautifully written. What a wonderful debut.

The narration style and overall atmosphere was very reminiscent of The Lost Apothecary, of which I’m a fan. While a gorgeous exploration of women and their connection to nature, some characters fell a little flat and into categories that are black and white with little gray. Nonetheless, a bewitching and vivid story from a promising writer. Excited to see what Hart does next!

I DEVOURED this book. Listening to the audio, I could not stop. I listened all day and didn’t want it to end.

Weyward is about a family line of witches, women that lose their knowledge and link to their power and past through (of course) the selfishness and violence of men. We come to know Altha a fierce friend being tried for witchcraft; Violet an aspiring botanist and entomologist who has been confined to her family estate her entire life and is just beginning to search for the reasons why; and Kate, finding the courage to escape her abusive husband by running away to the cottage left to her by her estranged great aunt.

I loved all these characters and the way their stories entwine. I love how they grapple with their own abilities and when to attempt to intervene, I love how much this novel had that push and pull of duty and desire, a deep calling and the resistance to it, and ultimately how trauma is generational, yes—but, so is power. So is magic. So is the deep knowledge inside us that will come to light despite suppression.

Ahhhh just loved this book and loved how it ended. It awakened something in me—maybe it will for you too.

This was more of a 4.5 star read for me but would have been a five star read for me, but that it did feel a bit repetitive at times. I’m ok with that though, sadly some of the worst things have a way of being repeated generation to generation.

Thanks for the review copy. The writing was great but I couldn’t really connect with the characters. I’m sure other people will enjoy this one more than I did.

I liked all the voices i read, and how they wove around and affected each other. This books reminds me of what women have always and sometimes seems like, we'll always have to go through but we always remain strong.

Weyward is a debut fantasy multi-generational fable by Emilia Hart. Released 7th March 2023 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out from the same publisher in first quarter 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a beautifully written paranormal historical novel told in three timelines and three women in the same familial line. The story itself is compelling and richly interwoven with flashbacks, journals, and visions. All of the women are gifted with psychic, healing, and wild natural gifts which, when used, run afoul of the local populace for witchcraft, at peril for their lives.

For sensitive readers, there are numerous descriptions of sexual assault, abuse, psychological torture, and murder. There are frank discussions of miscarriage and fairly graphic passages discussing pregnancy loss and miscarriage and trauma.

Four stars, with the strong codicil that although it's beautifully written, there are parts which will likely be difficult to read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I had to dnf this at like 25% which I know puts me in the minority for people that really love this book. I think unfortunately the content of this book was a little too triggering for me and I didn't feel like I was in a headspace to finish it. However, if the trigger warnings seem okay with you I would trust the numerous other reviews of people loving this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was right up my alley. Its hard to do multiple perspectives and timelines and do it well, and it's even harder to do it with two perspectives in third person and one in first person. Hart nailed it. The prose is absolutely beautiful, and there were several moments that left me sitting there reading a description a few more times to really absorb it.

Hart has perfected the art of changing perspectives at just the right time so it keeps you reading. From about 30% in, I couldn't put this down.

I found this story to be unputdownable. I loved all of the characters and house each timeline wove together. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Beautiful from start to finish. Just the right amount of haunting Witchery, of blurry lines between the generations. And I love that the room was yellow. A clever touch.

I loved the stories of these brave women and wish there was more pages! Well written and fun I had times where I couldn't put it down.

Once again, I found myself picking a book up with no idea what the premise was. I knew there were witches and multiple timelines. That was enough for me to know I wanted to dive in.

I absolutely loved the interwoven timeline and the storytelling in this book. I thought they only served to make the mystery richer and more compelling.

The only thing I didn’t love was that the ending seemed a little too easily wrapped up. Things just “happened” that didn’t seem to have a lot of set up or basis. I think I’d have preferred a slightly more realistic ending or at least an ending that was set up more in the preceding chapters. (I can’t give more details without spoiling it but basically, things happened too easily.)

Overall, a solid 4 stars from me and a great edition to your spooky season TBR if you like witchy but not scary.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A moving, multi-generational story about endurance, perseverance and hope, Weyward follows the lives of three women as they struggle to be free of their circumstances. In 2019, Kate escapes her abusive husband for he great aunt’s cottage. In 1942, Violet feels trapped in her home by society as a war rages on. And, in 1619, Althea awaits her fate as she stands trial for murder.

While it took me a bit to get into the story, once I got into it, I struggled to put it down. I don’t typically read stories of this genre, but the elements of magic were subtle and delicately woven throughout the story. This book is perfect for fans of Practical Magic and Where the Crawdads Sing, and would make for an excellent book club read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Emilia Hart for an advance copy of this book.

I LOVED this book. The characters were so sharp, complex, and perfectly flawed, and the storyline pulled me in from the get go. Ill be dreaming of living an a weyward cottage for the foreseeable future.

Multi-generational female led #comingofage/family drama with a tiny sliver of domestic suspense vibes and a heavy dose of nature.

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2019: Kate flees London after years of being a virtual prisoner to her abusive partner. Her saving grace: Weyward - the remote cottage she recently inherited from her recently passed great aunt.

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1942: Violet, a teenager who prefers to be amongst the animals and forest than bowing down to the expectations of society and her ambitious father.

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1619: Altha finds herself being tried as a witch and fighting for survival. The star witness in the prosecution against her? Her bestfriend.

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These three women’s blood, stories, experiences, and lives all converge in this haunting but inspiring story of unusual women, bonded through generations by a hidden family secret, the undying love of their mothers, and their oneness with the earth around them.

I absolutely adored this book. It was quite possibly my favorite of the year so far. The writing and character development were beautifully done.
The stories of these three women and three timelines sharing the same bloodline were empowering. The witchy vibes and atmospheric setting in the English countryside, breathtaking in its visual description.
I can't recommend this book enough. It was thoroughly spellbinding.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Mmmm. There's not a bit of this read that didn't sizzle for me!

Starting with a nod to the Bard where he references the Weyward Sisters (who show up in later versions of Macbeth as the weird sisters), Author Emilia Hart quickly tosses the reader into 1619 with an accused witch filled with dark ponderings on the dungeon she's been in for ten days.

There are three distinct, yet generationally related, storylines: Altha, Violet and Kate. I loved all three! Often when reading books with this structure, I find one storyline far more compelling than the others - in Weyward, I was invested in each thread in a satisfyingly balanced way. And similarly, I find parallel POV endings usually fizzle, with one getting more attention. Not here - all the endings were well-attended and fleshed out with loose ends properly tied.

Lastly, the writing was watercolor-y, very much reminding me of painting with words used and words omitted. . .I will be looking eagerly for the next Emilia Hart work to hit the shelves.

A jolly good read - Witches, Ho!!!

*A sincere thank you to Emilia Hart, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review*