The SSiW Welsh Book Club šŸ“– šŸ“š šŸ‘“

Thanks! Iā€™ll add that to the list.

Stryd y Bont by Manon Steffan Ros
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I have been struggling for a while with books that are a bit too difficult for me, and I wanted something simpler to give me a boost. Stryd y Bont is in the Cyfres Amdani at Mynediad level and it was just what I needed. I read the whole thing in bed before going to sleep because I couldnā€™t stop. There are only 35 pages, but it is quite a thriller in miniature. Does everyone in the street know more than they are willing to tell the police?
Sue

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Iā€™d also like to suggest books by Bob Eynon ā€œArian am Ddimā€ is one I found fairly easy to read, decent story and not too long. I have Castell Draciwla yet to read. image

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T Llew Jones is Niaā€™s grandad, in case you didinā€™t know that is :slight_smile:

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Does anyone else log their reading on Goodreads? I try to rate and review everything I read there. Feel free to ā€˜friendā€™ me on the app and comment on my reviews. My username there is vcmc. Itā€™s a nice way to see comments about books all in the same place, no matter when people read them. Doesnā€™t replace this lovely forum of course!

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Llwybrau Cul by Mared Lewis is in the Cyfres Amdani at Uwch level.
Rich girl Siwan encounters Alfan, who is sleeping rough. She offers to pay him well if he will come with her to spend a weekend with her family and pretend to be her boyfriend. It is her brotherā€™s engagement party. Alfan is in no position to refuse, but the proposition is decidedly odd. How does this relate to the introduction? I fear that all will not end well.
I am having to work at this one, but I am enjoying it. I have to find out what happens.
Sue

Y Plygain Olaf - Myfanwy Alexander

This is the third book by Myfanwy Alexander about Daf Dafis, of Dyfed Powys police. This time itā€™s just before Christmas and Plygain season is just starting. Illtyd Astley, a bit of a celebrity, dies in an ā€œafter-show partyā€ following a local Plygain and Daf Dafis happens to be present. A few people are set to profit from his death including his wife, ex-wife and daughter.

As I promised with the last book I made some notes about characters as they were introduced, it made a difference and made it much less confusing. I enjoyed this book much more than the others, maybe because Iā€™m getting used to the writing style, maybe because Iā€™m getting familiar with all the main characters, but either way Iā€™m looking forward to Daf Dafisā€™s fourth adventure, Mynd fel Bom.

As with the previous two this isnā€™t for inexperienced readers.

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I think Iā€™ve found you. :slight_smile:

Great. Itā€™ll be nice to share book reviews.

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So Iā€™ve picked up ā€˜Mynd Fel Bomā€™ by Myfanwy Alexander, opened the cover and found a double page list of the characters in the area. I wonder if other people have mentioned the confusion trying to keep track of the plethora of characters in the first three books. :joy:

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Iā€™ve ploughed through quite a few Welsh novels with the aid of a dictionary. My spoken Welsh is terrible. I struggle to follow a simple conversation but reading is easier because you go at your own pace. The novels that impressed me most were Rara Avis by Manon Rhys, obviously inspired by her own childhood as a Welsh speaker in the Rhondda. Itā€™s mainly in Welsh but conversations in English are rendered in English. It is a deeply felt book with some scenes you donā€™t forget. I also enjoyed Mihangel Morganā€™s Pan Oedden Fachgen, which is South Welsh skit on Caradog Prtichardā€™s classic Un Nos Ola Leuad. I admit to having read the latter in English translation. Morgan is a tricksy writer, exemplified by the surreal goings on in Chroniclau Pentre Simon (which I quite enjoyed) but Pan oedden fachgen is again deeply felt reflecting his childhood as a Welsh speaker in Aberdare.

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Mynd Fel Bom - Myfanwy Alexander

This is the fourth in the series (and latest at the moment) following Daf Dafis and his various adventures with Dyfed Powys police. This time someone has tried to blow up the local railway bridge ā€¦ has ISIL come all the way to rural mid Wales?

Iā€™ve said before about the sheer volume of characters in these books but this one felt a lot easier, a lot of characters show up time and again so thereā€™s not so many new ones to deal with here. Daf always has a few cases on the go at the same time so it makes a very interesting, back and to type of plot line. The relationships between Daf, his wife and their best friends (another couple) makes for very awkward reading on times, really not sure what the author was thinking tbh. Again very enjoyable and, in my opinion, the best of the four.

Like the first three, more for experienced readers. Worth the effort though.

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Iā€™ve had to put this one down as itā€™s a bit above my level at the momentā€¦i keep trying to read it but it defeats me every time

I have several books like that at the moment.
Sue

Incidentally, regarding the Cyfres Amdani books in Kindle/Electronic version -
Does anyone know how to access the definitions of the bold type words and phrases directly, or do I need to go to the glossary at the back each time? OK, I could have the glossary open in another tab, but I just thought that Iā€™d ask :slight_smile:

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Hi John,

If you select any text on the Kindle App (any book) on my iPhone it offers a Wikipedia, translation and dictionary pop up, although sadly this is nowhere near as good as it sounds / could be.

Iā€™m not sure if this facility exists on other devices

Rich :slight_smile:

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Iā€™ve just started reading Yn Ei Gwsg gan Bethan gwanas. Maeā€™n ddoniol. Dw iā€™n hoffi fe. Itā€™s level sylfaen and itā€™s a lot harder than I thought it would be as now itā€™s using roedd which the mynediad wasnā€™t.(I read one mynediad maybe Iā€™m jumping ahead) And then I realised itā€™s North Wales,Welsh. I am going to persevere, Iā€™m never sure whether to go easier or stick with something challenging. But Iā€™ve bought the harder books :rofl:

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Hi @jen

I have had a lot of books that seem hard for about three chapters and then usually the brain adjusts somehow - itā€™s weird :smile:

Dal ati for 4 chapters - see what happens! (as long as your enjoying it of course!) :sunny:

Rich :slight_smile:

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Diolch. I am enjoying it so weā€™ll see if my brain adjusts :slight_smile:

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Iā€™ve done a bit of both @jen. A little bit easier is a good confidence boost to help you realise how much youā€™ve learned already and a bit harder is, of course, a good way of learning new stuff and challenging yourself. The main thing is to enjoy it. When the fun stops, stop!

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