Review: Weyward by Emilia Hart

A debut novel that weaves an inspiring story of despair, magic, nature, and fortitude.

Set to release on March 7, 2023, Weyward is a beautifully written, but heart-wrenching story about the impacts of male violence. Kate is running from an abusive relationship and finds herself in a small village at Weyward Cottage, inherited from her Aunt Violet. As Kate makes a new home for herself, she discovers the history of the women in her family, and the parallel circumstances they have all been up against.

I recommend checking for trigger warnings as this book does reference forms of abuse, among other things that may be uncomfortable to the reader. With that being said, I felt the story provided a well-balanced plot with realism and fantasy. I could not put this down - each chapter consuming and revealing a little more of three stories woven together through time, connected by blood, and sealed by the Weyward name.

The characters were developed thoroughly and while the male characters have an appalling contribution to this story, they teeter on the line of demonstrating they are a product of their environment and just outright abusive of power/position. One perspective was written in the 1600s and at first, this part of the story seemed to move along at a much slower pace than the others, I found myself slightly struggling to get through those chapters until it picked up about halfway through the book. No regrets!

In each setting - London, Crows Beck, and Cumbrian Village - I found myself swept up in the landscapes, Orton Hall and the Cottage - casting their own remarkable spell on the reader, laced with descriptive scenery, wildlife, and insects at their finest.

As I mentioned, there are some dark moments throughout this book, I found myself frustrated and angry at these too-real circumstances. However, I found solace in the last few pages, slowing my pace to cherish the end.

I rated this book 4 stars because it set a new standard for me in the historical fiction genre, I will always seek books that highlight nature the way this one did and I was moved by the ending. This book will stick with me for a long time and I'll recommend it as often as I can. I hope to read more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Emilia Hart for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.