Wishdaughter
Wishdaughter is a compelling novel which races from Chepstow to London, Venice and Tel Aviv on a journey of intrigue and passion. The novel centres around the love of a father and daughter. Bill is a freelance arts critic who, in an effort to correct domestic imbalance in his life, has moved from London to the hills of the Welsh border with his family. But the move exacerbates existing tensions, and soon he finds himself living alone. Perhaps it is only a matter of time until Rachel and her mother return to London and to her Jewish family. While grappling with the upheaval, Bill is sent by his editor on an assignment to Israel to interview survivors of the Shoah. During his short stay there, a letter, allegedly written by German composer Richard Wagner, falls into his hands. Its contents may be the stuff of controversy, but must first be verified and translated. As the story unfolds, Bill becomes entangled in a net of intrigue involving a seductive Wagnerian scholar he met in London during his student days, members of the aloof Viennese aristocracy, agents of the British police, and the suspicious Israeli businessman who first supplied him with the letter. Little wonder that all ardour for his darling daughter is temporarily dampened. But the moody fourteen year-old is unimpressed by her father's repeated and prolonged absences, and so Bill decides to bring her with him to Venice. This is a decision he later regrets, as his relationship with Libi quickly unravels, and his hopes of beginning a new life are dashed.
Cyfnewidfa Lên Cymru/Wales Literature Exchange