Mine is the Night

It was in 2003 or shortly before when I first discovered both Christian Historical Fiction and more specifically the writing from the creative mind of Liz Curtis Higgs in her first Scottish Lowlands Series. I impatiently waited and snatched up each book that came next including the later generation novel on Dinah. It enthralled and entertained me as no other to find Biblical stories retold in Scotland.

I was then beyond ecstatic to learn of a new saga to come from 18th century Scottish Lowlands retelling the Biblical story of Naomi and Ruth. It was with some enjoyment that I read the first book in the saga Here Burns My Candle. Yet it was also a sad and hard book to read.

The time in between waiting for the next novel was torture and thus I turned to other authors to bide my time and hence my current obsession with so many authors and stories today. It seems that it has been a long time in waiting for a new novel from Liz and I was eager to grab this one up. In starting this story, a retelling in Scotland's Edinburgh of the Biblical story of Ruth and Naomi I had some preconceptions for what would happen and was shocked at how slow things seemed to transpire at first, but the story did pick up and sucked me in with it.

Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage it is her story and that of her mother-in-law Lady Marjory Kerr in which the pages are brought to life. Following along as they watch from the recessed side lines of battle between King George of England and Scotland's own Bonny Prince Charlie causes quite a stir of emotions. Learning with them through their own trials as some old ways are forgotten and God makes a difference in their lives is refreshing and eye opening showing his presence in the best of moments and well as the worst.

Knowing that this story was loosely of Ruth and knowing most of the Biblical story by heart, I ended at a point surprised having expected a different part. This just went to show me that I did not know all of the story, just the last part and causes me to have a newly increased thirst to go back and read the scriptures in full to delve into the first eighteen verses which it seems I hardly know at all.

Upon starting the second in Mine is the Night I was unsure what to expect. In the end what I found was my favorite story written by Liz thus far and I am completely impatient and whole heartedly eager for more!

Special thanks to Cindy Brovsky of Random House Inc. for sending me a review copy.

Originally posted: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2011/06/30/mine-is-the-night-by-liz-curtis-higgs/