Weyward

✮✮✮✮

Nov 26

Weyward - Emilia Hart

my review : ✮✮✮✮

If you’re looking for a whimsical witchy tale to get you in the Halloween spirit, this is not that (I would recommend A Very Secret Society for Irregular Witches!). If you’re looking for a beautifully written, heartbreaking story about female resilience sprinkled with a bit of magic, this is it.

This book follows three Weyward women and is told through each of their POVs: one is facing a witch trial in the 1600s, one is locked away in her family estate in 1942 during World War II, and one is fleeing an abusive partner and taking refuge in her great aunt’s cottage, set in the present day. I found that this book started slowly, but it truly captivated me until the last page. It has all of the atmospheric elements I appreciate in a fall read, which made it an excellent October choice.

This book is anything but light and fluffy, so check trigger warnings, as the subject matter is incredibly heartbreaking, and while magical realism books typically provide an escape from everyday life, this is the exception. I found the ceaseless abuse in various forms to be very difficult to read. I understand the role misogyny plays in these women’s stories and in real life all the time, but by the end, I was exhausted by the dark subject matter.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing & story, but I am ready to take a breather with something a bit lighter!

If you’ve read this, which POV was your favorite to read?