Weyward by Emilia Hart

Kate, 2019

Kate flees London - abandoning everything - for Cumbria and Weyward Cottage, inherited from her great-aunt. There, a secret lurks in the bones of the house, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

Violet, 1942

Violet is more interested in collecting insects and climbing trees than in becoming a proper young lady. Until a chain of shocking events changes her life forever.

Altha, 1619

Altha is on trial for witchcraft, accused of killing a local man. Known for her uncanny connection with nature and animals, she is a threat that must be eliminated.

But Weyward women belong to the wild. And they cannot be tamed...

Weaving together the stories of three women across five centuries, Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

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I don't always like books with moving timelines - I find them confusing and often lose track of where we are and when things happen - but because this is following three totally separate people in three totally separate timelines, and each one is more or less in chronological order, it didn't bother me at all this time. Which is great, because it left me time to concentrate on the beautiful writing!

If I were absolutely forced to pick something bad, I'd say that Violet's section felt like it was happening about a hundred years before it was actually set. The whole thing was practically Victorian. I understand that the timing had to line up with Kate, but it still seemed odd to me. 

However, that's a tiny thing that didn't bother me at the time - it just occurred to me afterwards! It didn't affect my enjoyment at all; I know that Violet's father may have deliberately kept things old fashioned in the house. (I may have sobbed a little during the epilogue, when - ooh, spoilers!)

I can see why some people are struggling with parts of this book. The writing is very vivid and explicit, and it deals with some very heavy topics. It's all very true to life, of course, but it may too much for some readers - do be aware of the warnings!

I loved this, I can see why it's getting so much attention, and I think it's going to do really well.

Weyward publishes on the 2nd of February, 2023 in the UK (top image) and on the 7th of March, 2023 in the US (lower image). I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.