Excerpt from Torn Sails: A Tale of a Welsh Village
A strong wooden bridge with an iron rail spanned the narrow river, but was seldom used except in winter, a few broad stepping-stones making a more natural mode of communication between the two sides of the valley.
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Allen Raine, the pen name of Anne Adaliza Puddicombe, was one of the best-selling authors of the late Victorian/early Edwardian age.
She spent time in London for her education and marriage, but eventually returned to her Welsh roots. Wales features largely in her romantic fiction, with titles like A Welsh Singer (1896) and A Welsh Witch (1902).
Her books sold millions of copies, not only across Wales but in the whole of Britain, and yet these days she is largely forgotten or ignored.
What a pleasant surprise! I went into this with low expectations as this is my first Allen Raine novel. I was immediately swept up in the gorgeous imagery of the coastal town and the daily life of its inhabitants. The first half of the book was lovely, and I enjoyed the ride. The second half ramped up in drama. Was it a bit overdramatic at times? Yes. Was it hyperbolic? Yes. Did that take away from my enjoyment? Absolutely not. The second half tackled some heavy topics and really connected me with the characters and their struggles. I flew through the last chunk of the book because I had to know what happened. So good!