I've read several Kate Roberts books, lots of other Welsh books, love Wales, have a partner who has taught himself Welsh and keeps me up to date on most things cultural or political in Cymru, we spend all our holidays in Wales,... all this to prove I like Wales, and I know more about its history, its culture, its politics, etc. than the average Brit. If I'm biased, I'll tend to lean towards the positive. But I really could not work my way through this book. It's so stereoptypical, the language so bombastic, the main character so flat, I'm sorry to say I gave up halfway through. ( )