[{"text_idx": "#000002", "text": "Y WefanY Ti\u0302mGwybodaeth i Rieni"}, {"text_idx": "#000004", "text": "so\u0302namlyfraOct 31, 20196 min read"}, {"text_idx": "#000006", "text": "*Scroll down for English & comments*"}, {"text_idx": "#000007", "text": "\"Tywysoges vs Y Frenhines: antur a ffantasi\""}, {"text_idx": "#000008", "text": "\"Princess vs The Queen: Fantasy adventure.\""}, {"text_idx": "#000009", "text": "Stori gyda iaith naturiol, ond fwy addas i ddarllenwyr hynStory with easy-to-read, natural language, but more suitable for older readers"}, {"text_idx": "#000011", "text": "Dyma ni gyfres newydd i bobl ifanc yn eu harddegau gan Bethan Gwanas. Y Melanai yw\u2019r enw ar y drioleg, ac \u2018Efa\u2019 yw\u2019r stori gyntaf. Petawn i\u2019n gorfod crynhoi\u2019r gyfres, byddwn i\u2019n dweud cyfuniad o Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games a Game of Thrones efo ychydig bach mwy o hiwmor. Mae\u2019n wir i ddweud fod y stori yma\u2019n cydio o\u2019r dudalen gyntaf."}, {"text_idx": "#000012", "text": "Mae Bethan yn amlwg wedi dysgu gan y meistr o fyd ffantasi ei hun, J.R.R. Tolkein ac mae hi wedi creu byd newydd ei hun - ac mae 'na fap ar ddechrau\u2019r llyfr. Gwych! Mae o\u2019n rhoi rhyw fath o gyd-destun i\u2019r llyfr cyn dechrau darllen ac erbyn i ni glywed am y llefydd yma yn y stori, ma\u2019 na deimlad lled-gyfarwydd."}, {"text_idx": "#000013", "text": "Un peth o\u2019n i\u2019n licio oedd y rhestr cymeriadau ar y dechrau. Dwi ddim wedi gweld hyn mewn llyfr o\u2019r blaen, ac i fod yn onest, mae o\u2019n handi! Mi o\u2019n i\u2019n gweld fy hun yn troi at y rhestr cymeriadau o dro i dro i atgoffa fy hun. Syniad da iawn, yn enwedig mewn llyfr gyda nifer o gymeriadau ag enwau anghyfarwydd."}, {"text_idx": "#000014", "text": "Mae\u2019r prolog yn wych. Mae\u2019r awdur yn llwyddo i greu naws anghyfforddus a creepy yn syth gyda\u2019r seremoni farbaraidd. Yn nheyrnas Melania, \u2018da chi\u2019n gweld, mae\u2019n rhaid i ferch (y dywysoges) ladd ei Mam (Y Frenhines) ar ei phen-blwydd yn un ar bymtheg oed. Dyma\u2019r rheolau ers canrifoedd. Mae hyn yn hollol normal yn Melania. Dwi\u2019n hoff o\u2019r ffordd mae\u2019r awdur yn normaleiddio\u2019r traddodiad ofnadwy yma yn y llyfr, ond i ni, fel y darllenwyr, da ni\u2019n gwybod pa mor farbaraidd a hurt ydi o go iawn. Y peth ydi, mae o\u2019n reit scary o beth i ddychmygu a dweud y gwir, achos ma\u2019 'na bethau tebyg wedi digwydd go iawn, mewn defodau paganaidd, lle'r oedd gwneud aberthau creulon drwy dywallt gwaed yn beth cyffredin. Mae traddodiadau o\u2019r fath yn fy atgoffa o\u2019r arferion hynafol o foddi neu losgi gwrachod. Y peth oedd, fel pobl Melanai, maen nhw\u2019n meddwl fod nhw\u2019n gwneud y peth iawn. Dyna sy\u2019n frawychus."}, {"text_idx": "#000015", "text": "Mae\u2019r disgrifiad o\u2019r seremoni yn amser y presennol yn effeithiol wrth greu\u2019r teimlad ein bod ni yno ar y funud honno. Y dorf yn gweiddi a\u2019r drymiau yn curo. Pawb yno i wylio\u2019r lladdfa. Mae\u2019n rhoi croen gw\u0302ydd i mi wrth feddwl am y peth. Dwi\u2019n falch fod Bethan Gwanas yn cynnwys y disgrifiad erchyll, gwaedlyd i ni ar y dechrau. Dydi hi ddim yn trio sensro\u2019r peth. Wrth ddarllen y geiriau am y ferch sydd: \u201cgyda sgrech o boen yn plannu\u2019r gyllell yng nghalon y fam,\u201d mi ydw i\u2019n hooked."}, {"text_idx": "#000016", "text": "Flashback oedd hynny. Mae\u2019r bennod gyntaf yn dod a ni\u2019n o\u0302l i\u2019r presennol. Rydym ni\u2019n cyfarfod Efa, y darpar frenhines, a\u2019i ffrindiau. Mae Efa\u2019n agosa\u0301u at yr amser lle bydd gofyn iddi ladd ei mam ei hun gyda chyllell er lles y wladwriaeth. Dyna i chi goblyn o benbleth i\u2019r hogan i ddweud y lleiaf! Yn ystod y stori, da ni\u2019n dod i\u2019w nabod a buan iawn \u2019da ni\u2019n ffeindio fod hi\u2019n anghyfforddus iawn gyda\u2019r disgwyliadau mawr yma."}, {"text_idx": "#000017", "text": "Daw Efa i\u2019r canlyniad fod y drefn ym Melania yn farbaraidd ac mae\u2019n bryd i bethau newid. Yn anffodus, er pa mor greulon ydyw, dyma yw cyfraith y wlad ac mae\u2019r gosb o beidio ufuddhau yn waeth. Felly, mae hi\u2019n penderfynu (reit sydyn a dweud y gwir) i ddianc. Dyma yn y bo\u0302n, yw\u2019r stori."}, {"text_idx": "#000018", "text": "Mae\u2019n bwysig nodi fy mod i\u2019n fachgen sy\u2019n llawer hy\u0302n na chynulleidfa darged y nofel hon ond serch hynny, rydw i wedi mwynhau\u2019r stori\u2019n arw. Wrth gwrs, mae \u2019na ddarnau sy\u2019n ei gwneud yn amlwg mai llyfr i bobl ifanc yn eu harddegau yw hwn, a bydd y so\u0302n am filwyr hunky, plorod, fflyrtio a chusanu o bosib, yn apelio\u2019n fwy at ferched yn eu harddegau na bechgyn, rwy\u2019n tybio."}, {"text_idx": "#000019", "text": "Mae 'na ddigon o antur yma i ddal fy sylw drwy\u2019r nofel i gyd. Mae\u2019r geiriau a\u2019r brawddegau yn llifo mor naturiol ac mae dawn Bethan Gwanas gydag iaith lafar, Cymraeg dydd-i-ddydd yn gryf yma. Mae o mor hawdd i\u2019w ddarllen. Dwi\u2019n teimlo y gallai\u2019r stori fod wedi gweithio\u2019n well mewn byd ar blaned arall, neu ar y ddaear mewn rhyw oes hudol a fu ond ella mai barn personol ydi hyn. Weithiau, mae ychydig o\u2019r social commentary am y morfilod glas a\u2019r llygru plastig yn teimlo dipyn yn preachy. Er hynny, dwi\u2019n cydnabod fod o\u2019n neges bwysig!"}, {"text_idx": "#000020", "text": "Mae\u2019r nofel yma\u2019n llwyddo i\u2019n cyflwyno i wlad Melania, ac erbyn y diwedd rydym yn teimlo\u2019n hen gyfarwydd ag Efa, wrth i ni weld y byd drwy ei llygaid hi. Mae Bethan yn ein cyflyru i falio am y cymeriadau, a da ni\u2019n invested go iawn erbyn y diwedd. Dwi wir isio gwybod os fydd Efa a Dalian yn cael efo\u2019i gilydd!"}, {"text_idx": "#000021", "text": "Mae\u2019r nofel yma\u2019n gosod pethau\u2019n berffaith ar gyfer y llyfr nesaf yn y gyfres ac mae\u2019r awdur yn gwybod yn union beth mae hi\u2019n wneud drwy orffen y llyfr gyda wopar o cliffhanger. Dwi\u2019n falch mod i\u2019n darllen y rhain ar o\u0302l i\u2019r drioleg gyfan gael ei gyhoeddi neu mi fysa hi\u2019n dipyn o job disgwyl am yr un nesaf!"}, {"text_idx": "#000022", "text": "Here we are: a new series for teenagers by well-known author, Bethan Gwanas. Y Melanai is the name for the trilogy, and \u2018Efa\u2019 is the First novel. If I had to summarise, I\u2019d say a blend of Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games and Game of Thrones with a bit of humour thrown in. Safe to say, this story is gripping from the word go."}, {"text_idx": "#000023", "text": "Bethan has obviously learned from the master of fantasy himself, J.R.R. Tolkein and she\u2019s created a new fantasy world \u2013 with a map at the start. Brilliant! It gives a sort of context before reading and by the time we hear of these places, they feel vaguely familiar."}, {"text_idx": "#000024", "text": "One thing I did like was the character list at the start. I haven\u2019t seen this in a novel before, and to be honest, it\u2019s handy! I found myself using it now and then to remind myself. A good idea, especially with so many new main characters."}, {"text_idx": "#000025", "text": "The prologue is brilliant. The author creates an uncomfortable and creepy ambience with the violent ceremony. You see, in the land of Melania, the daughter (the princess) must kill her mother (the Queen) on her sixteenth birthday. These are the rules. I love the way the author makes it seem so normal in Melania, but we, as readers realise how crazy this is. The thing is, it\u2019s quite scary to think about it because similar things have happened in history. Blood was often spilled in ritual pagan sacrifices. It reminds me of the traditions of drowning or burning witches. It\u2019s scary because we, like the people of Melania, used to think this was the right thing to do."}, {"text_idx": "#000026", "text": "The description of the ceremony in real time is effective in creating the feeling that we are there, witnessing the horror. The crowd shouting and the drums beating. It gives me goosebumps thinking about it. I\u2019m glad that Bethan Gwanas has kept the gory details at the start. She doesn\u2019t try and censor it. As soon as I read about the girl who, \u201cwith a scream of pain, plunges the knife deep into her mother\u2019s heart,\u201d I\u2019m hooked."}, {"text_idx": "#000027", "text": "That was a flashback. The first chapter brings us back to the present day. We meet Efa, the princess and soon-to-be Queen. She is nearing that time when she must kill her own mother for the sake of the country. What a dilemma for the poor girl to say the least! During the story, we get to know her and we soon find out that she\u2019s not comfortable at all with what is being asked of her."}, {"text_idx": "#000028", "text": "She comes to the conclusion that this tradition is barbaric and it\u2019s time things changed. Despite it\u2019s apparent cruelty, this is the law, and the punishment for refusal is worse. She decides (rather suddenly really) that she must escape. This is the story in a nutshell."}, {"text_idx": "#000029", "text": "It\u2019s important to note that I\u2019m a man who\u2019s much older than the target audience for the book, but despite this, I\u2019ve enjoyed it thoroughly. Of course, there are parts that make it obvious that this book is aimed at teenagers. All the talk of hunky soldiers, spots, flirting and kissing will no doubt appeal to the book\u2019s intended audience. It perhaps would appeal more to girls than most boys."}, {"text_idx": "#000030", "text": "There\u2019s plenty of action here to sustain my interest throughout the book. The sentences flow easily and Bethan Gwanas is skilled in using natural, informal, everyday Welsh. It\u2019s so easy to read. I feel the story could have worked well on another planet or set in the past, in a magical age, rather than the future, but this is personal taste. Sometimes the social commentary about blue whales and plastic feels a bit preachy and on-the-nose. Even so, it is an important message."}, {"text_idx": "#000031", "text": "This novel introduces us to the country of Melania, and by the end we are very familiar with Efa, as we see life through her eyes. Bethan forces us to care about the characters, and we are genuinely invested by the end. I really want to know if Dalian and Efa get together!"}, {"text_idx": "#000032", "text": "This novel sets things up perfectly for the next one and the author knows exactly what she\u2019s doing by finishing the first instalment with a whopper of a cliff-hanger. I\u2019m glad that I\u2019m reading these after all three novels have been released otherwise it would be a long wait!"}, {"text_idx": "#000033", "text": "Sgrech y Creigiau - Elidir Jones"}]