WEYWARD by Emelia Hart – Review

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Weyward by Emilia Hart
Published by St. Martin's Press on March 7 2023
Genres: Adult, Magical realism
Pages: 336
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: A multi-generational story of the ties that bind a family of women together, with a bit of magic thrown in for good measure.

“She looked happy, hand in hand with her husband. Perhaps she was, then. Or perhaps I was standing too far away. A great many things look different from a distance. Truth is like ugliness: you need to be close to see it.”

This was a beautifully written debut with a touch of magical realism, a story that focuses on three different women from the Weyward family, gifted with an affinity for the natural world. If you love generational stories of women fighting the odds in a male dominated world, you will probably love this too. It reminded me a bit of Louisa Morgan’s books, and I thought the author did a great job constructing her rather complex tale, which alternates among three different time periods.

In 1619, we meet Altha, a young girl who has been arrested for suspected murder and is currently awaiting trial in prison. Altha tells her story through a journal, which gradually reveals the hardships she’s gone through. Although there’s barely any evidence, Altha was present when John Milford was trampled to death by a herd of cows, and witnesses suggest she used her powers to make that happen. Through her journal, we learn that all the women in the Weyward family have an ability to interact with nature and animals, but her mother urges her to keep her talents to herself, lest she be accused of witchcraft. 

Jumping to 2019, we meet Kate, a thirty-something woman in an abusive marriage who is looking for a way out. Kate recently inherited an old cottage in Crows Beck from her great aunt Violet, and it’s the perfect place to escape to, especially since she’s been keeping it a secret from her husband Simon. Leaving everything behind, Kate arrives at Weyward Cottage, terrified that Simon will find her. She’s even more distraught when she discovers she’s pregnant, despite all her best efforts to avoid it. Settling into her new home, Kate discovers some old letters and a journal that will help her piece together her family history.

Finally, in 1942 we meet Violet, a sixteen-year-old who lives a life of seclusion at her family manor, Orton Hall. Violet loves insects and wants to be a biologist someday, but her father has other plans for her, namely to find a husband. When Violet is raped by her cousin Frederick and becomes pregnant, her father banishes her to an old cottage where she will stay during her pregnancy to avoid scandel, and later marry Frederick. But Violet doesn’t want a husband or a baby, and so she takes steps to change her fate. When she discovers information about her dead mother in the form of letters and a crow’s feather, she realizes she’s part of a family legacy of strong women and she can control what happens to her.

I became fully invested in all three stories equally. Normally when I read books like this, there’s always a character that isn’t quite as compelling as the others, but here, Kate, Altha and Violet are tied together in so many ways, it was hard not to love all three. And all of their lives parallel each other: they are all abused by men in one way or another, and they all discover they have the ability to interact with nature in a very special way. I absolutely loved all the connections among Kate, Violet and Altha, and the author reveals these connections slowly through alternating chapters. Kate and Violet in particular are filled with curiosity about the word “Weyward,” an old family name that seems to have disappeared from official records, and they go out of their way to discover the truth of the name. Hart uses objects in her story such as an old necklace and a bee brooch to entice the reader and draw out her mystery. I loved the way these pieces of jewelry show up in all three timelines, like family heirlooms that hide secrets.

The magic in the story is subtle and revolves around nature. For example, Violet can draw insects to her, and we later find out she uses this ability to exact revenge on one of the men in her life. Crows are also a recurring theme, as each woman has a special encounter with one. Altha’s timeline was heartbreaking, because she and her mother are both rumored to be witches, even though they are only trying to help heal people. Each time magic is used, it’s done for a specific reason, to avenge a wrong done by a man. In this story, the “magic” acts more as a way for the women to discover their strength and stand up for themselves. Even Kate gets help from the natural world, when Simon inevitably tracks her down and confronts her. 

I loved the driving arc of the story, which is Kate’s pregnancy. Although she’s not happy about it at first, she eventually decides to have the baby, especially after she finds out it’s a girl, another link in the Weyward family chain of women. Even though Kate is basically in hiding, she does let her mother know she’s pregnant, and her mother turns out to be a wonderful source of comfort and strength for her.

There’s plenty of tension as well. I was on pins and needles, hoping that Simon wouldn’t discover Kate’s location. And during Altha’s trial, I was appalled by the way she was treated in court and worried that she was going to be found guilty of murder and hanged. All of the mysteries and connections between the women are drawn out slowly, and some of the important scenes are told from two different points of view, so the reader can see what actually happened.

Hart includes an epilogue that circles back to a tragedy in Kate’s past and establishes a close connection between Kate and Violet, and I thought it was a great way to end the story. Overall, I was mesmerized by Weyward, brought to life by Emilia Hart’s vivid prose and imagination. This is one debut worth checking out, and I can’t wait to read her next book.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy