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Sioned: A New English Translation
Winnie Parry’s classic Welsh novel, Sioned, appears here in English translation for the first time since its publication in 1906.
Described by the translator as the Welsh What Katy Did, Sioned tells the coming-of-age story of Janet Hughes—the lanky, intelligent, ignorant, sentimental, and indomitable daughter of William and Margiad. We follow Janet (Sioned to her family and friends) as she lives and learns through the hard times of Victorian Wales, all the while knowing she must lose her beloved brother Bob to her equally beloved friend Elin. Narrated by Sioned herself, the novel lets us hear her voice grow, by turns comical and tragic, from youth to wisdom.
Described by the translator as the Welsh What Katy Did, Sioned tells the coming-of-age story of Janet Hughes—the lanky, intelligent, ignorant, sentimental, and indomitable daughter of William and Margiad. We follow Janet (Sioned to her family and friends) as she lives and learns through the hard times of Victorian Wales, all the while knowing she must lose her beloved brother Bob to her equally beloved friend Elin. Narrated by Sioned herself, the novel lets us hear her voice grow, by turns comical and tragic, from youth to wisdom.
- GenresClassics
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1906
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 10, 2025
A Welsh "What Katy Did". You can read this if you have modern school Welsh, but you do need a reference for the northern dialect words. "Sioned" is one of Wales’ best kept secrets!
"Sioned" was originally a series of fourteen short stories, which were collected into the novel in 1906. The story is centered in the Methodist communities of North Wales, hard-working, practical, religious, but not without superstition. Janet Hughes, known to her friends and family as Sioned, is the lanky, clumsy daughter of Margiad and William Hughes, who rent and work Ty Gwyn farm. The narrator of her own life over three formative years, her voice grows considerably in maturity, while remaining wry, funny and self-deprecating. In the first story/chapter it’s established that Sioned can expect to lose her brother Bob through marriage to her friend Little-Elin-from-the-Hill. Sioned herself is determined never to marry until she can find someone the equal of her beloved brother. These elements comprise the unifying framework over the stories, which achieve narrative continuity with story six, when the individual stories suddenly gel into the chapters of a strong narrative.
"Sioned" the novel bears comparison to "What Katy Did" or "Little Women", though Sioned herself is not and never becomes a paragon- just a clever and principled woman who can take the knocks. And there are knocks a-plenty in these Victorian "hard times". The atmosphere, however, is distinctly Celtic, and the humour impeccable. Sioned's effortless ability to judge others is never applied to herself, and the idea of her own self-worth is the hardest lesson she must learn.
"What Katy Did" ond yng Nghymru. Gallwch ddarllen hwn os oes gyda chi Gymraeg ysgol fodern, ond mae angen cyfeiriad arnoch chi ar gyfer geiriau'r dafodiaith ogleddol.
"Sioned" was originally a series of fourteen short stories, which were collected into the novel in 1906. The story is centered in the Methodist communities of North Wales, hard-working, practical, religious, but not without superstition. Janet Hughes, known to her friends and family as Sioned, is the lanky, clumsy daughter of Margiad and William Hughes, who rent and work Ty Gwyn farm. The narrator of her own life over three formative years, her voice grows considerably in maturity, while remaining wry, funny and self-deprecating. In the first story/chapter it’s established that Sioned can expect to lose her brother Bob through marriage to her friend Little-Elin-from-the-Hill. Sioned herself is determined never to marry until she can find someone the equal of her beloved brother. These elements comprise the unifying framework over the stories, which achieve narrative continuity with story six, when the individual stories suddenly gel into the chapters of a strong narrative.
"Sioned" the novel bears comparison to "What Katy Did" or "Little Women", though Sioned herself is not and never becomes a paragon- just a clever and principled woman who can take the knocks. And there are knocks a-plenty in these Victorian "hard times". The atmosphere, however, is distinctly Celtic, and the humour impeccable. Sioned's effortless ability to judge others is never applied to herself, and the idea of her own self-worth is the hardest lesson she must learn.
"What Katy Did" ond yng Nghymru. Gallwch ddarllen hwn os oes gyda chi Gymraeg ysgol fodern, ond mae angen cyfeiriad arnoch chi ar gyfer geiriau'r dafodiaith ogleddol.
July 6, 2021
Un o fy hoff lyfrau, mae’n syml a llawn cymeriad.
January 27, 2026
The narrator’s voice carries the story beautifully — intimate, ironic, and grounded in everyday detail.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews