I received a copy of Weyward by Emilia Hart from NetGalley. This book blends elements of fantasy and historical and paranormal together throughout the story. Its blurb is something that immediately intrigued me. The debut novel of the author weaves together a story of three women in three different centuries from the same family Weyward.
The story of Weyward follows three Weyward women from different centuries. Altha Weyward in the 1690s, Violet in 1900s, and Kate in the present time. The story begins when Kate flees an abusive relationship and leaves London. She has inherited a cottage in a rural town Crow’s Beck from an eccentric Aunt Violet whom she barely remembers. Aunt Violet is the sister of Kate’s grandfather Graham. Kate seeks refuge in the cottage Weyward. She hears whispers about the cottage and her family and she wants to find answers.
The stories of Altha, Violet, and Kate slowly start unfolding and are tied together in the end. I don’t know how much I can describe the plot without giving it away because it’s much more interesting to discover it yourself. These women have an affinity for witchcraft and calling upon nature. Such fantastical elements have been dealt with in such a way that it blends seamlessly into the story. They are different from others; always attune to nature and wildly fascinated with it. Altha is accused of being a witch and put on trial in 1694. It’s something that follows her and her family forever even after she is proven not guilty.
It is through Altha’s story that we learn the most about Weyward women. Kate and Violet are trying to find answers to this name Weyward that keeps popping up in their life and its significance. There is a common thread among these women. They are often lonely, misunderstood, and suppressed. To some extent due to her mother, Altha has accepted many things early on in life. Kate and Violet on the other hand learn their lessons the hard way. The story of Aunt Violet is heartbreaking, she suffers so much at a young age and is treated with disregard by her father. Her brother is the only one who shows genuine concern for her and when the time comes also stands with her.
Kate lost her father when she was young in an accident. She never really gets over this incident for a very long time and pushes away a part of herself in the process. Her relationship with Simon, who is abusive towards her was extremely difficult to get through. It is written in a raw way that made it difficult to get through but it was necessary, All three women – Altha, Violet, and Kate, slowly and steadily rise above their horrible circumstances and build a life. Kate learns to accept herself and find her strength, Altha unknowingly guides Violet and Kate when they need it and she seems okay with herself, and Violet stops caring what her father thinks of her and starts doing what she wants.
The three women have beautiful character arcs. It’s satisfying to see that all their suffering finally ends, leading them to a content life. I wasn’t sure how witchy this book was going to be but I was surprised. The writing flows combining fantasy and the paranormal in a world we completely understand. The only problem for me was the pacing of the story. It builds up slowly and at its climax, it ends a little too quickly. For characters, it made perfect sense but I wish it was slightly different.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Weyward by Emilia Hart. This book which is fantasy, historical and paranormal is beautifully written and has amazing characters. The plot moves ahead with a purpose and all the pieces start falling into place towards the end. I enjoyed reading the book.
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