by Chloe Townson
Weyward is one of those books that come in designated for the fantasy section but which could plausibly float into the fiction section.
We’ve all heard of the Weird Sisters from Macbeth. Apparently, they weren’t always called the Weird Sisters. Once upon a time, they were called the Weyward Sisters, which is the premise that underlies this story.
Weyward is perfect for those who love a family saga. We start with Altha in 1619, accused of witchcraft and put on trial. She is guilty only of using alternative medicine to the leeches the local doctor likes to prescribe, and her fate relies upon the unreliable evidence of men.
We then hear from Violet — a sixteen-year-old girl in 1942 who lives in a grand estate with her father and brother. She wants only to study insects and botany, but is instead foisted upon cousin Frederick, who has designs upon claiming the estate should he marry her.
Lastly, we have Kate — it is 2019, and she is running from an emotionally and physically abusive husband. She has inherited a cottage from her great Aunt Violet, whom she only met once. Kate, suddenly interested in her family history, uncovers the lives of the inspiring and independent women who came before her.
The magic in Weyward is a shadow in the corner. It is a whisper, a quiet voice in the background of the story being told in the foreground. Women throughout history have been accused of witchcraft for no other reason but that they are women who try to claim their own independence. This book is for the fierce feminists, the angry women, for those enraged, for those who would gladly claim witchcraft as their heritage.