Here Burns My Candle Book Review.

Title: Here Burns My Candle.
Author: Liz Curtis Higgs.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Redemption.
Plot: Bonny Prince Charlie has gathered the wild Highlanders of Scotland in an attempt to retake his father's throne, which is, by rights, his. Swept up in all the commotion is the capital city of Edinburgh, into which Charlie and his men ride one September day in 1745. The Dowager Lady Marjory Kerr dislikes and distrusts the Highlanders as she goes about her day, hiding her gold under her floorboards and her guilt in her heart. Marjory's greatest fear is that her sons, Lord Donald Kerr and Andrew, will take it into their heads to join the Gentlemen Volunteers and set out to do battle with the bonny prince. Elisabeth Kerr, Donald's wife, is a Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage, and "Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets." She spends her days trying to win her mother-in-law's affection and barricading her heart against the rumors concerning her husband and the widows of Edinburgh.
As the plot unfolds, one by one, everyone's secrets are revealed. Elisabeth's hidden loyalties to the bonny prince become known, giving her some relief and allowing her to sport the flower favored by her prince. When her beloved brother Simon arrives in the city with the prince's army, Elisabeth learns of her mother's current situation and why her brother left home in the first place, causing her to add guilt to her already heavy burden resting on her young shoulders. Her world spins seemingly out of control when Simon is tragically killed; donning black, Elisabeth realizes that she has lost her faith in her peoples' long worshipped nameless and very distance god. Stranded, she begins to search for someone to guide her but that someone won't be her husband who is harboring a dark secret of his own.
When Marjory's worst fear is confirmed by the enlistment of both her sons, without her permission, the three Kerr women {Janet, Andrew's wife, doesn't really play a major role in the story} are forced to band together and strengthen each other against the perils that they encounter during the hard, cold winter that follows. But when tragedy strikes the Kerr household beyond what they had expected and hoped wouldn't happen, Marjory and Elisabeth both must reach for strength beyond their own in order to cope with the trials ahead.
Likes/Dislikes: While this book was well written, with amusing and enlightening quotes heading each chapter and wonderful Scottish phrases thrown in here and there, and the characters were all well drawn, I couldn't fall in love with it, much as I wanted to. Donald's character was the primary cause for this; I already knew from having read the sequel before this one that his was a disreputable reputation, I was still disgusted with further details of it. There is also one scene in which it is quite plain what Elisabeth and her husband are about to do; I really, really could care less about what a husband and wife very much in love with each other do when they have only an hour left together before he leaves with the army. Nothing graphic is "shown" however, for which I am thankful. Another thing I was rather disappointed with was that while this book takes place in a historical setting, it doesn't really give any details on the history other than three battles mentioned in which Charlie fights and his ultimate defeat. It was more of a fictional drama set in a historical time period. If you would like to read the first chapter for free, click on the following link: http://thestorybeginnings.blogspot.com/2010/03/here-burns-my-candle-chapter-1.html
Rating: PG-16 and up. I do not recommend this book for children or impressionable teenagers.
Date Report Written: April 29, 2011.

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher; the opinions expressed in the above review are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.