Plesera – pleasure in English – is an emotion that weaves its way through Elgan Rhys’ debut Welsh-language novel. After the death of his parents in a car accident, Adam is untethered, having to move in with his childless aunty Kate in Pen Llŷn while attempting to deal with his grief and change of circumstance.
A chance encounter with Bethan, who invites him to play with her son of a similar age, sets up a friendship between Adam and Dewi that ebbs and flows over 20 years. It’s narrated in three parts during key moments of their lives – dealing with tragedy, identity, love, and the importance of connections.
I was fascinated to learn, from an interview with Rhys, that he used a spark of inspiration from an event when he was eight years old as the basis for Plesera; the emotional depth and exceptional prose that features in this story is testament to how that’s been germinating over time. Despite discussing difficult themes, these are conveyed in such a sensitive manner it only adds to the emotional aspect of the characters, and as such it’s difficult not to get swept up in this fascinating, profound and moving story.
