What a magical read! I loved every minute of this extraordinary book!

Three different women living in different centuries.
We meet Altha in 1619, locked away awaiting her trial accused of Witchcraft. We then meet Violet in 1942. a Young girl who grew up without knowing her mother. a Young girl who's called uncanny and strange and who apparently takes after her mother. Finally, we meet Kate in 2019 who is in an abusive relationship with a man who's getting more and more controlling and who finally plucks up the courage to run away to Cumbria to her great aunt's cottage called Weyward Cottage.
What do these three women have in common?
The more layers that are peeled away the more you fall in love with these strong, and wayward women. Amazingly, this is a debut!

"The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet"

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Loved this story of three women all wronged by men but full of guts, determination and bravery.
Altha 1619, sat in her prison cell contemplated her fate as she awaited trial for witchcraft,
Violet, hated by her father for her more than passing resemblance to her mother, a woman her appeared to love and despise.
Kate, present day, trapped in an abusive marriage, waiting for the perfect moment to make her escape.
Hart gave them their own voices, all the better for the reader to appreciate their thoughts, their emotions that simmered below the surface.
Hart captured the atmosphere of the times they lived in, perhaps also highlighting that even in present day, men still sought power over women, that eternal sense that they belonged to them.
What the men in their lives did not factor was their undeniable strength and eventual utter belief in themselves and the gifts they possessed.
I thought I might favour one woman’s story over another but I didn’t such was Harts skill in interweaving their lives through her narrative.
Indeed it was a colourful and truly imaginative narrative, that captured the essence of each woman and the nature of the surroundings.
A fantastic debut

In Weyward we follow three timelines. Altha in the 17th century, on trial for witchcraft, Violet in the 1940's, more interested in insects and nature than finding a husband, and Kate in the 21st century, fleeing an abusive relationship and finding her connection to the Weyward women in her family.

This was such a fantastic book, I adored it, particularly Kates story and how she uncovers the lineage of her past and how their stories connect. Absoloutely stunning!

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the chance to read Weyward.

This book is so well written, with three strong women as the lead characters fighting against prejudice in each case. It is a very smooth read and although each woman is given her own voice, there is no confusion on the part of the reader.

Altha, Violet and Kate live in different centuries but all are connected to nature. In each case men control these women's lives in an unbearable way, but all three find the strength to overcome oppression under exceptional circumstances.

A fantastic debut and one of the best historical novels I have read. Weyward will definitely be in my top ten books of 2023. Well done Emilia Hart, I look forward very much to reading more from you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins/The Borough Press for the opportunity to red and review this wonderful book.

I got well into over half of this book before, for me anyway, it really got going. I enjoyed the last part as the three women's lives began to relate to each other and mysteries came to light, but even then it was all a little too fanciful for me and incredibly grim I thought too. Not having read any books that relate to witchcraft and the way women (who were really herbalists) were treated, it was certainly insightful and interesting to hear how all the claims of witchcraft back in the 17th century came about. Perhaps not really my cup of tea, though I am in the minority here.

I was lucky to be approved for an advanced digital copy by NetGalley and to provide an honest review.

This wonderful book follows the intertwined stories of three Weyward women. From the beginning this book had me hooked. The characters and lives of these women and their connection to the natural world and how they overcame the oppression and prejudice was interesting and intriguing.

Please please read this book! Passing it on to another Weyward woman to enjoy!

One of the best historical fiction novels I've read; this needs to be on your 2023 TBR list. Perfect for fans of Outlander and The Mercies.

Altha, Violet, Kate. Three Weyward women in three different centuries. Each fighting against the constraining circumstances of their times and the men controlling their lives. Each linked to the other, connected to nature and a little...uncanny.

A brilliant and powerful debut novel threaded with witchcraft, female empowerment and oppression. I devoured this in a weekend and couldn't stop myself from reading the last 40% straight through. I thought about it for weeks afterwards.

Emilia Hart's writing is fantastically compelling; it really puts you into her characters' heads and all three protagonists have their own unique voice. My favourite storyline was Altha's in the 17th century as she stands on trial for witchcraft. This was written in the first person, which made it seem more immediate and riveting and really hyped up the tension. It gave me serious Outlander vibes.

I was struck by Hart's skilful weaving of storylines set in different times, the strength of the female relationships and how dangerous it was to be a "weyward" woman. I love her parting message to pass Weyward on to other weyward women. So I pass it on to all of you; you need to read this!

Weyward is Emilia Hart's debut novel and I cannot wait to see what she writes next. It releases in February 2023.

*Weyward deals with deep and difficult subjects and ethical choices. Please do check the trigger warnings.

Set over three different time periods with three strong-willed women of the Weyward family. Each one aces difficulties because their actions or the situation they find themselves in. Repressed by society, a domineering father or belittling partner each must find their true nature. The author captured a strong sense of time and tension as the stories of the women developed and each faced a crisis.

An interesting storyline and I like how the different generations are linked together. The writing was very clever and well done. I liked the witch aspect, as it was important to the storyline but not too much - so this book will be good for people who like reading about witches and magic, but also good for those who don’t. Three very strong characters all helped to create a great book.

Kate senses a connection to The Weyward Women; their echoes call at her from unexpected places. The voices sharpen when she’s treading her forebearer's footsteps. Little does she know how entrenched she is in the lives of the women who walked the world before her. She’s soon about to discover her ancestors in ways she could never have imagined.

Adored this dual-timeline dip into the Weyward world. The beating heart of this novel drums in tune with nature's beat, every page pulses and hums. Bit of a slow burn, hence the four stars, but I loved the way everything aligned as the story progressed to its satisfying end.

An enjoyable read, albeit a tad frustrating at times when the stryline was in the present. However the past was cleverly interwoven into the tale and overall this was an enjoyable read.

Wow. I don't know what I expected going into this, but this exceeded all expectations I had tentatively made. When I see a book is about witches, Iget hopeful, but more often than not I find myself disappointed with the outcome. This one looked good though, and I liked the blurb (though, as is typical of me, I gave it the most cursory glance as I prefer to go in knowing as little as possible).

I. Was. Hooked. From the beginning, I was taken in. The story effortlessly weaves the tale of three women across centuries together, offering intrigue, heartbreak, suffering, redemption, empowerment, and hope. You get invested in the tales of Altha, Violet, and Kate, and Emilia Hart writes beautifully, as the prose draws you in and flows wonderfully, truly lending more to this story.

Genuinely, I really liked this book and can highly recommend it, and will definitely keep an eye open for more of Hart's work.

4.5⭐️ and genuinely one of my fave reads of the year!

Thank you so much to HarperCollins for this eARC of Weyward, all opinions are my own.

Heartbreakingly good and thought provoking.
Straight into it, I loved the three POVs from different time periods of the Weyward women. All three characters gripped me and had me looking forward to each of their stories. The obvious link being relation but also each women’s strife with accusations of false guilt and maltreatment by cruel men. Violet especially being but a young girl really tugged at my heart strings.

I not only can empathise with each character but also relate personally to each, drawing from my own experiences when reading. Such relatability had me turning page after page.

I truly recommend this for anyone who not only enjoys the witchy side of things but who also suffered at the hands of someone they believed loved them. A truly fantastic read!

What a beautiful book. I was rotting for all of the protagonists and their various story arcs and threads.
I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting and infinitely readable and it is definitely a ten out ten read.
Thank you for this opportunity to read Weyward.

My gratitude to NetGalley for a free ARC of "Weyward" by Emilia Hart.
An atmospheric Historical Fiction with elemements of Magical Realism.
Three wemen, three diferent timelines, all being caught up in patriarchy that is trying to control them.
Altha is a witch that practices white healing magic and is sentenced to death because of it.
Violet is my favorite perspective from the book as I can see a strong feminist in her. Her curiosity for the misteries of nature are wonderful to watch.
Ungortunately because of Kate's POV I had to put aside the book at 24%. She wants to escape her abusive husband, but her mentality was deppresing to read. Her guilt over an accident from her childhood is repeated at almost every other sentence. I just could not continue.
This being a debut I think the author has a great chance to improve in the future.

Weyward by Emilia Hart is an ambitious story about three different women at three different times but all three need to escape their trapped lives.
I received a copy of the book for a free and unbiased opinion
The story of three women suffering from surprisingly similar problems is at times harrowing. Kate in 2019 is trapped in an abusive relationship and has escaped to a cottage she has inherited from her Great Aunt. Violet in 1942 whose father controls her life to an extreme degree and Altha who as a clever independent woman in 1619 is accused of witchcraft.
I loved how the three women's stories eventually connect with each other. They all learn how capable they are and the magic they possess to take back their lives from the men who seek to control them( and also take a little revenge along the way).
The fantasy and magical elements are subtle and beautifully described, so the book will appeal to both historical fiction as well as fantasy fans. This isn’t a book packed full of action and magic but the plot moves quickly and I finished it off in one sitting.
The book touches upon some difficult themes especially the impact of childhood trauma and the fact abuse comes in many forms- Violet’s father may never have harmed his children physically but the damage he inflicts on them is just as bad.
I did find Kate a little boring but her journey from victim to a strong woman was one of the best arcs in the book but Violet’s story was the one that grabbed me the most and I could have happily read a book just about her.
Content Warning
Rape, sexual assault, domestic abuse, cohesive control
Perfect for Fans of
The Leviathan

Weyward tells the story of three women: in 2019 Kate Ayres flees from her abusive boyfriend to a rundown cottage passed down to her from her late Great Aunt Violet. In 1942 young Violet Ayres feels trapped in her family home by her controlling father and rumours of what happened to her mother. While, in 1619, their ancestor Altha Weyward faces a trial of witchcraft accused of the death of a local farmer.

The three generations of Weyward women each facing their own unique difficulties and finding their strength combined to create such a captivating story, I just couldn’t put it down.

Each woman has her own unique voice and you really find yourself rooting for them all!

The tones of witchcraft and the supernatural made it a perfect autumnal read. This book is definitely a new favourite and I can’t wait to read more from Emilia Hart!

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. This is told in 3 perspectives - Altha who was tried as a witch in 1619. Violet who has an abusive father in 1942 and her great neither Kate who is fleeing from a very abusive relationship in 2019. Loved the witch vibes and the references to historical witch cases. Check TWs

I really loved Weyward. I have a proper weakness for books about strong women, and this book is all about matriarchal family lines and women who have the determination and resolve to thrive despite those opposing them. All three of the women whose stories are told in this book suffer at the hands of men (although it's worth noting that there are sympathetic men in their lives too), and all three overcome with the help of their heritage as Weyward women.

Weyward women have a resonance with nature and the land, a wise woman power that perhaps could be called witchcraft. It's rare to find an original take on witches, but this felt so new, whilst still clearly linking to tradition. The characters were very believable, and I cared about them all, although Violet was the one I sobbed over and wanted to help. I was, quite frankly, thinking of her as a real person, and I really wanted to know more about her later life - she sounds like a formidable woman!

This is a fabulous book - very readable, utterly enthralling, and a nicely rounded satisfying ending.

Loved this book . The story was interwoven by 3 women from different eras and their stories of how Altha was tried as a witch , Violet and Kate were related. Their stories come together and how they manage to get through their lives all the women are Weyward women.
Absolutely worth a read .