Wild Women – a book that reminded me how strong I am!

A gripping debut that boldly shows how the world punishes strong and unyielding women.

You know what the best thing about being 50 is that you almost don't care anymore (I mean, completely), what others think of you. And that's probably why I spent so much time with the book Wild Women by Emilie Hart. Because this book is about women who go their own way – despite everything. And when I finished reading it, I realized that I was actually talking to myself. Or rather, to all the women who have ever felt that they should be „kinder“, calmer, more submissive … no no, really not 😉

Wild Women intertwines the fates of three women across centuries. Kate, pregnant and on the run from an abusive partner, seeks refuge in a cottage in Cumbria. Violet, a seventeen-year-old girl from the 1940s who rebels against what her family expects of her. And Altha – the 17th century, witch hunts, misunderstanding, fear.

When I read Altha's chapters, it made me angry. The injustice, the cruelty... but at the same time - how familiar, isn't it? Then when I moved on to Violet and then Kate, I realized that not much had changed. Yes, we're not in danger of being burned today. But the pressure? The rejection? The mockery? The rejection when we're not "right" enough?

Yes, we always have that!

Look, I'm not the type to read feminist literature with a sloppy heart. But this book isn't violent, it's not a manifesto. It's just... honest. Hart isn't writing about how strong we should be—she's writing about how strong we already are. We just may have forgotten.

Personally, I was most touched by Kate's story. The woman is pregnant, hurt, scared – and yet she manages to get up and move on. She doesn't wait for rescue. She finds her own path. And the contrast between her fragility and immense inner strength? That completely got me.

In Violet, I saw that desire for freedom, for doing things differently. And how her family tried to break her, because "a girl just has to obey". I'm sure I'm not the only one who knows this "too"! I read it and thought - how many girls have we lost like this? How many women submitted because there was no other way?

Because this is the age when we already know what we've accomplished. And what we could still accomplish.

Sometimes we forget that we are strong. We think that we are "old," that our time has passed. That we should be happy with what we have and stop imagining things.

But this book reminded me that that's not true! That strength isn't about age. It's about whether you can stand up to what wants to break you. And you can do that at twenty, forty - even fifty.

Wild women They're not just about women from the past. They're about us. About what we carry inside us. About the wildness we may have buried under a layer of obligations, expectations, and "that's just the way it's done.".

I read it in the evening. It was dark outside, only a small lamp inside. I had to take a break sometimes – not because it was a bad book, but because it hurt. And it was warm at the same time.

It's the kind of book that makes you think. That doesn't leave you alone. Then when you wake up in the morning and realize – yes, something has changed. Maybe just a little. But it has.

Hart writes beautifully. It's harsh at times, sometimes excruciating, but it's never unnecessary. Every sentence has meaning. Every character has depth. And the connection between the three stories? Breathtaking. When everything falls into place at the end, it gives you goosebumps.

So yeah – definitely read it. Wild women. Not to become something else. But to remind yourself of who you already are. And that the power you have – it hasn’t gone away. It’s just waiting for you to reach for it or for you to need it.

Wrap yourself in a blanket (yes, it's autumn, so now until spring there will be blankets, candles, tea and coffee everywhere), open a book and leave the world outside. At least for a while. And then… then maybe you'll come back different. Wilder. And completely okay with everything.

„"A generational story of female resilience."“ –The Guardian

„"A story about female determination, tenacity and the incredible power of Mother Nature."“ – knihkupec.net

„"A thoughtful and at times harrowing novel that skillfully blends historical fiction and modern feminism."“ – Kirkus Reviews

Women Who Run with the Wolves – The Book That Awakens Your Inner Power