IN REVIEW: Harvest Home

Even if you’re not living rurally, it’s hard to miss the bulbous blackberries creeping through bushes marking the end of summer. Apples are ripening, the nights are starting to shorten and thoughts are habitually turning to harvest before the weather (ahem) turns. Already this month the scene has been set for Hilda Vaughan’s Harvest Home and immediately upon opening the book we are transported to the west coast of Wales, to a manor house overlooking the sea at the end of the summer season.

We start the book with the death of the old master and the changing of hands to young Daniel Hafod and his mother. Daniel is keen to be a good and well-respected master, but from the first pages we can see that he struggles to balance his ego with his insecurities. He wants to be well-liked but cannot abide folk stepping out of their place and is thin-skinned with every slight. He is intensely drawn to dairy maid Eiluned and, although continually reinforcing to himself that she is beneath him, he becomes obsessed that she is not in love with him.

These cracks in Daniel’s character are worsened by the arrival of his cousin Dan Hafod. Dan is a sailor and free spirit who is unconcerned he was overlooked for the inheritance bestowed to Daniel. He is much loved by the staff at the house, particularly Eiluned much to Daniel’s ire.

Dan and Eiluned pursue a sweet romance, they are both in love and of equal station and Dan promises when he returns once more from sea he will marry Eiluned. But in the time he is away his cousin Daniel broils with jealousy. He harasses and pesters Eiluned, eventually forcing her from her job, but she resolves to stay true to Dan. This only worsens Daniel’s behaviour and he embarks on a dangerous, cruel and murderous journey, destroying everything in his path to have Eiluned for himself.

Harvest Home has a perfect villain in Daniel Hafod and readers will find his fall into madness shocking. Vaughan weaves the natural landscape and folklore together, threading through demons and ghosts to bolster but ultimately destroy Daniel Hafod. With so many twists, we find ourselves being tossed vigorously from one awful act to another, much like Dan’s ship hurtling towards a rocky finale. This is a page-turning, tantalising and energetic read. Possibly my favourite so far in the Classics series!


Lynzie Fitzpatrick – August 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]