Book Review: Weyward by Emilia Hart
Is Weyward worth adding to your reading list? Read my review to find out what I thought of Emilia Hart’s debut novel.
Weyward Summary
2019: Kate flees from an abusive partner and takes refuge in the Weyward cottage passed down to her by her great Aunt. While regaining her self-assurance, Kate unravels hidden truths buried by the previous Weyward women.
1619: The fate of Altha, rumored to possess witchcraft abilities, hangs in the balance as she awaits the verdict for a murder charge. Those who hold the most suspicion towards her have the power to decide her destiny. Will she be deemed guilty? Delve into her story to uncover the truth.
1942: Violet’s upbringing in a life of privilege instilled in her to conform to specific social standards. This, in turn, restricts her freedom to choose her future. Sent in isolation at the Weyward cottage, Violet must tap into her creative reserves to liberate herself from the bindings of societal conventions.
Something connects all three women, which must continue through the generations.
Weyward Review
The first three chapters of Weyward start with a hook for the readers. In the introduction, Ms. Ward crafts all three female characters, Altha, Violet, and Kate, with an air of intrigue that sets the stage for an exciting and suspenseful plot. Succinct and captivating beginnings encourage the readers to continue turning the pages.
The main characters told their story, providing a more intimate telling of their struggles and triumphs. Their stories evoked intense anger toward those who wronged them and empathy toward their hardships. Yet, their stories also inspire by showing how they overcame their challenges. In addition, the story delves into women’s rights.
The reader can observe the similarities, albeit with some improvements, of the struggles society continues to impose upon us.
Ms. Ward craftily wove the characteristics of the Weyward women, including their gifted herbalism, possession of a green thumb, and love for animals and creatures, into the book’s storyline. These elements add a bit of whimsy to this deep story depicting magical Realism through their strong relationship with nature.
Overall, despite some distressing scenes, the book highly captivated me, and I rooted for each woman to succeed in their own way. The book’s storyline infused magical realism and primarily revolved around women’s inner strength in dealing with life’s challenges.
Weyward resonated with me, and I highly recommend this read.
Quote
– Grant
“Perhaps being different wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Perhaps it was something to be proud of.”
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