Weyward: A Novel [B1189]

2023 HCDJ Book of the Month edition in excellent condition. Winner of two GoodReads Choice awards: Best Debut Novel & Best Historical Fiction. "A brave and original debut, Weyward is a spellbinding story about what may transpire when the natural world collides with a legacy of witchcraft."--Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The London Séance Society.

I am a Weyward, and wild inside.

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great-aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she suspects that her great-aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. When Altha was a girl, her mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence of witchcraft is laid out against Altha, she knows it will take all her powers to maintain her freedom.

1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives--and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an astonishing debut, and an enthralling novel of female resilience.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Loved, loved, loved this book! The three main characters became a part of me. The author weaves the stories and the characters together so seamlessly and I didn't want their journey to end. A story of female repression that triumphs in the end with their embodiment of female empowerment. This book was pure magic! I can't believe it took me so long to read it! Highly recommend to all women!"; "What a treat to read a book with THREE incredibly strong, powerful and resilient women! I'll admit I was confused at first as to how their stories would intertwine and it did NOT disappoint!"; "So well written. The story is gut wrenching, but also inspiring. I could empathize with all three women. Their struggles, their loss, their pain, and their triumph and strength. If there is a women in your life that is struggling, or just needs some inspiration from strong women, please give them this book."; "Loved this book about generations of women overcoming challenges in their lives and benefiting from their special skills to interact with nature. "