When I think about a story of witchcraft, I usually think about flamboyant magic. Emilia Hart delivers a more subtle story about generational witchery in her debut novel, Weyward. We follow the stories of three woman across five centuries as they discover themselves and their self worth.

The Women

The first perspective we follow is that of Altha, a young woman awaiting trial for witchcraft and murder in 1619. I think her story is my favorite of the three because it took place so long ago. Being able to peek into the perspective of someone who is accused of witchcraft is heartbreaking and fascinating at the same time.

Spoiler

There is a scene from Altha’s perspective that had my jaw on the floor. During her trial, she is accused of having a witch’s mark and is stripped naked in front of the jury, judge, and gallery to prove its existence. It made me so angry for Altha.

This book made me so angry in many instances, but it was beautifully written and designed to evoke an emotional response.

The second woman we meet is Kate, whom is actively fleeing an abusive relationship.

Please check trigger warnings for this book before reading because there are detailed scenes with domestic and sexual assault throughout, as well as abortions and miscarriages. Tread lightly and practice self care.

Anyway, we’re in 2019 with Kate as she flees this disgusting man for a cottage that she inherited from her great aunt, whom she didn’t know well.

The last perspective we see things from is Violet’s in 1942 as she battles a war of being herself in a time where playing with bugs was considered “unladylike.” Violet is the only woman we follow that is one hundred percent sure of herself and knows exactly who she wants to be, but the world won’t let that happen.

The Three POVs

We bounce from perspective to perspective, which was very confusing for me at first. I put down the eBook at about thirty percent the first time I picked this up because I knew that I needed the audio in order to get through it. I requested the audiobook from NetGalley not thinking I would get it, but I ended up getting approved! I immediately picked it back up and the audio is fantastic.

I highly recommend the audiobook because there are three narrators and they do a fabulous job.

Nature & Witchcraft

I know this blog is brand new so you don’t know me well enough yet, but I’m a witch and I adored this book. Witchy books are iffy with me because some of them paint Wiccans or those who practice witchcraft in a terrible light. I do realize that they’re fiction and allowed to have fantasy elements, but some of these witchy reads are insulting.

Weyward is not one of them. Obviously, witchcraft in Weyward isn’t reflective of how it’s practiced in the real world, but I loved the nods to our practice within the pages.

For example, the witchy elements present in this novel are grounded in nature. My husband is a druid and if he read like I do, he would love this book simply because of how witchcraft and nature are connected. I also really liked the addition of familiars and how the women were able to tether themselves to animals.

I also adored how witchcraft wasn’t this big, flamboyant show of power. It’s subtle. It’s talking to bees and having a crow help you find your way out of the forest. It’s growing things and being fascinated by nature. I just loved the way that this book depicted witchcraft.

The Epilogue

Endings are important to me. A shitty ending could take a five star read to a three star read. I cried at the epilogue because it was perfect. Epilogues are usually these fluffy, skippable bits at the end of the book where you see a smiling family with a baby that you didn’t get to meet. They’re fake.

Weyward’s epilogue was beautiful because it actually tied up loose ends and answered questions.

Final Thoughts

I can talk about this book for hours, so I’ll stop here. I’m rating it four stars because I’m stingy with my five star ratings, but I want a physical copy for my shelf. Admittedly, I haven’t read Practical Magic, but if you liked the movie (Sandra Bullock is a queen) you would probably adore this book. Similar vibes.

A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with both the audiobook and an eBook of Weyward in exchange for an honest review.