What a great and thorough review, Marie, and well-deserved! You do such a great job of sounding so many historic, personal, and gender and religion-related chords all in one novel. Meanwhile, Scotland seems to be full of the kind of literate, sensitive, and thoughtful readers and reviewers you deserve. You make me wish I were not such an American nomad detached from whatever might be my native ground.

Thanks, Richard, for your comments about The First Blast and my reviewers! I too am very pleased to receive such thorough reviews and am so appreciative of the time reviewers take to construct them. It's good to receive constructive criticism which I can reflect on to improve my writing.