Let me just say that I have never written a review on a book before. I have written academic critiques. I have written basic book reports. But never just a review. And never for a book read for fun. So, I am a little unsure of just what to write and how to write it.
To start off, I just finished reading Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs. It is the 6th book I have read by her (I read 4 of them last year while on my internship and the last 2 in the last week and a half). And I loved all of them so very much! It is the sequel to Here Burns My Candle and is set in 18th century Scotland. All of the books I have read so far by Liz Curtis Higgs have been historical novels set in Scotland. And at the end of each them she wrote about how much study she put into making her novels as realistic, as well as historically and culturally accurate. Another thing about her books is that the two series are based on Biblical stories. The first four (which I read last year) are based on the story of Jacob and his wives - Rachel and Leah, as well as the story of his daughter Dinah. The last two are based on the story of Ruth and Naomi.
* SPOILER ALERT:
Mine is the Night is, like I said, the sequel to Here Burns My Candle. I know, I know... I just read it but didn't write about it... I just didn't know what to write or have the time. And the two stories are so closely interwoven that I wouldn't have written much. But anyway, it follows the story of Lady Marjory Kerr and her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Kerr, who lived in Edinburgh (pronounced EH-din-bur-uh) until the death of Lord Donald and Andrew Kerr. Donald was Elizabeth's husband and both men were Marjory's sons. They were killed in a Jacobite uprising (an attempt to reclaim the throne for the Stuart blood-line). This was unusual because Marjory had been raised in the Borderland and was very loyal to King George. As a result of her sons support of Prince Charles, her family was stripped of their status, their wealth and charged with treason. Marjory and Elizabeth then found themselves returning to Selkirkshire - Marjory's home in the Borderland where she had lived with her husband before basically forcing him to move the family to Edinburgh for the advantages of society and social standing. The two ladies find themselves without any home or money. So they move in with a distant cousin and Elizabeth begins to work for a wealthy, loyal to King George, retired Admiral's household as a seamstress. As the story unfolds everyone falls in love. Marjory, Elizabeth and their cousin Annie. They all fall in love and have their stories woven together. In the end, the Admiral gets the King to give his pardon to the Kerr Ladies, as well as rents the property that was taken from them - guaranteeing Marjory a place to live for 40 years or until she dies. The book then ends with the marriage of the Admiral and Elizabeth and the birth of their son. Through both of the books, there is a personal search (for both Elizabeth and Marjory) to find and know the LORD who seemed to have them in His hands no matter what happened. And that search, that faith, was one of the things that brought the Admiral and Elizabeth together.
The story ended far too quickly for my taste. But being based on the Biblical story of Ruth and Naomi, there wasn't too much more that could have been written. The story followed how Elizabeth (who was born and raised in the Highlands) found herself in the capital city and married to a wealthy lord. She was a lady though trained as a seamstress. And then everything changes. The same happened for Ruth and Naomi. There was a famine that moved Naomi and her family to the land of Moab where Ruth's sons took wives, Orpah and Ruth. After some time, all 3 men died. Orpah took her chance and went back home to her family. Ruth, however, would not leave Naomi. She went with her to Naomi's homeland and committed to serving and helping her in anyway. Soon she meets Boaz. He provides for her in various ways and then in the end they are married and give birth to a son. Their son would later be the grandfather of King David - the great king of Israel and the king from whom the KING of KINGS descends. Ruth and Naomi are bound together in the faith that they shared. And the same was true for Marjory and Elizabeth.
As I said, the story ended much too quickly for me. But then again I feel that way about all of Liz Curtis Higgs' books. Her style of writing is just so captivating and her characters are so very real (mostly because they are based on real, historical and Biblical characters). The emotion that her characters feel are very easily felt by the reader. Making it incredibly easy to cry when they cry, be angry or afraid when they are, celebrate when they do. And not to mention, crying when the last page is turned. The Scotland setting is one that makes any reader desire to walk the streets of Edinburgh or climb the hills in the Highlands for themselves. Or try the interesting food and see the markets come to life. Or sit in the old kirks (churches) and imagine what it all looked like so long ago when they were first built and the most important place in town.
On a personal note: A friend of mine and her husband are currently living in Edinburgh while he works on his masters and doctorate at the University. They post pictures of their adventures and city explorations all the time. And the city appears to be incredibly beautiful and stuffed full of history and things to explore. I just hope that one day soon I can visit them and see it all for myself.
All that to say that Liz Curtis Higgs' books have quickly become some of my favorites. And I would highly recommend them to anyone, whether you believe in the one True God of the Bible or not. The stories are beautiful and the faith that they draw you into is incredible and personal. It would be more than worth the time. No doubt. I have her two contemporary novels and two of her Bible study books for women and look forward to getting the chance to read those sometime in the future. For now, I am beginning to read off my Classics Club List and am starting that off with Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray.
Here's to reading and the places visited, the characters met and the lessons learned.
To start off, I just finished reading Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs. It is the 6th book I have read by her (I read 4 of them last year while on my internship and the last 2 in the last week and a half). And I loved all of them so very much! It is the sequel to Here Burns My Candle and is set in 18th century Scotland. All of the books I have read so far by Liz Curtis Higgs have been historical novels set in Scotland. And at the end of each them she wrote about how much study she put into making her novels as realistic, as well as historically and culturally accurate. Another thing about her books is that the two series are based on Biblical stories. The first four (which I read last year) are based on the story of Jacob and his wives - Rachel and Leah, as well as the story of his daughter Dinah. The last two are based on the story of Ruth and Naomi.
* SPOILER ALERT:
Mine is the Night is, like I said, the sequel to Here Burns My Candle. I know, I know... I just read it but didn't write about it... I just didn't know what to write or have the time. And the two stories are so closely interwoven that I wouldn't have written much. But anyway, it follows the story of Lady Marjory Kerr and her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Kerr, who lived in Edinburgh (pronounced EH-din-bur-uh) until the death of Lord Donald and Andrew Kerr. Donald was Elizabeth's husband and both men were Marjory's sons. They were killed in a Jacobite uprising (an attempt to reclaim the throne for the Stuart blood-line). This was unusual because Marjory had been raised in the Borderland and was very loyal to King George. As a result of her sons support of Prince Charles, her family was stripped of their status, their wealth and charged with treason. Marjory and Elizabeth then found themselves returning to Selkirkshire - Marjory's home in the Borderland where she had lived with her husband before basically forcing him to move the family to Edinburgh for the advantages of society and social standing. The two ladies find themselves without any home or money. So they move in with a distant cousin and Elizabeth begins to work for a wealthy, loyal to King George, retired Admiral's household as a seamstress. As the story unfolds everyone falls in love. Marjory, Elizabeth and their cousin Annie. They all fall in love and have their stories woven together. In the end, the Admiral gets the King to give his pardon to the Kerr Ladies, as well as rents the property that was taken from them - guaranteeing Marjory a place to live for 40 years or until she dies. The book then ends with the marriage of the Admiral and Elizabeth and the birth of their son. Through both of the books, there is a personal search (for both Elizabeth and Marjory) to find and know the LORD who seemed to have them in His hands no matter what happened. And that search, that faith, was one of the things that brought the Admiral and Elizabeth together.
The story ended far too quickly for my taste. But being based on the Biblical story of Ruth and Naomi, there wasn't too much more that could have been written. The story followed how Elizabeth (who was born and raised in the Highlands) found herself in the capital city and married to a wealthy lord. She was a lady though trained as a seamstress. And then everything changes. The same happened for Ruth and Naomi. There was a famine that moved Naomi and her family to the land of Moab where Ruth's sons took wives, Orpah and Ruth. After some time, all 3 men died. Orpah took her chance and went back home to her family. Ruth, however, would not leave Naomi. She went with her to Naomi's homeland and committed to serving and helping her in anyway. Soon she meets Boaz. He provides for her in various ways and then in the end they are married and give birth to a son. Their son would later be the grandfather of King David - the great king of Israel and the king from whom the KING of KINGS descends. Ruth and Naomi are bound together in the faith that they shared. And the same was true for Marjory and Elizabeth.
On a personal note: A friend of mine and her husband are currently living in Edinburgh while he works on his masters and doctorate at the University. They post pictures of their adventures and city explorations all the time. And the city appears to be incredibly beautiful and stuffed full of history and things to explore. I just hope that one day soon I can visit them and see it all for myself.
All that to say that Liz Curtis Higgs' books have quickly become some of my favorites. And I would highly recommend them to anyone, whether you believe in the one True God of the Bible or not. The stories are beautiful and the faith that they draw you into is incredible and personal. It would be more than worth the time. No doubt. I have her two contemporary novels and two of her Bible study books for women and look forward to getting the chance to read those sometime in the future. For now, I am beginning to read off my Classics Club List and am starting that off with Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray.
Here's to reading and the places visited, the characters met and the lessons learned.
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