Scan barcode
nhelregel's review against another edition
4.0
This had come up on a few must-read-classics lists, so I gave it a shot and was largely pleasantly surprised. A coming-of-age story of a young Welsh man, the book explores labor unions, loss, love, etc. I liked Llewellyn's exploration of gender roles and some of his insights on how frustrating being young can be. Overall would recommend, with the caution that it might lag a bit if you're used to fast-paced narratives.
barium_squirrel's review against another edition
3.0
Huw Morgan is a young man growing up in Welsh coal country around the turn of the 20th century. I was a little conflicted on this book. The language is beautiful, and there are some insightful passages about human nature. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy reading about Huw Morgan. Huw is hot-headed and chauvinistic. He has a massive superiority complex, and the entire book is cloyingly nostalgic in a way that makes some scenes, like a lynch mob assembling to avenge a murdered girl, or Huw threatening his sister if she romantically pursues somebody he doesn't approve, even more uncomfortable.
I generally don't like historical fiction in general: I'd rather read nonfiction than somebody's imagination about real events. That may be biasing my perspective.
I generally don't like historical fiction in general: I'd rather read nonfiction than somebody's imagination about real events. That may be biasing my perspective.
ktcp92's review against another edition
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
SO SLOW AND SAD
darar's review against another edition
5.0
This book was possibly the best I have ever been assigned to read for a class. Every time I opened it I felt like I was actually present with the characters and feeling their pain as my own. When the school year ended and I was asked to sell the book back to the school for re-use, I refused. I couldn't part with it.
michellecoleman's review against another edition
I liked the first half better than the second.
labtracks's review against another edition
4.0
A classic which should be picked up and read as such. I have jotted down lines and passages that spoke to me from books I have read for the past 10+ years. Unfortunately that hasn't been added to much lately, that is until I read this book. I added quite a few gems from these pages. What a way with words, even when the story is as dirty and downtrodden as this one is. Truly a gifted writer.
Next up is the movie...
Next up is the movie...
ehays84's review against another edition
5.0
When I started reading this, I knew almost nothing about it, other than seeing a few very high recommendations of it. My first name is Welsh, although I don't have any actual Welsh ancestry that I know of. Still, I have always wanted to learn more about Welsh culture, and this book seemed like a great way to do that.
Shortly into reading it, I learned that it wasn't even remotely based on the author's real life experiences, although he had claimed that it was. This really threw me off for a bit, but gradually, I was able to come to just immersing myself in this gem of a novel and enjoying it. The author has a real power with words, turns of phrase, characters, and dramatic situations, which make this probably one of the best pieces of historical fiction I have ever read.
I don't want to do any spoilers, so I will focus on the big picture. This book is ultimately a piece of nostalgic fiction. If that isn't your style, you probably won't like this book. But to me, nostalgia is by no means a pejorative term. I tend to think historically and conservatively (in it's original meaning of conserving what is good from the past as well as conserving the environment while also using it in responsible way), and because of that, this book really resonated with me. It captures the final few decades of the 19th century and the very beginning of the 20th century in Wales like, I would venture to say, no other book has. The author, I believe, heard many, many stories told by various Welsh people he knew, and drew on those to create this book. He wanted to ensure that their world wasn't lost to history, forever. And he definitely did that. So, that's the best kind of nostalgia. By no means is this book saying, "oh, everything was just better then, and we should go back to that." There is much tragedy in this book that is often heart-breaking, yet you still see what was most golden and true and good from that time and place, which can certainly never be like that again. So it really never takes political sides, and is also very morally instructive in teaching about the consequences of many actions that might have seemed good at the time, but proved otherwise in time.
If you are looking for a long story, well-told, that will take you into a world about which you probably knew next to nothing, pick this one up.
Shortly into reading it, I learned that it wasn't even remotely based on the author's real life experiences, although he had claimed that it was. This really threw me off for a bit, but gradually, I was able to come to just immersing myself in this gem of a novel and enjoying it. The author has a real power with words, turns of phrase, characters, and dramatic situations, which make this probably one of the best pieces of historical fiction I have ever read.
I don't want to do any spoilers, so I will focus on the big picture. This book is ultimately a piece of nostalgic fiction. If that isn't your style, you probably won't like this book. But to me, nostalgia is by no means a pejorative term. I tend to think historically and conservatively (in it's original meaning of conserving what is good from the past as well as conserving the environment while also using it in responsible way), and because of that, this book really resonated with me. It captures the final few decades of the 19th century and the very beginning of the 20th century in Wales like, I would venture to say, no other book has. The author, I believe, heard many, many stories told by various Welsh people he knew, and drew on those to create this book. He wanted to ensure that their world wasn't lost to history, forever. And he definitely did that. So, that's the best kind of nostalgia. By no means is this book saying, "oh, everything was just better then, and we should go back to that." There is much tragedy in this book that is often heart-breaking, yet you still see what was most golden and true and good from that time and place, which can certainly never be like that again. So it really never takes political sides, and is also very morally instructive in teaching about the consequences of many actions that might have seemed good at the time, but proved otherwise in time.
If you are looking for a long story, well-told, that will take you into a world about which you probably knew next to nothing, pick this one up.
sophieannesussex's review against another edition
5.0
Updated: truly remarkable in its lyricism, insight into the human experience and thinking, more beautiful than anything I’ve read this year - a beautiful eulogy for Wales then and this way of life but also so so much more. This is something incredibly special.
So - I’m now aware of the controversy surrounding the author and the provenance of this book. Tricky. Still deep writing but good to be aware of the debate.
So - I’m now aware of the controversy surrounding the author and the provenance of this book. Tricky. Still deep writing but good to be aware of the debate.
shortsaga's review against another edition
4.0
We are like the young boy Huw, wondering about the order of things and how that order is kept, except we don't have men to teach us, only books.