The Brothers of Gwynedd – Volume One Review

by christine (booktumbling) on 19. May, 2010 in blog tour, book reviews

Sourcebooks is celebrating their release of Edith Pargeter’s historical novel, The Brothers of Gwynedd by hosting a Summer Reading Club. This is a hefty book (about 800 pages) so the reading and reviews will be broken down into the four volumes that comprise the book. Sunrise in the West (Vol. 1) is featured this week. If you are a lover of historical fiction, I invite you to follow along.

Sunrise in the West creates a wonderful if somewhat confusing introduction. The story is set in 13th century Wales as the country is struggling to remain separate and free from England. Brothers are fighting bloody battles against brothers and Samson, clerk to Llewelyn, is the readers eyes and ears into this world. As narrator, Samson is deeply involved in the conflicts of the families. There are times he is conflicted and emotional yet he remains devoted to the family he has faithfully served. Samson is able to relay a story that goes beyond war and country and delves into the fall of a family.

The Brothers of Gwynedd is not an easy read so far. The use of period language, vast settings, and numerous characters (thankful for the family tree to reference) proved to be difficult to follow at times, yet the more I read, the more relaxed I became and was able to fully enjoy and begin to comprehend the struggle. I am excited to read the next 3 volumes.

Amy from Passages to the Past will be hosting a live chat on Monday, May 24th from 7pm to 9pm EST. Come and join in the fun! You can also take a peek at some thoughts from others participating in the Summer Reading Club.

May 17