Here Burns My Candle

1745 Ediburgh, Scotland is simmering. Bonnie Prince Charlie is riding from the Highlands, determined to reach London and claim the crown for his father, the claimant King James III, son of the deposed King James II. Got all that? Family relationships of royals are always confusing, but the relationships within the Kerr family are the center of Liz Curtis Higgs'Here Burns My Candle. The central characters are Lady Elisabeth Kerr, daughter of a Highland weaver who has married far above her station in the mind of Dowager Lady Marjory Kerr. Marjory pampers her two grown sons, Lord Donald and Andrew, who do nothing wrong in her eyes, while mourning the loss of her beloved husband John many years previously. The family live a fashionable social life until rumblings of a rising against King George begin. People are choosing sides and the Kerr sons enlist to fight for Prince Charlie.

When the Prince takes control of Edinburgh there are parties and functions, parades and fun. Men join his cause and are trained and the army marches for England, making it to the Borderlands, where the Prince's Council votes to turn back because promised English support is not coming. With the English army hot on their heels, the Scots flee north, far into the Highlands. All changes in the city when the Duke of Cumberland takes over. The Kerrs who had been at the heart of Prince Charlie's circle are outcasts and soon officially declared traitors, forfeiting all they own to the Crown. And here the story ends, with the surviving members of the Kerr family (Nope, I didn't tell you who died or how!) en route to a distant relative in the hopes they will be taken in temporarily. The rest of the story will be told in the sequel, Mine is the Night, coming out next spring.

There are many things that make Here Burns My Candle a great historical read, as well as a story about personal growth and faith. First off, it had a map of Edinburgh in 1745, a Scottish glossary, and historical notes from the author. I also liked Ms. Higgs style with the Scottish language, peppering it into characters' speech in such a way that it was easy to understand. The transformation of our two Lady Kerrs, one growing in confidence and her relationship with God, the other learning to appreciate the smaller things in life was well-written, not a slam-over-the-head "Aha!" moment for either, but a gradual growth, as these things usually are in life, but often not in fiction.
The wonderful Smiling Sally recommended Liz Curtis Higgs to me and I am so glad she did! I eagerly await the continuation of the Kerr family story. All of these pictures are from the author's website, where she has a gorgeous slide show of the Kerr's world for you to see. I've also included the movie trailer that will really bring you into the world of 1745 Edinburgh.
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Official FTC Disclosure: Other than a copy of the book from Waterbook Press, I received no compensation for this review.