Weyward by Emilia Hart: Book Review

Weyward by Emili Hart, is a beautifully told novel about survival, identity, and the power of legacy. Emilia Hart reminds us, that women’s stories, too often silenced in history.

Synopsis: Weyward

Weyward is a haunting, multi-generational tale of the untamed strength of women across centuries.

2019 Kate escapes an abusive relationship and retreats to the crumbling Weyward Cottage, left to her by a mysterious great aunt. where ivy-choked walls and overgrown gardens hint of secrets rooted in the past.

1619 Altha Taught by her mother to read the language of nature, in a society that brands women like her as dangerous. awaits trial using witchcraft after the death of a local farmer

1942, Violet feels imprisoned within her family’s decaying estate. Denied the education freely given to her brother, she yearns to understand the truth about her mother’s life along with the strange word weyward carved into her bedroom floor.

A story of over five centuries, Hart’s debut novel interlaces the lives of three remarkable women bound by blood, secrets, and the natural world

Review: Weyward

Weyward by Emilia Hart is a powerful intergenerational story of three women separated by centuries yet united by blood, and the refusal to be subdued.

Across four hundred years, each of them bears the label Weyward, a word that marks them as untameable, unconventional, and, in the eyes of their contemporaries, dangerous.

Layout

The novel moves fluidly between three timelines.

In 1619, Altha is on trial for witchcraft in northern England, accused not because of real sorcery but because she does not fit the mold of a compliant woman.

While in, 1942, Violet lives in a crumbling family estate during World War II, stifled by her domineering father and yearning for freedom beyond the walls of her home.

Finaly In 2019, Kate fleeing an abusive relationship retreating to a cottage which she has inherited and begins to uncover the truth about her family’s hidden past.

Hart weaves these narratives with precision, allowing each woman’s story to stand on its own while gradually revealing the threads that connect them.

The constant across the centuries is not just their family name but the shared experience of women whose independence threatens patriarchal control.

At its core, Weyward is a deeply feminist novel, though not in a way that preaches.

Instead, it illuminates how women throughout history have resisted oppression, whether through intellect, independence, or just surviving, were often branded as “other.”

For Altha, this meant accusations of witchcraft. For Violet and Kate, it manifests in controlling, destructive men who seek to define their lives.

The novel’s triumph lies in how each woman finds strength, reclaiming her identity and learning to live on her own terms.

The prose is engaging and atmospheric, carrying the reader through centuries without losing intimacy. The natural world. Particularly as the imagery of plants and animals, plays a significant role, echoing themes of resilience and regeneration.

Who should read this novel?

Weyward will resonate with readers who enjoy character-driven historical fiction, with multigenerational family sagas, or stories of women reclaiming their voices.

Conclusion

Both haunting and hopeful, Weyward is a beautifully told novel about survival, identity, and the power of legacy. Emilia Hart reminds us, that women’s stories, too often silenced in history, continue to shape the present.

For anyone who enjoys stories of strength across generations, this is a novel not to be missed.

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