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(Penbach Tales Book 1)
By Jacqueline Day
There is something particularly compelling about a story in which a young woman’s future has been decided before anyone thinks to ask what she wants. ‘Slate Heart’ by Jacqueline Day begins with precisely that difficulty. Set in nineteenth-century Wales, this is a wonderfully engaging novel of family, love and independence, following a young woman whose introduction to the wider world brings possibilities she could never have imagined, alongside dangers she is ill-prepared to recognise.
Eighteen-year-old Lowri Priddie is perfectly content with her life at Penbach Farm. Growing up with four brothers has given her little inclination towards the behaviour her mother considers appropriate, and she sees no reason why she should leave the home she loves. Flora, however, has secured her a position as a housemaid at Bron y Garth, the Spooner family’s home. What her mother presents as a splendid opportunity feels to Lowri very much like being sent away.
Lowri is a wonderfully likeable protagonist. She can be impulsive, stubborn, sulky and remarkably indiscreet, but there is an openness about her that makes her immensely easy to care about. Her curiosity frequently carries her further than good sense would advise, while her tendency to speak before considering the consequences provides some excellent moments of humour. Day allows her to be young and inexperienced without making her foolish in every situation. Lowri has much to learn, but she also has instincts, feelings and ambitions that deserve to be taken seriously.
Her development is one of the great pleasures of the novel. Leaving the farm forces her to reconsider both the life she has known and the possibilities beyond it. Her feelings about Bron y Garth change as she forms attachments and begins to discover a place for herself. I particularly liked that her growing confidence does not require her to lose the qualities that make her so distinctive. There is still room for her daydreaming, her enthusiasm and her occasional lack of judgement.
The relationship between Lowri and Flora is beautifully observed. Flora wants her daughter to have a secure future, but her certainty that she knows best leaves little room for Lowri’s wishes. Her affection is evident, as are the practical concerns of a woman responsible for a large family. Nevertheless, her determination to help can become painfully restrictive. Day captures the frustration of loving someone whose concern for you repeatedly prevents them from listening to you. Neither woman needs to be entirely wrong for their disagreements to hurt.
The Priddie family gives the novel much of its emotional heart. The opening scenes establish a household filled with work, noise, teasing and firmly expressed opinions. The brothers have their own temperaments, occupations and expectations, and Lowri’s relationship with each is shaped by more than their shared upbringing. Dyl’s affection for his little sister is especially touching. I also enjoyed the way family arguments can contain humour without losing their seriousness. These people know exactly how to provoke one another, but their familiarity makes the moments of tenderness equally convincing.
Day handles the family’s more difficult experiences with considerable sensitivity. Affection does not erase selfishness, and loyalty does not prevent disappointment. There are occasions when Lowri must reconsider people she thought she understood, and the emotional consequences are allowed to remain complicated. Glory is particularly memorable, with her directness and earthy humour bringing a strong personality to scenes that might otherwise be overwhelmed by distress. Her responses feel individual, rather than simply serving the needs of the plot.
The romance between Lowri and Ed is another very enjoyable aspect of the story. Their exchanges have warmth and humour, and Ed’s connection to Dyl gives him an established place within Lowri’s world. His life at sea introduces possibilities beyond the future her family has planned for her. Their relationship also brings uncertainty, vulnerability and the difficulty of making oneself understood. I found their affection convincing, particularly when it is expressed through small gestures whose significance depends upon what they already know about one another.
Louisa Spooner is an equally engaging presence. An unmarried novelist with definite opinions of her own, she offers Lowri an acquaintance with a different kind of womanhood. Her involvement gives the Spooner household personality beyond its rules and responsibilities. The contrast between Lowri’s position as a servant and the opportunities available to those she serves is important throughout, but Day also allows relationships to develop across those distinctions.
The Welsh setting is wonderfully evocative. Farm life, the harbour at Porthmadog and the Ffestiniog Railway contribute to a community whose people depend upon demanding and sometimes dangerous work. The railway and maritime details belong naturally to the characters’ lives, particularly through Lowri’s brothers and Ed. I enjoyed the movement between these different environments and the sense of a world changing around people who still have everyday responsibilities to fulfil.
There are darker passages, and Day does not minimise the vulnerability of a young woman whose choices are constrained by family expectations, employment and reputation. What makes these sections affecting is the reader’s attachment to Lowri. Her need for kindness and understanding feels immediate, while the warmth and humour elsewhere give the novel an emotional range I greatly appreciated.
‘Slate Heart’ is a beautifully observed and absorbing novel, filled with complicated relationships and characters who are wonderfully human. Jacqueline Day has created a heroine I cared deeply about and a Welsh community that feels full of life. Moving, engaging and full of heart, this is a thoroughly enjoyable five-star read.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde
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Jacqueline Day
I grew up in the Cotswolds, hiding in the woods near my home to read in peace and quiet, and books have been my escape and delight ever since. I studied creative writing in the 1970s/80s and had short stories and travel articles published in various county magazines before pressure to get a ‘proper job’ pushed me into family business, from which I eventually diverted into NHS administration.
When I hit sixty, I decided it was ‘now or never’ to write my first novel. In May 2025, I left my NHS job and finished my stories – there were now two: one historical fiction set in 19th century Wales, and one contemporary women’s fiction set in my protagonist's anxious head. Historical fiction is my go-to genre, for both reading and writing, and I am currently working on a sequel to 'Slate Heart' as Penbach and its people have not finished with me yet.
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Take Care,
Mary Anne xxx