Alternate Aberystwyth

[vilakins]

I loved his first one, Aberystwyth Mon Amour--so blackly funny, as is the second in the series--but Malcolm Pryce doesn't like cats much, does he? I'm only about 30 pages into Last Tango in Aberystwythand he's already drowned a mother and kittens in a throw-away comment and run over another cat in passing. There isn't even the slightest plot reason for it. If he wants to show what a mean and violent society his AU Wales is, there are ways I'd find less repellent. I mean, it doesn't fit with the eccentric deadpan humour of the rest.

Otherwise: cool series and I love the weird stuff he makes up like gossip contests and toffee apple dens.

I also want to know how to pronounce the name Ionawr? Is it like Iona (eye-owna) or Yona?

Comments

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

We have both the books here in the library - thank you for your comment!
I do not like this about poor cats but I understand that both books are worth reading. Welsh...

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

They definitely are worth reading, and there are more in the series: The Unbearable Lightness of Being in Aberystwyth, Don't Cry for Me Aberystwyth, and From Aberystwyth with Love due out this year. They're funny and quirky, told from the POV of a tough private eye, and I like the alternate history with Wales as independent with interests in Patagonia (and a past war there).

The bits about the cats are over very quickly, but cruelty to animals upsets me even more than to humans because they're weaker and trust us.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Again,thank you. And I share your view on animals wholeheartedly.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I loved the first book, but not read the second. Not a good attitude to cats though :0(

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Those two bits are very brief (barely a sentence each) which is why they shouldn't be there: they're just gratuitous. I'm really enjoying this one apart from that though. He has two more and another due out this year (see my comment above).

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

I am no expert on the weirder bits of Welsh pronunciation but judging from what I know I is y, yon. The awr bit is a little difficult to write down, the a is short as in cat and you sound both the w and the r with a roll on the r. But that is South Wales pronunciation, North Wales is practically a different language when you listen to it, more Southern Irish. I have looked at Aberystwyth mon amour many times on the shelves in work but never picked it up , I might give it a go on your recommendation.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I love the humour and the really inventive touches.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

Ion to rhyme with John -awr to rhyme with scour, but make the vowel as short as possible. The stress is on the first syllable.

I quite liked the first one but didn't think there was really a series in it. I'm reading your friend Falco atm and noticing how, when he feels sorry for himself, he occasionally sounds like Vila - "even the rat in my cell sneered at me".

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

The second book is very like the first: Welsh private eye noir with odd twists like the seaside rock (edible kind) black market. :-)

Greg is reading Falco too, and he often says he reminds him of Vila! He is a lovable rogue type, but definitely on the side of good (and Republicanism, so a bit of a rebel at heart too).