Book Review: 5 Stars
**** SPOILERS ****
This is one of those books that makes you wonder how on earth you had never heard of someone before.
I had never heard of William Edwards before reading When the Stones Held. By the time I finished, I was completely fascinated by him, and perhaps slightly obsessed with bridges, now that was unexpected. I blame David E. Owen entirely.
What struck me most about this novel was how ordinary William's beginnings were. There is no sense that he is destined from childhood to become a great man whose name will be remembered centuries later. He grows up in poverty in eighteenth-century Wales, in a world where life is hard, opportunities are scarce and simply keeping a roof over your head can be a struggle.
The death of William's father really brings that home. Crossing the river with livestock is simply part of everyday life until, suddenly, it isn't. His death leaves William and his mother facing not only their grief but the very practical problem of surviving without him. There is rent to pay, an English landlord to satisfy and eventually the loss of the farm. William has to grow up far sooner than he should.
I think that is where Owen really got me, because I stopped thinking of William as "the man who built a famous bridge" and started thinking about him as a person.
And then there is the river.
I loved the way the River Taff almost becomes a character in its own right. It is both an enemy to be conquered and a friend to be treasured. It is also very necessary to the community, but it is also dangerous and unpredictable. A real life conundrum. As Wales begins to change and the coal trade grows, more people, animals and carts need to cross it. A bridge isn't some grand vanity project. People genuinely need it.
Of course, knowing that William Edwards became famous for building bridges does not mean the journey there is straightforward. Far from it. There were moments when I thought, surely this poor man has suffered enough now? Apparently not.
William builds. Nature has other ideas. He tries again.
And again.
What I particularly loved was his refusal to accept that failure meant he was incapable of succeeding. Each setback becomes something to learn from. He observes, thinks, changes things and starts again. There is something wonderfully satisfying about watching a man who has not been handed the advantages of wealth or formal education use his own intelligence and experience to solve problems that others cannot.
I loved how human William was. He is stubborn, ambitious and sometimes frustrating. His determination affects the people around him, and the novel never forgets that great achievements often come at a cost to somebody.
I also became far more interested in eighteenth-century Wales than I expected to. The changing landscape, the beginnings of industrial growth, the divide between those who own the land and those who work it, and the precariousness of ordinary life are woven through the story without making the novel feel like a history lesson. You understand the world William comes from because you have lived alongside him in it.
And I desperately wanted that bridge to stay up.
That sounds ridiculous when we're talking about events from hundreds of years ago and I already knew William Edwards was remembered as a bridge builder, but there we are. Owen somehow had me emotionally invested in a structure made of stone.
By the end, though, I realised the bridge was only part of what had kept me reading. This is really a story about what happens when an ordinary person refuses to accept the limitations that life has placed upon him.
I also appreciated the religious elements of the novel - and how it clashed with identity as well as the demanded submission to the English Church and laws. The English were not content to just take tithe, they wanted to take the Welsh identify away as well:
“And what of our flock? Our people?” he asked quietly. “More than half of them can’t follow an English sermon. Is it worship if the people are left to sit in ignorance through using a foreign tongue?”
The preacher gave a thin smile. “Then they must learn. English is the language of advancement. The future will not be spoken in Welsh. Better they feel the need to learn it, rather than remain content in their ignorance.”
I finished When the Stones Held wanting to know more about William Edwards, his bridges and the Wales in which he lived. I even found myself looking at photographs and sketching Edward's Old Bridge.
And that is exactly what I want historical fiction to do. Give me a good story, make me care about the people, and then send me off down a historical rabbit hole afterwards.
When the Stones Held did all three.
And now I want to learn dry stone walling.
An easy FIVE STARS.
The Blurb
When The Stones Held is an unforgettable historical novel inspired by the true story of William Edwards, the self taught Welsh stonemason who built one of the greatest bridges of the eighteenth century.
Born into poverty in the remote valleys of South Wales, William grows up in a world shaped by hard labour, dangerous rivers, and communities struggling to survive. Education is rare. Opportunity is rarer still. Yet from childhood, William becomes fascinated by stone, by balance, and by the dream of building something that will outlive him.
As the coal trade begins transforming Wales and merchants demand safer routes through the valleys, William sets himself an impossible task, to build a bridge across the fierce River Taff where others have failed. Floods destroy his work. Rivals mock him. Powerful men try to break him. Each collapse threatens his reputation, his livelihood, and the people he loves.
Set against the harsh beauty of eighteenth century Wales, When The Stones Held is a story of ambition, resilience, love, grief, and determination. It brings to life the people, language, and struggles of a forgotten world while telling the remarkable true story behind the bridge that gave birth to the town of Pontypridd.
Perfect for readers who enjoy rich historical fiction, Welsh history, and stories of ordinary people achieving extraordinary things.
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David E. Owen
After decades spent teaching around the world—from the UK to the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East—I came to writing fiction later in life. I started with fantasy before finding my voice in fast-paced, real-world spy thrillers. My stories are grounded in current issues like corruption, gender bias, and power, but always emphasise pace, surprise, and character-driven tension.
I’ve visited over 80 countries, worked as a radio host in Abu Dhabi, directed Shakespeare for African audiences in the bush, and even survived a flash flood in Mali and an armed hold-up. I was arrested for drug-smuggling in Nigeria but was eventually released when I refused to pay off the police captain, and I was boat-wrecked alone on a desert island in the Arabian Sea (but no tree) and rescued through a police search. Now retired from teaching, I split my time between writing, photography, and trying to get fit (thanks to a stubborn rowing machine). My latest novel, Hate Machine, tackles misogyny and gender radicalisation — not typical thriller territory, but I like a challenge.
