We discuss Martha, Jac a Sianco in this episode, scrutinizing how the novel depicts the dark side of rural life.
We find that even the most shocking aspects of the novel reflect reality and that this courageous work goes against a stream of Welsh literature that elevates, romanticises and idealises the life of the farmer. We praise Caryl Lewis’s craft as we scrutinize the character and structure. While there is so much hard reality in the novel, we note that there are also elements that conflict with realism as the reader experiences surreal or magical aspects. We suggest that there is also a gothic feel to it and that it is possible to see the shadow of ‘Mami’ as an inverted version of the stereotypical ‘Welsh Mam’.