Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins

Waterstones has an award for Welsh Book of the Year. Who knew? Not me, until this year, when the winning title was clearly something of interest to me. Much of the credit here should go to Stephanie Burgis who has been enthusing about the book for some time. I think she also knows the author, Claire Fayers.

According to Amazon the book is suitable for readers of 8 years and above. That seems about right to me. My first impression of the book is that it is something you could read to children. That is, unless you are the sort of person who rails against ‘the woke’ and would never subject your children to anything more progressive than Enid Blyton.

Given the title of Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins you have probably guessed that the book is a collection of folk story re-tellings. That is certainly true, but Fayers has not simply made ancient tales acceptable to a modern audience, she has put her own spin on all of them.

The conceit of the book is that Idris the Giant, having inherited his father’s throne as King of the Giants, is fed up of all the court nonsense. He decides to take a sabbatical and go off in search of stories. Eventually he will end up at Cadair Idris looking at the stars and dreaming, but he encounters many interesting stories along the way.

My favourite part of the book is the re-telling of the tale of Culwch and Olwen from The Mabinogion. It has a very unusual twist, which I won’t spoil for you. I was also quite taken by Amethyst, the coblyn princess, who wants her father to get her a pet human.

From an adult point of view, the main interest of the book is in the range of folk takes that Fayers has researched for the book. There are no end of interesting magical creatures in the British Isles, and Wales has a full share of them. Fayers give good notes as to where she got her stories from.

The book is also beautifully produced, and consequently would make a fine present for a young person of your acquaintance. It is, after all, that time of year.

Title: Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins
By: Claire Fayers
Publisher: Firefly Press
Purchase links:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Bookshop.org UK
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