Set in the 1950s I
guess this counts as a historical novel, it is a coming of age story
– coming of age both for some of the lead characters but also for
the Welsh political consciousness.
It is a
fictionalised account set in the firm context of real events, many of
the figures that pass through the novel were real people, which
sometimes has the effect of constraining storytelling – but not
here the story is vivid and the drama of the different lives has real
momentum. Also there is definite skill in maintaining the quality
across an ensemble piece, following different lives and different
generations.
There are symbolic
elements, for example in the friendship between english monoglot
Gwilym and welsh monoglot William their names (identities?) divergent
to their language. But these rest lightly and are not over played.
It is a very Welsh
novel – it pivots around the drowning of Tryweryn – an event that
is key to understanding the Welsh (political) consciousness – an
event that is unknown to “the English” which is perhaps part of
its enduring pain. However this is no hagiography, that the Welsh
political establishment is ineffectual in its efforts to influence
Westminster is not simply blamed on the English side of the bargain.
Even today we have to question why the devolution settlement leave
Wales so far behind Scotland in status and benefits – if the Scots
can secure concessions from Westminster why can't the Welsh?
But this is not just
a “political” tale – it is also the story of young love, and of
the complexities of middle-age relationships, and these human dramas
are told with richness and authenticity. These are believable
people, and people that you come to care about.
No comments:
Post a Comment