REVIEW - Weyward ebook

 Weyward by Emilia Hart (ebook)

OVERVIEW

I didn't read this book when it first came out as I wasn't sure about it for some weird reason. However, it won multiple Goodreads awards and friends loved it so I decided to give it a try and I am so glad that I did! 

This debut effort by Emilia Hart was a great historical novel. It had similar themes to the Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman and The Discovery of Witches series by Deborah Harkness both of which I adore! As you may not know, there is a little bit of a witch in every woman - she just has to find it and use it. 

This novel had three time periods and three female protagonists which was a lovely way to show how the "gift" of witchcraft is passed from woman to woman in the Weyward line. The similarity between the three timelines and women is that the women have been abused and used by men in their lives and that there are signs that are ignored by loved ones. The biggest takeaway is if you believe a woman is being abused, she probably is. 

OVERALL REVIEW: 4.5 stars

Writing: 4.5 stars

The writing was powerful with lovely prose. It was a very interesting and easy read! I most especially loved the descriptions of nature including the birds, insects, and plants. It was as if I could hear and feel what the characters were experiencing. However, at times, I felt that the language was repetitive and could have been a bit more diverse. Since this is Emilia's first book, she is going to be a powerhouse in the future and I cannot wait to read more of her books!

Character development: 4.0 stars

There are three main female characters - Altha, 1619; Violet, 1942; and Kate, 2019. These women are descended from a long line of women who are healers as well as have the "gift" of witchcraft. 

The secondary characters are the normal folks that one would encounter in each period including partners, family members, and friends. There are a lot of characters, specifically secondary ones in this novel, as this is a normal historical fiction novel. 

The tertiary character is the "gift" of witchcraft that each of the main characters possesses and learns to manipulate and control

. 

Storyline:  4.0 stars

Since this novel is divided into three distinct periods, at times it felt like the storyline for Altha was weaker than the other two storylines. It would have been nice to know how Altha's life progresses as she is the first Weyward woman in the novel.  For me, the post-medieval period is the most interesting, but is, unfortunately, the most difficult to explore and research.

The main locations were England specifically Cumbria and London.    

Memorable/Informative:  4.0 stars

The biggest takeaway is that women have been abused and continue to be abused by the patriarchy. The "good" men in this novel and in real life need to become more vocal and step up to help end this abuse.

Book cover: 4.5 stars

Very pretty!

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfect!

HIGHLY recommend

EBOOK DETAILS

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (ebook)

Weyward by Emilia Hart (ebook)

336 pages 

St. Martin's Press

Release date of 02/02/2023

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Emilia Hart

My Goodreads review

St. Martins Press

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)

Happy reading! 📚

Dorothea 💜