This story is based on an early Medieval Welsh poem and tells of the story of the eponymous princess, sister of King Cynddylan of Powys who is married against her will to King Cadafael of Gwynedd to cement an alliance of Welsh kingdoms fighting against the English kingdom of Northumbria. Heledd has other ideas about whom she loves. While this sounds like a standard romantic trope of a Medieval lady married against her will, her actions and her choices have profound repercussions for those whom she loves and for the future of Welsh politics. She comes across as rather self-centred here and I didn't warm to her. ( )

It took me a chapter or two to get into “The Song of Heledd”. The way it started, I thought it was going to be a hard-fought tale of forbidden love throughout, which I suspected would become monotonous, though this wasn’t the case. The narrative acquires greater depth and scope as it progresses.

What made a change to most other pre-conquest novels I’ve read is that it doesn’t focus heavily on paganism and all its mythology. Rather, this novel focuses on Heledd and whomever she comes into contact with.

Heledd narrates the tale. She not what I was expecting, either. Well, I presumed she’d be a beauty, and this much is true, but as a person she’s a ‘flawed’ heroine. Selfish in the extreme, Heledd cares for little but her own comforts. The author does a fine job of making Heledd, and all other characters, vivid and believable.

The legendary Penda, King of Mercia, appears in several scenes. Penda is a fascinating historical personage, and the author’s interpretation of him is commendable.

A couple of scenes feature childbirth in graphic detail. Again, the author does a good job here, making vivid the horrors women faced in a time when their chances of survival were fraught with danger.

Without revealing any spoilers, I think it was a mistake for Heledd to state at one point that she never saw certain people ever again. A mistake because it removes all suspense and expectation that she might see them again. Not long after, she thinks she sees one of the people, which turns out not to be the case, and whilst it’s a surprise for Heledd, it’s not for the reader.

The prologue is also, in a sense, a spoiler to what will come at some stage. Premonitions or premonition-like dreams in novels always come true – or they do in every novel I’ve read that features a premonition – so it’s a shame the author included this prologue. Again, without revealing any spoilers, when a certain event occurs later in the book, it’s obvious what’s about to happen because it’s hinted at in the prologue. Had it not been, I would’ve been in suspense, excited to know what the outcome would be.

Overall, though, this is a very good read. It’s the first time I’ve read anything by Judith Arnopp, and I like her writing style. I’ve already set my sights on her “Forest Dwellers” novel. ( )