Weyward by Emilia Hart (2023)

Weyward by Emilia Hart (2023)

A 2023 Goodreads Choice winner about three women connected across centuries.

Laura’s Rating: 2/5 Stars

Plot: Told in three timelines, the story follows three women: Altha, a woman accused of witchcraft in the 1600s; Violet, a young woman during WWII; and Kate, a modern woman fleeing an abusive relationship. Each of the women has a connection to nature and to one another.

Analysis: The pace is pretty slow and the story wasn’t incredibly engaging at any point. It still felt pretty introductory at over a third in and when things started picking up they got kind of horrible… A series of terrible events propel the plot along and everything in between is boring. The men in the story are awful and the women are persecuted or mistreated. I wanted more layers to the characters or some moral complexity rather than a basic outline of the patriarchy and some unsophisticated feminism.

There’s themes of resilience, the power of nature, and interconnectedness through generations. I think I might be in the minority since the book has received much praise and several awards. Honestly, I think it’s kind of a bummer, but not in a super impactful way that could still make it a good read. If you’re looking for a witchy October read, I’d skip Weyward.