Welsh writer Owen Sheers is a poet, playwright and novelist. He was also the first writer-in-residence to be appointed to any national rugby team (personally, I find it hard to connect writing with such an awful sport, but he was a rugby player, so perhaps he enjoyed the appointment). He was also a writer-in-residence for the Wordsworth Trust.
I have just finished reading Sheers’ novel Resistance, which I thought was moving and beautifully written. It is set in a Welsh valley at the end of WWII, but instead of the Allies being victorious, he imagines a scenario where the D-Day landings failed and the Germans invaded and took over Britain. Farming women in a remote valley in the Black Mountains wake one morning to find all their menfolk have gone – off to fight with the resistance somewhere else. The women have to run the farms, cope with German soldiers arriving in the area, and learn to manage livestock without farmer husbands over one bitterly cold winter. The book, published in 2007, has been turned into a film and been translated into ten languages.
The ‘alternate history’ part of the novel was skilfully handled and made you think of what Britain would have been like under German rule, there were wonderful descriptions of the landscape (which I’ll be visiting on my Welsh walking tour this year), some interesting literary connections, and the style of the novel was truly poetic. It was a joy to read.
I will have the privilege of meeting Owen Sheers when I do my Welsh tour in May. I don’t think I’ll be discussing rugby with him, but I do very much look forward to talking with him about his excellent novel.
Tell me your thoughts in a comment.
Janette Allan
I found this book in the street library
I was interested in it as it said the author was born in Fiji ….like i was
He might not be Fijian but Rugby is in his blood !!!
What an amazing book
Beautifully written with wonderful descriptions of the countryside , great knowledge of farming and raw emotions of his characters
Alternate history for sure but based on facts he sourced from George his neighbour
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, it is a beautifully written book. I don’t usually read alternative history, but was fascainted by this one.
Clodagh Harrison
Thanks Susannah for letting is know about Owen Sheers book Resistance. I’ve not read it but will do so and pass it on to others.
My faith in your discernment suggests that is will be a book to help those who have not lived, as far too many do, and can’t imagine what life could be like, to really understand what others are going through.
Your devoted fan on the Isle of Wight. Clodagh
Maria
Thank you for introducing me to a new author, and a novel of which I was unaware. I generally avoid books that might be too dark (the daily news is more than enough for me to contend with) but Resistance sounds intriguing. That you consider it a joy to read counts for a great deal.
I adored this month’s very eloquent poem, thank you.