Thank you Libro.fm / Macmillan Audio, for the ALC and St. Martin’s Press, #partner for the advanced copy of Weyward in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio
Published: March 7, 2023
Summary:
I am a Weyward, and wild inside.
2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.
1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.
1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family’s grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.
Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart’s Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.
My thoughts:
I have to say that I was first attracted to this book because of its gorgeous cover but then when I read more about it, I just knew I had to request it. I was sent an advanced copy and then was thrilled to see that Libro.fm offered an advanced listening copy of it last month…the audio of this one was fantastic!!!
I love stories about the enduring strength and resilience of women and this one just grabbed me right from the start. I fell in love with all three women we meet here – Kate, Altha and Violet – and found myself completely wrapped up in all they went through and how they persevered despite the circumstances they found themselves in. These women had to dig deep to stand up for themselves, take back their power and not let someone else have control over them and they did it! I loved the different timelines that we visit – each one with such a good sense of time and place – and while there is a sense of magic woven in, I felt it worked with the overall theme of the story. It’s not heavy-handed, but given all that is going on, it adds the perfect little extra something. The way these stories intertwine and intersect is stunning and bewitching – a puzzle that is masterfully put together.
This is a story that I wasn’t sure going in how I would feel about it and I’m so glad I loved it as much as I did. Family drama, witches, a little mystery – this one had a little bit of everything I love and it all came together for a captivating, compelling read. It’s atmospheric and tense, and I couldn’t have loved it more! I highly recommend this one and cannot wait to read it again…perhaps around Halloween???
Audo thoughts:
The narrators absolutely made this book come to life. Having three separate narrators, for the three different timelines, really set this one apart. All the narrators, Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, and Nell Barlow, were new-to-me, but I thought they did fantastic jobs with their respective parts, their pacing and intonation spot on and all infusing just the right amount of emotion and tension into the voices as needed.
