Bywyd Blodwen Jones

by Bethan Gwanas

Dyddiadur doniol Blodwen Jones, llyfrgellydd sy'n cadw gafr ac yn breuddwydio am briodi ei thiwtor Cymraeg, ynghyd throednodiadau geirfaol ar gyfer dysgwyr. Cyhoeddwyd gyntaf yn 1999. The amusing diary of librarian and goat owner Blodwen Jones who dreams of marrying her Welsh tutor, together with glossary footnotes for Welsh learners. First published in 1999.

Genres: Fiction

79 pages, Paperback

First published January 23, 1999

About the author

Writes lively, entertaining Welsh language books for adults, Welsh learners, YA and children. One book in English so far: 'Ramboy' for 9+.

Reviews

[Kerstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little story, lots of fun expressions, great first book in Welsh for me. Had to slow right down and read aloud at times as some of these expressions were so casual that I didn’t understand a thing.

[Alys · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, bit of fun as a Welsh language parody of Bridget Jones. It is very VERY gendered / sexist in places which seemed really odd to me until I Googled it and apparently it was first published in 1999 which explains that. Still not particularly impressive though and through a modern lens a lot of the characters come off as a lot less likeable than I think they were intended to be when it was first written, especially Andrew, but also Blodwen and Llew. This meant I spent a lot of the book finding a lot of the characters and tropes very irritating, hence only the two stars.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a lot of fictional comedic diary-writers (in English) in my teens - adored Georgia Nicolson, never quite got on with Adrian Mole but gave him a good solid try, and of course: Bridget Jones (preferred the films to the books). I can now add Blodwen to that pack!

The novel, right now, is a bit advanced for me. From a comprehension point of view I struggled less as it went on (Blodwen is tired and upset for a lot of the last part of the book, and to represent that her entries are slightly less complex as she can barely think in English, let alone Cymraeg), but it's the first book where I've needed a dictionary to hand throughout and as such when I've needed to take breaks, I've been a bit less enthused in picking it back up. Even though I'm sounding like a broken record (!) she's another one to re-visit later in Sylfaen.

Plot and character stuff under spoiler tag: Blodwen is much like the other fictional diary-writers mentioned above - pines over her love interest, said love interest is a pile of red-flags, goes on the rebound when it doesn't work out, gets hung up on her dislike of certain other people. However, unlike the others, Blodwen really is a diawl trist. The only person to phone her is her mum (who she thinks is a pain in the arse). The only person to check in on her when she's depressed is Andrew (who she also thinks is a pain in the arse, although this is part of his 'redemption arc' so she does warm to him somewhat). The only notable interaction with her neighbour is a well-deserved bollocking (her pet goat breaks free and damages his things - said goat spends the book tied up in the back garden, no wonder the poor thing is frustrated!). Her only direct colleague is an 'old bitch'. Even when meeting Llew's son, who is childishly impolite as many six-year-olds are wont to do, she immediately jumps to labelling him a brat (in the diary, thankfully, not to his face) and not calling his dad out for just standing there grinning.

Part of the humour of the diary genre is the frankness of the writer's private thoughts (and if you're not familiar with that, it's very easy to see the protags as unpleasant or ungrateful), and the whirlwind of kneejerk reactions and impulsive decisions they make. But, whether you think Blodwen's justified in her judgment of character or not I really hope that in the sequels she gets herself a network of actual friends she can have a good time with, to balance out her annoyances.

I've given this a 3, which seems harsh honestly, but a 3 is 'I liked it' in Goodreads-speak so a 3 it is. I hope to re-visit Blodwen later on in my studies!

[Cara M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Llyfr bach a doniol! Dw i ddim yn siarad Cymraeg da iawn, ond gallais i darllen y llyfr hwnnw. Diolch yn fawr, Bethan Gwanas, am y llyfr!

[Simon Thirsk · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are learning Welsh, then this book (and its sister titles) is one of the best things you can do to get into the language - it makes you feel clever and literate long before you really are. The story is good and amusing, there is a vocubulary on every page and you will find yourself swept along very quickly.
It won't make you fluent but, as a companion to a Welsh course, it is excellent.
Bethan is a Welsh writer who knows how to amuse and entertain her readers. And has something to say.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Llyfr doniol iawn! Mwynheais i'n fawr iawn. Llawer o eirfa ddefnyddiol a diddorol, wedi esbonio mewn ffordd haws. Addas i ddysgwyr lefel sylfaen sôn i'n meddwl.

[Iain Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started up a Welsh language class and made use of this book. Everyone enjoyed it, there's a lot of potential for humour.

['ö-Dzin Tridral · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. For me the enjoyment was at least in part due to being able to read a book in Welsh.

It's a good story, well told, with some surprises.

[Ben Dutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those learning Welsh, especially in the north, this and the other novels by Bethan Gwanas are truly excellent. They entertain, educate and, because of their brevity, give a real sense that you can and will get through a novel written in another language. I have read the first two, and feel far more confident in my use of the language than when I began. Da iawn and diolch Bethan!

[Vcmc · Rating 4 out of 5]

(English below) Llawer o hwyl yn y llyfr ysgafn yna. Perffaith i ddysgwyr gyda phenodau byr a digon o ddiddordeb. Dw i'n edrych ymlaen at y llyfr nesaf am Blodwen.

Lots of fun in this light book. Perfect for learners with short chapters and plenty of interest. I’m looking forward to the next book about Blodwen.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, managed to read this without having to look up too many words per page! Real sense of achievement.
Quite enjoyed the story. Real, yet a little bit cringe-inducing in places.
A Welsh Bridget Jones.
Looking forward to reading part 2 with the group.