About this book:
(blurb from Jonathan Ball Publishers)
KATE, 2019
Kate flees London – and her abusive partner – 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.
VIOLET, 1942
Violet is more interested in collecting insects and climbing trees than in becoming a proper young lady. Until a chain of shocking events changes her life forever.
ALTHA, 1619
Altha is on trial for witchcraft, accused of killing a local man. Known for her uncanny connection with nature and animals, she is a threat that must be eliminated…
My Thoughts
My Thoughts“Weyward” is hyped to be one of the most thrilling debuts of the year, and I was curious to find out if that is in fact true?
In this case, you can absolutely believe the hype!
The story is presented through three POVs, and three time periods (as you could figure out from the blurb). Usually, I struggle to get into different POVs, but Emily Hart made this a seamless experience. She’s got a wonderful writing style, which made it easy to transition between the different time periods.
Beautiful and descriptive writing resulted in me quickly getting seriously invested in the well-being of Althea, Violet and Kate – such unforgettable characters.
Through the multiple timelines, all starts to fit into place to, in the end, appreciate and understand the interconnectivity between the three strong and fierce female protagonists. With themes, pain and trauma repeating in various ways through the telling of the three Weyward women’s story, also comes a warning. It is not always an easy read, so do check for trigger warnings, which includes domestic abuse and sexual assault.
On that note, does misogyny count as a trigger warning? Because there’s a lot of it in “Weyward”, infuriatingly so – as in real life, I guess. You see exactly what happens in a world controlled by men who all fear a strong and independent woman.
“Weyward” is emotional, dark, and tense, and I could not turn the pages fast enough. It tells the story of female resilience and inner strength. I found it wonderfully atmospheric and was totally taken by the fact that green magic played such an integral part. The Weyward legacy of healing and empowerment, both stirring and uplifting!
Beautifully written, what a debut!
With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers, for this ARC copy. “Weyward” released in February 2023.
RRR (Roelia Reads Rating) 9/10
The Details
Category: Contemporary Fiction
ISBN: 9780008499099
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
On sale: February 2023
Format: Paperback
Jonathan Ball Publishers Weyward
