Review: The Silent Owl by Glen Williams

Emily Price

The Silent Owl is a young adult adventure novel which highlights the post war mental health of soldiers who have lived through the most traumatising of times.

Written by former television executive and newspaper journalist Glen Williams, this exciting page turner instils the message that life is for living, not just surviving.

The musical lilt of a valleys accent can be heard in the writing and the powerful early pages featuring a soldier at war are both poignant and soul stirring.

World War II veteran David lives on the outskirts of a village buried in the beautiful valleys of South Wales.

His neighbours treat him with the utmost respect after his unwavering bravery fighting in Normandy twenty years before.

The reclusive life that David leads as a hermit on the mountainside is tormented by dark memories of combat on the front line in France.

A never ending loop of repetitive tasks

The life-threatening experiences he was subjected have scarred him with post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

As David drowns in his own damaged mind, he believes he isn’t worthy of friendships or relationships of any kind.

He spends his days trapped in a never-ending loop of repetitive tasks and haunting flash backs.

Tom and Beth live in the village nearby and after they hear about a mysterious letter, the pair set off to save Dave’s happiness and mental health.

Brimming with the very essence of 1960’s Wales

But what begins as an adventure quickly turns to jeopardy and the children need a hero to step in and save them.

The Silent Owl looks back on simpler times in the picturesque Welsh valleys of the 1960’s when quaint communities reached out to those in need and supported each other.

The story itself is brimming with the very essence of 1960’s Wales with vibrantly described locations and wonderfully written Welsh characters.

Although The Silent Owl is a sequel The Phantom Crown, each story is distinct and can be read alone.

The Silent Owl is published by The Conrad Press and can be purchased here.