*Scroll down for English*
Nofel am euogrwydd sy'n codi ias
A chilling short novel about guilt.
Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◎◎◎◎
Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◉◉◉◉◎
Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◉◉◎◎
Iaith gref/language: ◉◉◎◎◎
Rhyw/sex: ◉◉◎◎◎
Hiwmor/humour: ◉◎◎◎◎
Cyfres/series: COPA
Contains some content that sensitive/younger readers may find disturbing
Dwi’m yn siŵr o dan ba graig dwi ‘di bod, ond dim ond ryw flwyddyn neu ddwy yn ôl nes i ddarganfod llyfrau y diweddar Gareth F. Williams am y tro cyntaf. OMB! Ers y foment honno, dwi’n cysidro fy hun yn superfan o’i waith. Ond mewn gwirionedd, alla i ddim bod yn superfan go iawn nes fy mod i wedi darllen ei lyfrau i gyd, felly dyma wneud addewid mod i am drio darllen ei holl nofelau yn ystod 2021. Challenge accepted.
So, dyma ni, mis Ionawr. A dyma gychwyn ar yr un cynta’ o’r flwyddyn - un bach gweddol hawdd i ddechrau - Anji. Llyfr byr yw hwn sy’n perthyn i gyfres Copa, sef 5 nofel fachog ar gyfer yr arddegau hŷn. (ond dwi’n meddwl basa tua bl.9 yn iawn)
Gyda llai na 100 o dudalennau a phlot oedd yn symud ar garlam, mi orffennais y nofel mewn un eisteddiad. Daliodd y broliant fy sylw’n syth, er ei fod o’n sboilar go sylweddol: “Ar ôl lladd ei mam, aeth Anji allan i’r ardd gefn am smoc.” As you do ‘llu.
Heb ddatgelu llawer mwy o’r plot na sydd wedi cael ei wneud yn barod, ar ôl lladd ei Mam, fe aiff Anji ar drip i’r Rhyl gyda’i ffrind, ac er ei bod hi’n trio mwynhau ei hun, mae cadw’r gyfrinach dywyll yn pwyso arni. Ella bod angen dipyn bach o suspension of belief yma, achos, tra mod i’n medru derbyn ei bod hi wedi cael casual smoke ar ôl lladd ei Mam (sioc, debyg) dwi ddim mor siŵr amdani’n mynd ar holidês bach i’r Rhyl yn syth wedyn. Fasa rhywun yn gwneud hynny? Erm, not sure about that one.
Ta waeth, ro’n i’n licio sut gafodd stori Ruth Ellis [y ddynes ola’ i gael ei chrogi yn y DU] ei blethu mewn i stori Anji, ac mi ddysgish i ffaith newydd - ei bod hi wedi cael ei geni yn Rhyl! Dyma lyfr y gallwch fwynhau adref neu yn yr ysgol, ac yn sicr does 'na’m prinder o destunau trafod yn y nofel, sy’n cynnwys themâu fel euogrwydd, y gosb eithaf, dial, cenfigen, perthnasau iach/afiach a bwlio emosiynol.
Fel darllenwyr, rydym ni gyd ar ‘team Anji’ er ei bod hi ‘technically’ wedi lladd rhywun, ac fe ddown i gydymdeimlo â hi ar ôl dod i ddeall beth sydd wedi arwain at y foment yma.
Ok, felly, dydi darllen y llyfr ddim wedi newid fy mywyd, ond mi wnes i ei fwynhau. Mae’r print bras a’r paragraffau byrion yn ideal i rywun sy’n chwilio am lyfr sydyn, ond sy’n ddiddorol hefyd.
Anji. Done.
Ymlaen at Cwmwl Dros y Cwm nesa...
I'm not sure under which rock I’ve been hiding under, but it was only about a year or two ago that I discovered the late Gareth F. Williams's books for the first time. What can I say? Since then, I regard myself as a complete superfan of his work. But I can't really consider myself a true superfan until I've read all his books, so I made a New Year’s resolution to try and read all his novels by the end of 2021. Challenge accepted.
So, here we are, January. I’ll start off the challenge with a fairly easy one to start - Anji. This short book belongs to the Copa series -5 catchy novels for older teens. (but I think mid-teens would be fine)
With fewer than 100 pages and a fast-moving plot, I finished the novel in one sitting. The blurb immediately caught my attention, although it contains a pretty significant spoiler: "After killing her mother, Anji went out to the back garden for a smoke." As you do like.
Without revealing much more of the plot, after killing her Mother, Anji goes on a trip to Rhyl with her friend, and although she tries to enjoy herself, the dark secret weighs heavily on her mind. I think a little suspension of belief is required here, because, whilst I can accept that she had a casual smoke right after killing her Mother (shock, probably), I'm not so sure about her going on a little holiday to Rhyl immediately afterwards. Especially as her mum’s decomposing body lays on the kitchen floor. Would someone really do that? Erm, not sure about that one.
Anyway, I liked how the grisly story of Ruth Ellis [the last woman to be hanged in the UK] was woven into Anji's story, and I never knew she was born in Rhyl of all places! This is a book you can enjoy at home or at school, and there’s certainly no shortage of discussion points stemming from the novel, which includes themes such as guilt, death penalty, revenge, jealousy, healthy/unhealthy relationships and emotional abuse.
As readers, we’re all rooting for ‘team Anji’ despite the fact she is ‘technically’ a murderer. We come to sympathize with her after learning about her upbringing and what drove her to kill.
Ok, so, reading the book hasn't changed my life, but I did enjoy it. The large print and short paragraphs are ideal for someone looking for a quick read, but a captivating and interesting one too.
Anji. Done.
On to Cwmwl Dros y Cwm next...
Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Y Lolfa
Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2014
Pris: £2.95
"Mae Gareth F Williams wedi ei gwneud hi eto. Mi wnes i fwynhau hon yn arw. Dim ond 90 tudalen ond pob gair yn haeddu ei le. Mi fydd stori Anji a'i hen jaden o fam yn eich cyffwrdd. Mae golygfeydd y 'Mochyn Mawr' yn arbennig o bwerus, ac fe ddylai hon gydio yn nychymyg yr arddegau ac oedolion. Fel gyda cymaint o lyfrau Gareth F, byddai'n gwneud ffilm wych hefyd." - Bethan Gwanas
