Intelligently written and thoroughly researched material with characters who are sensitively understood and portrayed by their creator, added to an interesting and mind-catching plot, make The Welsh Girl a truly great read. Mr. Davies has managed to bring to expose to us the very essence of the Welsh culture, and the wild charm of the moor and the hard lifestyle of its people who shepherd flocks of sheep and turn to the local pub for their social life. All this alone would make a good read, and has been a staple in the great British mystery novels for generations. What makes Mr. Davies' book very special is the facility with which his writing invades the unchanging lifestyle he defines so intimately with the introduction of German prisoners of war who are sent to Wales during World War II. This book is not about war, it is about the effects of war on all who engage in it, are victims of it, or become unwillingly involved in it. It shows the German prisoners as human beings, as well as enemies, and it shows how the people in whose country they are imprisoned relate to their intrusion. In particular, this is a story about one bright young woman who manages to soar above her circumstances and culture in an effort to do what she feels is right., and to succeed in her efforts.

Mr. Davies's first novel has it all: it is poignant at times, and sad, and at the same time injected with humorous characters who could in themselves become a novel. It is, of course, the interesting mix of dyed-in-the-wool Welshmen and women and a young girl who has to fend for herself in an world that has not always treated her well, and the interaction between and the comparison of those steadfast characters and their German prisoners. This is a book that has little to offend and much to enjoy, and I would recommend to anyone.
Review by Litera Scripta