Literature: Experts fear book talk fantasy threatens Welsh culture.

A Court of Thorn and Roses, also known as ACOTAR is a TikTok-viral fantasy book series that took the genre by storm in 2024.

But with character names including Rhysand, Gwyneth, Alice and Morrigan, it seems American author Sarah J. Moss took inspiration far from home.

dubbed “The Tolkien Effect”, after the author of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit who were influenced by the Welsh language and literature, Wales has undoubtedly influenced fantasy writing both old and new.

But while some admire the spread of Welsh culture and language, others fear its misuse could have a detrimental effect.

“It was something that always excited me at first, but it’s become something of a pet peeve,” said Bethan Hindmarch, a bookseller and fantasy blogger from Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire.

“Tolkien was the one who opened that floodgate. [and] Terry Pratchett always did it perfectly. His His daughter has a Welsh name.and it was about honor. [the language] and respect.

“But you get writers who want their fantasy to be more mystical, magical and structured.”

Professor Dimitra Femi, a lecturer in fantasy and children’s literature at the University of Glasgow, who has lived and taught in Cardiff for more than 20 years, said the genre was “particularly good at connecting us with the past in imaginative ways”.

“Fantasy – certainly in the last two centuries – has consciously played with myth, myth, folktale… Wales in particular has a very rich tradition in this respect and there is a series of key fantasy writers. exists that accompanies this material.”

That said, the Welsh language was a primary influence for Tolkien, particularly in his more popular works.

“If you think about Sindarin – one of the two main Elvish languages ​​- it’s very much based on Welsh phonology and grammar,” he said.

“I think what happened is that you get a generation of writers after Tolkien who want to write fantasy, [but] They don’t want what Tolkien has done.”

He said that for many writers the natural starting point was their own, often Welsh, roots, and its influence on awareness of Welsh language and culture was enormous.

“It’s a positive thing in terms of discovering a very rich new culture or opening up to another perspective. [but] What bothers me is a certain idea of ​​Wales that is developing within fantasy, which is this magical, rural, romantic place.

“It can be quite patronising, it paints a picture of the country which is not realistic. That’s not what Wales is about.”

Ms Hindmarch said she hated the “nobbies” that can surround books like ACOTAR and other fantasy sagas made mainstream by social media.

“I’ve always been a bookworm. I’ll read anything, but fantasy is my niche because it’s escapist,” she said.

“Other genres have really looked down on that and now within fantasy there’s a cynicism towards so-called romance books, and that really bothers me.

“It brings a whole host of new readers to the genre. People come into my shop who would never normally come.”

As a teacher of the world’s only fantasy literature masters course, Professor Femi saw the genre “expanding and developing into more hybrid genres” and “moving away from the Tolkien model”.

But, while they acknowledged that some writers had clearly done their research well, both women said problems could arise when there was a distinction between something inspired by Wales and being authentically Welsh. Not clearly distinguished.

“There’s a kind of pan-Celticism that’s developed into fantasy, where everybody thinks they can all be put together – it’s Gaelic, Irish, Welsh, Manx, Cornish, the lot – and it’s just One big combination becomes and one can pick whatever they want from the pot,” said Professor Fami.

Ms Hindmarch added that Celtic languages ​​can sometimes be used lazily, citing the error of Fourth Wing writer Rebecca Yarrows, where she apologized for using Scottish Gaelic names after mispronouncing them. was forced

“People assume that if you’re a writer, you know what you’re talking about. It doesn’t take long to get a sensitive readership, do your research, and be a little more respectful.”

He recalled sending a message to a self-published author who used Welsh terms, asking about his motivation and whether he was going to learn Welsh, only to be told that he “liked the sound of it”. “.

Professor Famiy said there was a need for “justification” to use the Welsh language.

“You have to think it through, there has to be a reason.”

Ms Hindmarch said she was “so moved” that she had been asked to be a sensitive reader for a writer who wanted one of her characters to have the same way of speaking as her former colleague at Carmarthen. , and other Welsh speakers will “jump at it. The opportunity to help bring their language to others.

She said there was an international appetite for Welsh-inspired works, including books such as Morgan by My Name by Sophie Keech, based on the Arthurian legend, and Claire Fayers’ Welsh fairy tales, myths and legends. Selling very well.

“It’s fantasy with strong characterization and done right – people are loving it.

“For example, everyone has heard. Mabinogionbut people think it is quite ancient and worry that it is not accessible. So when people write something inspired by it, it’s interesting.”

Professor Femi called Diana Wayne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle a good example of a fantasy novel that was aware of Welles’ misconceptions and consciously criticized them within the work itself.

He said that while Welsh was “very well established” within the UK, its international perception was where its misuse became a “problem” and called for greater awareness of the risks in the publishing industry.

“It’s the outer space, where people talk about England and they mean the whole of Britain,” he said.

“That’s where I think it can be very easily misinterpreted.”