Book Review: Weyward by Emilia Hart

By georgelthomas on 15 Mar 2024 • ( 0 )

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today is Friday, and it’s time for another review. Today, I am reviewing Emilia Hart’s Weyard.

Weyward was first published in 2023 by The Borough Press and is 384 pages long.

TRIGGER WARNING:
This book contains some abusive and violent scenes towards women, including physical, verbal and psychological abuse. If you feel that scenes like this would harm you, I recommend skipping this novel.

The Plot
A young woman fleeing an abusive boyfriend heads to a cottage in the north, left to her by a great aunt, where she begins to discover more about herself, her life and her family history.

Characters
Altha Weyward
Altha and her mother live on the edge of the Cumbrian village of Crows Beck in the early 1600s. Because of their work as healers, the women gain a reputation for being witches.

After Altha’s mother dies, Altha is accused of and put on trial for Witchcraft after her friend Grace’s husband is killed by a stampeding herd of cows. Altha is spotted whilst walking in the area and reported to the authorities by the local Vicar.

I’m not going to give away whether or not Altha is guilty or innocent of the crime of which she was accused because it is a prominent plot point. It would be rude to ruin it for those who’d like to read the book and find out for themselves.

Kate Ayres
In 2019, Kate finds herself in an abusive relationship and is determined to escape, especially when she discovers she is pregnant. She has secretly saved money from the allowance her boyfriend, Simon, allows her to have and has bought a secret second phone. Using both, Kate steals herself away to her great aunt Violet’s cottage in the northern town of Crows Beck. Once there, she discovers more about Violet, whom she didn’t know very well, and more about herself and her family history.

Violet Ayres
Violet grows up as the daughter of an Earl with her brother Graham in Orton Hall, a large house on a large estate in the early 1940s. She and her father, who keeps information about her mother from her, have always been at odds. Practically all she knows about the woman who gave birth to her is information she has gleaned from eavesdropping on the servants.

When Violet is horribly assaulted by a visiting cousin, Frederick, she finds herself pregnant and banished to Weyward cottage to conceal the fact. Whilst there, she finds Altha’s journal, which includes information about her life and herbal recipes.

Having always loved everything to do with nature and animals, Violet eventually discovers that her mother was the same and learns everything she has been told about her is wrong.

Frederick Ayres
Frederick is Violet’s cousin. He is a soldier visiting Orton Hall, where he tries to force Violet into marriage so that he can inherit her father’s wealth.

Simon
Simon is Kate’s controlling and abusive boyfriend. He makes her financially dependent on him and follows her every move via a tracker on her phone. He is manipulative, and when she finally manages to leave him behind by escaping to Weyward cottage, he stops at nothing to try and get her back.

Graham Ayres
Graham is Violet’s younger brother and Kate’s grandfather. Although their relationship has ups and downs, he and Violet are close. Graham even tries to warn her about his suspicions of Frederick, and later, when she terminates her pregnancy, Graham helps to cover for her. Later, he helps his sister to achieve her dreams of studying to become an entomologist and to travel the world.

Grace Milburn
Grace is Altha’s childhood friend. The two are very close until Grace’s mother becomes gravely ill and dies whilst in the care of Altha and her mother, for which Grace cannot forgive them.

Later, Grace gets married to a farmer who is abusive towards her, and she reaches out to Altha for help.

Writing Style
One of the things that makes Weyward such a good read is its brilliant use of language and imagery. Emilia Hart’s storytelling is rich and evocative, painting a vibrant picture of the novel’s richly imagined world and complex characters. From the lush descriptions of the natural world to the intricately detailed depictions of the town of Crows Beck, including the cottage, every aspect of the book feels carefully crafted and imbued with meaning.

The story’s narration switches between Altha’s story in first person and the stories of Kate and Violet, which are both told in third person, which at first I found a little disconcerting but quickly forgot about; as I read the first few chapters, switching in and out of each of these women’s lives, I stopped noticing the switch in point of view.

Speaking of the characters, they are the most enthralling thing about the book. Hart has a marvellous way of portraying each of the three women in the story as totally distinct and different characters with their own voices and styles, and each of them is brought to life with nuance and depth.

The themes used throughout the story are shrewdly timely. Female oppression is the main thread running throughout, but there are also elements of empowerment, love and fear. All the themes are interwoven to give a complex backbone to the character’s worlds and worldviews, which makes for a very engaging read.

Final Thoughts
I loved this book. I found it difficult to put down, and I was fully invested in each character. It’s been a while since I read a book that spans a wide time frame like this and where the characters have such far-reaching ties, but I am pleased I picked up this one.

Overall, Weyward is a tour de force of contemporary fantasy, blending richly descriptive world-building with insightful explorations of the human condition. This book will captivate and engage you, and it is a must-read for anyone who loves deep, immersive storytelling with a touch of magic and wonder.

I am giving Weyward a 9/10.

Have you read Weyward? Did you enjoy it? Let me know what you think.

Thank you, as ever, for reading my review. It means a lot.

Until next time,

George

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