Weyward by Emilia Hart
Weyward is a mystical novel set across three different time periods, following the lives of three different women. We begin with Kate in 2019, who is fleeing an abusive partner and seeks refuge at Weyward Cottage, which was left to her by her great aunt. Then we meet Altha in 1619 who is on trial for causing the murder of a local farmer through witchcraft. And finally, we have Violet in 1942, a teenager who has been shut away from the world, she longs to have the education her brother receives and to know the secrets of who their mother was. Each chapter we learn a bit more about the three women and how they might be connected across the centuries. They have a deep affinity with the natural world and seem to be able to connect with birds, insects and plants. And they all encounter controlling men and patriarchal systems that seek to take away their freedoms and powers in different ways.
I really enjoyed the tension that Emilia Hart developed through the book, it kept the plot moving and I started to feel very invested in each woman’s story. I loved the subtle magical realism of the book, it’s not overt fantasy, it’s more like the real world was just slightly enhanced and could be altered with some gentle nudging. While these stories are set in three very different time periods the way Hart has written them feels very interconnected. There are dark and troubling aspects to each woman’s story but in the end this book is about how each woman finds her way to truth and power by drawing on the strength of her forbears.
Rosanna
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