A WELSH WITCH: In Review

Wales’ relationship with Halloween is very different to the Americanised horror-fest we’re used to. Noson Galan Gaeaf, or Winter’s Eve is an ancient festival rooted in the land and nature. This is the end of the harvest, the start of a hard winter and a time for spirits and superstition. A Welsh Witch by Allen Raine emphasises the connection between the natural world and spirituality, whether it is pagan or Christian or something else.

A story rich with landscape and romanticism, we are introduced to Catrin. A girl at home in the natural world and condemned by the church for her alternative impression on God. She sees him as all around her and not tied to priests and the church and because of this has been ostracised by her community. Through her only friend Goronwy, we get to explore Catrin’s beliefs and affection for the natural world around her.

Goronwy is set to marry his childhood sweetheart Yshbel, but a long engagement has changed their relationship. When Goronwy, a collier in South Wales, becomes trapped in a mine with the dead and dying all around him he better understands his friend Catrin and turns to her ways to save himself.

Allen Raine’s rich writing and understanding of her characters provides a story of beauty and wonder. She takes readers not only back a hundred years, but into a world laden with natural magic. I was captivated throughout.


Lynzie Fitzpatrick – October 2024


[Lynzie Fitzpatrick, Honno’s Business Manager, is one of the team embarking on the Classics Reading Challenge this year. Keep an eye on our website and social media for more updates and reviews of our Welsh Women’s Classics]