How Green Was My Valley

How Green Was My Valley

Richard Llewelyn

4 out of 5


Though a vivid portrayal of Welch life, I found it hard to fully get into the flow of the language of this book, the middle bogs down, with a bit too much repetition, and some characters are glossed over a little too much for my liking.

Llewelyn draws the picture of life for Huw Morgan and the hardscrabble life of his brothers, parents and friends in a very difficult time. Coal mining is what the Morgan family was all about, this was their life, their valley and their existence so when the mining companies make the Morgan family's way of living unbearable, the Morgan boys had no choice but to rise up against the oppression and there goes the beauty that was once their lives.

Huw makes this story come alive. Through the eyes of the innocent, then the dawning adolescence and finally the man that has been through love and heartbreak, we see the valley that Huw loved so much. Llwelyn's first person narrative allows us to see each character through Huw's eyes. The eyes that grow with time and with maturity.

I can see the charm of this book growing with each reader. There are many layers and with each readers personal experiences each will see this book differently. If you have read it in the past, re-read it again and you will see why this book is a classic.