The Sound of Her Name

The author, who was born in Great Britain, trained in the medical field, and has lived long in the United States, is especially qualified to write this story, which is based in Wales and has a physician as a major charactor. Tim Bruce, a young man in the Pacific Northwest, overhears his father mentioning Gwyneth, a girl in Wales whom he knew during World War II. Already planning a European backpack trip, he decides to investigate this woman. Entering her town in Wales. he finds her. She is about 15 years older than he, and is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Her husband is the local doctor, Rhys, and they invite Tim for the night. Gwyneth seems bored, and she paints for recreation, but allows no one to see her work, which later turns out to be repeated portraits of Tim's father. Rhys is a wonderful man, and, learning that Tim plans to attend medical school, invites him on house calls. When Tim suffers a bad ankle sprain, he treats him and prescribes a period of rest, and a halt to his travel plans. Tim is particularly taken with observing a home delivery, and with an old man with arthritis and heart disease. Tim admires Rhys, but during one of his absences, Tim is overwhelmed by love of Gwyneth and they have sex, impregnating her. After Tim leaves, Gwyneth reveals her pregnancy to Rhys, and explains the whole story, how much Tim reminded her of his father at the same age. The doctor's reaction is one of forgiveness. This man loves everybody, including Tim! He is well portrayed, and is my favorite character. This is a truly lovely story, very well told by a superb writer.

This is a fine read on many counts. The suspenseful story of two men, a father and son, who fall in love with the same woman nearly a quarter-century apart, is told with intelligence and understanding. The relationship of young Tim Bruce to his own father, and to Dr. Rhys Edwards, husband of the beautiful Gwyneth, constitutes a fine, low-keyed but effective, treatment of the eternal and inevitable struggles between fathers and sons. The characters are real human beings who come to realize the need to deal with their own strengths and weaknesses, and those of others as well. The author's voice is quiet but compelling, evoking the Welsh countryside with stunning clarity. It's like watching a movie. Similarly well executed are the moods of the two wartimes which make up the book: World War II and Vietnam. Both the author's medical training and her long years of residence in both Great Britain and the United States are put to good use in depicting critical scenes and attitudes of characters. Given the present debate over the propriety of our actions in Iraq, anyone who believes we are justified in occupying that country, and that the inhabitants are pleased to have us there, would do well to take note of the reaction of the British to the presence of American troops during the Second World War. Altogether, a thoroughly professional novel of the upside and downside of love, as seen through the tragic and foolish filter of war.

I found this book to be very well written. Mary Morgan obviously knew her subject well. Once started, the novel was hard to put down. There was a certain suspense until the very end.

Both my husband and I LOVED this book, wondering why on earth it hasn't hit the best-seller lists; we found it far more compelling than any current or recent best-sellers. This intelligent novel captured me on the first page and never let go with its compelling, oh-so human story. Mary Morgan's writing creates profound visual images of people and places-you feel as if you're right there, feeling and sympathizing with the emotions of the characters. We highly recommend this beautiful story.