Review of ‘How Green Was My Valley’ by Richard Llewellyn

This classic novel was first published in 1939. I hadn’t read it before, although I’d heard of it. I wasn’t quite sure whether it was an autobiography or fiction. It turns out that Llewellyn was actually born in England, to Welsh parents, and that the novel isn’t generally based upon his own experiences. I think that makes it all the more extraordinary because it has an autobiographical tone and a strong sense of community.

The book is narrated by Huw Morgan, who lives with his family in a South Wales coal mining village. Although it was a tough life, even for the moderately well-off Morgans, Huw looks back on those times with nostalgia for the people and places he loved in the Victorian era. However, there is a sense of dread accumulating as the narrative continues, because Huw hints that some awful things are going to happen. There is also the increasing slag heap (waste material from coal mining) on the mountain, which pollutes the environment and threatens to fall on the village. It becomes a metaphor for the tragedies looming in Huw’s life.

You could consider this book a coming of age story, as it begins with Huw a little boy about to start school and ends with him a man. It’s a lot more than that, though. Themes of identity, unions, the small-mindedness of a village, forbidden love, music, nature, honour, faith and courage. The narrative style is lyrical and contains enough Welsh idiom to give you a sense of his speaking voice. Interestingly, the characters are supposed to be speaking Welsh while we are of course reading it in English. Children are not allowed to speak Welsh at school and one of the pivotal points of the plot is a result of that.

An emotional and impressive read. A film adaptation was released in 1941.

This edition published by Penguin, 2001.

4 thoughts on “Review of ‘How Green Was My Valley’ by Richard Llewellyn”

  1. I wrote a novel (unpublished) set in 1939, and so I wanted to read books that the MC might have read–that would have been new releases at the time. I read this one and loved it. It’s been a while. You’ve made me think I should pick it up again. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!

    1. That’s interesting! This book was a bestseller so if your main character was a book fan they would most likely have read it. I’m not sure I’d want to re-read, it was quite intense, but I’ll never forget it.

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