Ponderings by Andrea: 'Here Burns My Candle'

I have had the good fortune to read so many different and interesting books since I have been reviewing on my blog. The latest, ‘Here Burns My Candle: A Novel,’ is no exception.

Here is the book trailer for this fascinating novel:

The setting for this novel is Edinburgh, Scotland beginning in September, 1745. The main characters are Lady Marjory Kerr, the matron of the family and the widow of Lord John Kerr; her son, Lord Donald, and his wife, Lady Elisabeth, a Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage; and Lady Marjory’s other son, Lord Andrew, and his wife, Lady Janet. They are in the midst of the Jacobite Rising (or Jacobite Rebellion, depending on which side you’re rooting for!), as Charles Edward Stuart (aka “Bonnie Prince Charlie”) fights to return the Stuarts and his father James III to the throne of England. Elisabeth is a Jacobite sympathizer; the rest of the family does not start out that way.

Although I am of Scottish ancestry (my maiden name is McQueen aka MacQueen), I was not overly familiar with Scotland’s history. I appreciate the time that Mrs. Higgs has put into her research of the time and place. She has done research both by reading books, etc… and – more fun – she has actually traveled over to Scotland to see the places in person.

Liz does a wonderful job in conveying the Gaelic elements that are used in the English that was spoken in Scotland in that time period:

“Leddy Kerr,” he cried, “I thocht ye a bluidy rebel!” Mr. Baillie sank against the doorjamb, knocking his nighcap askew. His gray hair stuck out like pins in a cushion, and his chin bore two days’ worth of stubble. “Pardon my appearance, mem. I feared the Hieland army had slipped into town like reivers in the nicht.” (p. 73)

Many of the words are included in the Scottish Glossary at the back of the book – which comes in handy! Most of the words are recognizable – but I need some help with others!

Elisabeth grew up following the pagan rite of worshipping the moon. As time went on, and the Bible became the only available book to her, she came to know the Lord in a real way. Instead of praying to The One who may not be hearing her, she prayed to the Lord, who responded to her and spoke to her through His Word – particularly in the Psalms. She encouraged Marjory to return to her first love:

Marjory bowed her head, listening. I remember such days. She had lived without fear, ever aware of God’s presence in her life, shining brighter than any beeswax taper. When she looked up and saw Elisabeth leaning across the Buik [Book], her eyes glowing and her voice fervent, Marjory fought a twinge of envy. To have that passion again! To burn for all that was holy. (p. 423)

An interesting aspect of this book is that it parallels the Book of Ruth in the Bible. Knowing that as I read the book, I was able to equate the people from the story of Ruth with the characters in ‘Here Burns My Candle;’ it also made the book more interesting to me. There were two elements of interest – the Scottish theme and the biblical theme. This book covers the first 18 verses in the Book of Ruth. Liz’s next book, ‘Mine is the Night,’ will cover the balance of the story.

In addition to her other historical novels set in Scotland – ‘Thorn in My Heart,’ ‘Fair is the Rose,’ Whence Came a Prince,’ and ‘Grace in Thine Eyes’ – Liz is also the author of ‘Bad Girls of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them’ and ‘Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible: Flawed Women Loved by a Flawless God,’ among many others. She and her family live in lovely Louisville, Kentucky.

I thought this book was very compelling and historically accurate (after I did some research of my own!). Liz has a real gift, and I am grateful that she uses it for the glory of God! I hope to read more from her in the future!

You can order this book here.

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I have a copy of this book that I would love to pass along to one of you!

There are several ways to gain entry:

1) Leave a comment here on the blog, telling me what is appealing to you about this book! Please make sure to leave your email address in this format – sample[at]gmail[dot]com.

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This give away is for U.S. residents only. The deadline for entry is Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST. A winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator (www.random.org) on Friday, April 9, 2010 and will be contacted via email. The best to all of you!