Llinyn Trons

by Bethan Gwanas

Welsh

Paperback

First published July 3, 2012

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

[Gab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly a masterpiece. The tackling of themes such as youthful lust, pollution and its dangers to the environment especially wildlife, and how it tackles the impact of mental health on the youth is really insightful and mouthwatering. This book really captures the life of today’s youths and the problems they face, every page you read makes you want to flip to the next one and carry on. Arguably one of the best pieces of literature ever to exist.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Of Bethan Gwanas's other books, I've read the Blodwen Jones series and Yn ei Gwsg, both aimed at adult Welsh learners.)

*Book content warning: discussion of suicide (major plot spoiler too - discussed under spoiler filters)*

Llinyn Trôns - published in 2000 and set in the 90s - has been part of the Welsh Literature GCSE/TGAU reading list for several years. An excellent plus-side to reading a TGAU text is that there's a full BBC Bitesize website with a high-level character analysis, a plot summary, and some exercises suitable for a reading group or a class. Some examples of these tasks are writing a diary entry from a given character's point of view after a significant plot event, labelling metaphors and slang in a given passage to show your understanding, and quick multiple-choice quizzes - good for adult learners, too!

I'm glad for the guides in any case, because I'm early Canolradd and I struggled. I could only pick it up if I'd had a chunk of time blocked out so I could concentrate. It got easier as I got used to Llion's voice, but the cast speaks in everyday colloquial Welsh with some Wenglish. The Wenglish isn't italicised either (only fully English sentences are), so it's caught me out a few times. The language is very Gog - it's never specified where the characters are from other than a secondary school in North Wales - and given the writing style it's not always dictionary-friendly. But, given the number of TGAU guides on the web, I was mostly fine with a bit of patience and context.

Refreshingly, the students are all very realistically written. More often than not, I read teenage characters who sound more-or-less like the author themselves pretending to be a teenager (especially if the end product is aimed at under-18s) but Bethan Gwanas has completely captured the frustration and hot-headedness of that age. No matter your own generation, you will have met many kids growing up who resemble these six, and/or you were one of them yourself.

Gwenan's been spoiled throughout her life, sulking her way through the course, but her behaviour is rooted in insecurity rather than cruelty. Gags is an overconfident bullying teacher's pet: a front hiding a troubled young man under pressure. Nobi is a brown-nosing underling, but for all his faults he does genuinely care about Gags and starts to enjoy the teamwork when he has a breakthrough with the abseiling experience. Olwen is perfectly capable and bright, a star in sport and academia, but suffers from a poor self-image. Even Llion, the narrator, is a good kid at heart but still has knee-jerk reactions of horniness or withering judgement. It's Dei who stands out from the others at the start: he's brave, he's fair, and he approaches the course earnestly despite his own reservations. Llion was quick to write Dei off as just 'the fat lad' when their trip begins, but as Dei steadily and consistently has Llion's back against the gruesome twosome, Llion reflects on his perception of his fellow camper.

Much of Llinyn Trôns is slice-of-life, but everything starts to come to a head in the last third of the book: as the rest of the team start to show cohesion and camaraderie, Gags - Mr Superstar - struggles. After being humbled somewhat during the tasks, his well-crafted veneer starts to chip away. His increasing spite and churlishness is a stark contrast to everyone else warming up to each other, especially his open insolence towards a concerned Donna. Llion notices a 'faraway look' on Gags's face before he disappears without a word on the last night.

His death is declared to be an accident, but as there is no way for anyone to tell what was really running through his mind that night, it's left up to the reader to decide. Irrevocably changed by the incident, the others organise a memorial walk up Yr Wyddfa to remember their coursemate despite their differences. Even Nobi (who had so little to redeem him at the beginning) has dropped the tough-man act, enough to call Llion by his given name. The novel ends bittersweetly as Llion develops a budding romantic relationship with Olwen, soberly vowing to move on with his life.

I don't have a great deal of experience seeing themes like these depicted in 90s literature aimed at kids or teens, outside of Jacqueline Wilson (I mention specific books of hers below). I remember reading the phrase 'committed suicide' in her novel Bad Girls at the age of seven, and my mother's startled reaction when I asked her what it meant. As a younger millennial - which would be Llion's generation, approximately - I can remember the hush-hush and scandal surrounding ill mental health quite clearly even into the mid-noughties. While the novel only really touches on it in the last few pages, what it does discuss it treats with respect. Even I'm not sure what Gags's true intent was: perhaps a reckless, unintentional action borne of anger and stress, rather than a calculated plan. But sadly, like many open-verdict cases, it's never truly confirmed.

So, there we go. That was Llinyn Trôns. Despite its difficulty for me at this level, it's still been a great exercise in colloquial Gogledd Cymraeg and I enjoyed it. I'm a little old for GCSEs these days (ha!) but I also plan to go over some of the Bitesize activities to help me understand turns of phrase on re-reads, too.

If you too are interested in study notes, here and here are two useful guides. There's also an interesting Cymraeg blog post here from Bethan Gwanas herself on the success of the novel, and the campsite that inspired her.

For an English equivalent - if you don't mind a small drop in reading-age and target audience - look at How to Survive Summer Camp or Cliffhanger, both by Jacqueline Wilson. Ms Wilson is also known for dealing with difficult issues in her literature including the ones discussed under spoiler filter, but these are two of her happier ones and are worth the read either for yourself or your kids.

5/5

[Vcmc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Llyfr difyr gyda chymeriadau credadwy.

[Elen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darn o cwrs TGAU, oedd yn hawdd i cofio termau

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read it for school

[Soffia · Rating 3 out of 5]

roedd tgau llenyddiaeth yn gwallgo 😛

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

[English follows]

Da - stori dod i oed ar gyfer yr arddegau: criw o blant ysgol sydd ar fin cael eu canlyniadau TGAU yn mynd ar drip dringo/pethau awyr agored yn y mynyddoedd. Mae elfen o fwlio, diffyg hyder ac ati, ond maen nhw'n dysgu sut i weithio fel tim (mwy neu lai) a chyflawni'r tasgau. Diweddglo ychydig yn annisgwyl (wel, wnes i dyfalu, ond agos at y diwedd). Fy mab wedi mwynhau.

Good, "coming of age" story for teenagers: a group of schoolchildren who are about to get their GCSE results are on a climbing/outdoor activity trip in the mountains. There's an element of bullying, lack of confidence etc., but they learn to work as a team and complete the tasks. The ending was a bit unexpected (I did guess but close to the end). Son enjoyed it!

[Kathryn H · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a good book considering its in welsh. Usually I dont like welsh books I find them boring but this book had interesting characters and an interesting twist at the end.

[Ela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor Gags. I relate to Gags in a way that his death took a toll on my heart. But, whyyyy is this for GCSE's????
😭😭😭