Garthowen (ePub)

Allen Raine, a pseudonym for Anne Adaliza Evans, was a distinguished Welsh novelist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born on October 6, 1836, in Newcastle Emlyn, she was the daughter of a solicitor and educated at home, later attending a finishing school in London. Raine's pen name was inspired by the maiden name of her paternal grandmother. Her marriage to Beynon Puddicombe, who worked as an engineer, took her to the culturally thriving environment of Swansea, which further shaped her literary ambitions. Perhaps most famous for her novel 'Garthowen' (1900), Raine fashioned stories that intricately weaved the domestic and romantic turmoil of her characters with the evocative landscapes of Wales. Her narratives often celebrated Welsh rural life, traditions, and the natural world, in a style marked by its charm and simplicity which earned her the title of the 'Welsh Trollope'. Garnering commercial success, especially among Welsh expatriates, Raine's work brought her significant recognition during her lifetime. However, her literature was later criticized for its idealization of rural Wales and its use of anglicized dialect. Nevertheless, Raine remains a noteworthy figure in Welsh literature for her contribution to the genre of romantic fiction during the turn of the century. She passed away on June 21, 1908, but her literary legacy continues to be appreciated by enthusiasts of Welsh culture and history.