*Scroll down for English*
♥Enillydd Gwobr Tir na n-Og 2022: Cynradd♥
Oed darllen/reading age: 9+
Oed diddordeb/interest age: 9-14
3 rheswm da i ddarllen Gwag y Nos...
· Cymeriadau da - Magi, y rebel dewr vs Nyrs Jenat evil!
· Oes Fictoria – ffocws ar fywyd yn y Wyrcws/cymharu bywyd y tlodion/bonedd
· Stori anturus gyda hiwmor
‘Da ni wedi bod yn galw am lyfr fel hwn yn y Gymraeg ers talwm iawn, a gobeithio y bydd hwn yn ddewis poblogaidd gydag ysgolion, yn enwedig ym mlynyddoedd 5 a 6. Does dim ffordd well o ddarganfod mwy am gyfnod mewn hanes, na thrwy nofel apelgar fel hon. Drwy ddefnyddio’r llyfr fel canolbwynt ar gyfer uned o waith thematig ar gyfnod Oes Fictoria, bydd modd cael llawer o waith cyfoethog.
Weithia, ma’n cymryd ambell bennod i ddod i arfer gyda llyfr, a weithia di’r ‘sbarc’ byth yn tanio. Ond wir i chi, hefo Gwag y Nos, mi o’n i’n hooked o’r cychwyn cyntaf (a dwi reit fussy efo llyfra, ma’ rhaid i mi gyfadda). Dyma i chi brolog trawiadol, sy’n llawn iaith ddi-flewyn-ar-dafod ar gyfer creu effaith:
Ma’r clawr yn ardderchog ac yn cael sgôr uchel iawn gen i, felly llongyfarchiadau @almon unwaith eto! Dyma glawr sy’n cyfleu naws iasol yr uffern-ar-y-ddaear, sef wyrcws Gwag y Nos (er y gwnes i feddwl mai mynwent oedd o i ddechrau).
Heb os, mae Sioned Wyn Roberts wedi ’sgwennu clamp o nofel fan hyn, ac mae hi lawn cystal a’r clasur Plentyn y Stryd [Street Child] gan Berlie Doherty (sef y go-to novel arall o Oes Fictoria sydd allan o brint yn anffodus). A dweud y gwir, mae’r nofel yma’n fwy perthnasol i gyd-destun Cymreig, ac mae’n amlwg yn stori bwysig iawn i’r awdur, sydd wedi gwehyddu naratif ffuglen anturus a chyffrous o gwmpas hanes go iawn ei theulu. Am ddifyr!
Magi yw’r prif gymeriad. Merch ifanc sy’n ffeindio ei hun mewn sefyllfa ddigon cas - ar ei phen ei hun, mewn wyrcws o dan orthrwm Nyrs Jenat a Robat Wyllt. Dwi’n mynd i roi fy mhen ar y bloc fan hyn, a dweud bod Nyrs Jenat up there efo’r badis eraill o lenyddiaeth plant - digon i wneud i Ms. Trunchbull edrych fatha angel! Allwch chi ddim peidio â hoffi natur rebellious a drygionus Magi ac mae ei dewrder yn ysbrydoliaeth. ’Da chi bob amser ar #TeamMagi er nad ydi hi’n berffaith bob amser chwaith (gofynnwch i Elsi, druan!).
Pan mae tric yn mynd o’i le yn y wyrcws, caiff Magi ei hel ymaith i Blas Aberhiraeth i weini ar ei meistres newydd, Mrs Rowlands. Efallai bod bywyd yn y wyrcws yn erchyll, ond dydi ei chartref newydd fawr gwell, a buan iawn y daw’r Plas yn garchar yn ei hun. Does ond un ateb i hyn – dianc.
Mae rhywbeth sinistr iawn yn dal i fynd ymlaen yn Wyrcws Gwag y Nos, a dim ond Magi all roi stop arno. Beth mae Nyrs Jenat yn ceisio’i guddio? Fydd hi’n llwyddo i ddatgelu’r gyfrinach dywyll ac achub ei ffrindiau ’run pryd? Pwy sydd am wrando ar hen giaridým o’r wyrcws? Dim ond rhai o’r cwestiynau sydd angen eu hateb!
Mae’r cymeriadau a’r plot yn spot-on. Dwi ddim am ddweud mwy rhag i mi sbwylio’r stori, ond wir i chi, rhowch gynnig arni. Athrawon Cymru – plîs dewiswch hon fel eich nofel ddosbarth.
Oherwydd rhai themâu ’chydig yn dywyll, mi faswn i’n dweud bod y nofel yma’n fwy addas i blant 9+ (9-13 welais i’n rhywle) ac er mai llyfr i ‘blant’ yw hwn yn y bôn, fel oedolyn mi wnes i ei fwynhau yn arw.
You might not have even realised it, but we’ve needed a novel like this in Welsh for a long time on this subject. I hope this’ll be a popular choice with schools, especially with years 5&6 in mind. What better way of discovering about a certain period in history, than through a novel like this? Using the book as a focal point for an unit of thematic work on the Victorian period will provide rich possi
bilities to generate quality work and explore a fascinating topic.
Sometimes, it takes a few chapters to get ‘the feel’ of a book, and sometimes it just never happens. With Gwag y Nos, I was hooked right away (no mean feat as I’m fussy) with its hard-hitting prologue that doesn’t mince it’s words.
On a side note, the front cover is excellent and gets a high score from me, so well done @almon once again! It conveys the creepy qualities of the hell-on- earth which is Gwag y Nos workhouse (although I have to say I initially thought that it was a cemetery).
Sioned Wyn Roberts has undoubtedly created a masterpiece here, one which rivals Plentyn y Stryd, the Welsh adaptation of Street Child by Berlie Doherty (another classic Victorian novel, which is sadly out of print) In fact, this novel is actually more relevant to a Welsh context, and it’s clearly a story close to the author’s heart – she’s woven a fictional narrative around her real family history. Really interesting stuff.
Magi is the main character. She’s a young girl who finds herself in an unpleasant situation. Alone. In the workhouse. Living under the oppressive regime of Nyrs Jenat and Robat Wyllt. I’ll put my head on the block here, and say that Nurse Jenat is up there with some classic baddies from children’s literature – enough to make Ms.Trunchbull seem angelic! You can't help but admire Magi's rebellious determination and her bravery is admirable. You’re always on #TeamMagi although she’s not perfect either (just ask poor Elsi!)
When a prank goes awry in the workhouse, Magi is soon carted away to Plas Aberhiraeth to become a servant for a wealthy lady. Life in the workhouse may be horrific, but her new home isn’t much better, and the Plas soon becomes a prison of its own. There really is only one solution – escape!
Something very sinister is afoot in Gwag y Nos, and Magis is the only one that can put a stop to it! What’s Nurse Jenat trying to hide? Will Magi manage to reveal the secret and save her friends? Who’s even going to listen to a brat from the workhouse? These are but a few of the questions we have!
The characters and plot are spot-on. I don't want to say any more in case I spoil the story, but honestly, KS2 teachers– please choose this as your class novel.
Because of its slightly darker themes, I would say that this novel is more suitable for children aged 9+ (9-13 I saw somewhere) and although this is a children’s book per se, it can definitely be enjoyed by an older audience.