Weyward by Emilia Hart
Historical Fiction, Gothic Fiction, 15+
Rating: 4/5
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of Weyward in exchange for an honest review.
Weyward tells the stories of three women from different times but the same blood: Kate in 2019, Altha in 1619, and Violet in 1942. Each woman tells her story differently, in engaging and exciting ways. The atmosphere of this novel was amazing, as was the gentle, natural magic. I loved reading about their experiences and seeing how the lives of Altha and Violet changed and helped Kate in 2019 as she runs from her abuser and finds the Weyward house, a place rich with nature and magic and history.
Weyward possesses a good amount of charm and whimsy alongside it’s harder hitting topics. The soft magic draws you in, daring you to guess at what is truly magical and what is merely circumstance and ill-timing. It almost hits like a mystery as well, as Violet finds clues about Altha’s life and Kate finds out more about both of her female ancestors. The strands weave together in an intricate knot, unravelling once Kate pulls on the right ones and the truths about Altha and Violet come to light.
It’s important to be aware of content warnings when going into this novel. I wasn’t aware I needed to look any up, but please do before reading! There was a scene involving sexual assault which made me quite uncomfortable. I don’t believe it was necessary to show this on page, but it’s there either way. Content warnings: sexual assault, domestic abuse, abortion, death of parent, physical abuse, suicidal thoughts, confinement.
Despite the content warnings, I recommend reading Weyward. It is a fantastic story about the power of women, nature, and strength found within. Fans of Shea Ernshaw and Erin A. Craig will fall in absolute love with Weyward.
Lit&Leta 
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