The Jewel

by Catherine Czerkawska

The Jewel is set largely during the dramatic years of Jean Armour and Robert Burns's courtship in Mauchline, their married life at Ellisland and in Dumfries, and Robert’s early death, all against a background simmering with political intrigue and turmoil. Jean, a beautiful young woman with the voice of a nightingale, has been inexplicably neglected by biographers and historians. At first, her stonemason father tried to protect the young Jean from the advances of the mercurial ploughman-poet, whose roving eye and even delusions of grandeur were notorious. Nevertheless, she fell for him and accepted his proposal. Their extraordinary marriage was passionate, tempestuous, and enduring against all odds, and its rocky course reveals Jean’s indomitable strength and character. How she lived with, and frequently without, Scotland’s most famous son tells us much about the life and times of Burns himself, and is a compelling story in itself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Scotland

330 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2016

About the author

I’m a novelist, historian and experienced professional playwright, living and working in Scotland.

I write warm, intelligent and grown-up stories - some historical, some contemporary and some a mixture of both. I have more than 100 hours of BBC radio drama to my name as well as many professional theatre productions.

My fiction and non-fiction was previously published by Saraband, now by Dyrock Publishing, and some of my plays by Nick Hern Books.

My fiction includes The Physic Garden, a Scottish historical novel about an early nineteenth century gardener, his love for weaver's daughter Jenny and his friendship with botanist Dr Thomas Brown. Set in Glasgow, this is a moving and engrossing story of friendship and betrayal.

The Jewel, published in May 2016 is a luscious historical novel, bringing to glorious life the dramatic years of Jean Armour and Robert Burns's courtship and their tempestuous, married life against a background simmering with political intrigue and turmoil. For Jean is a selection of poems, songs and letters written by the poet with Jean Armour in mind

The Curiosity Cabinet is set on the small fictional inner Hebridean island of Garve, and involves parallel stories, three hundred years apart. Henrietta Dalrymple is kidnapped and held on Garve by the fearsome laird, Manus McNeill, while in the present day, Alys returns to the island where she spent childhood holidays, and renews an old friendship. While Henrietta must decide who she can trust, Alys must earn the trust of the man she loves. But for both women, the tug of motherhood will finally influence their decisions.

The Posy Ring set on the same small fictional Hebridean island as the Curiosity Cabinet, is (almost) a sequel to that novel, now published by Dyrock Publishing.

My books, fiction and non-fiction, are available in paperback and as eBooks on Amazon.

I’ve held Creative Writing fellowships and residencies and spent four years as Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at the University of the West of Scotland. I enjoy giving readings and talks about all aspects of my work and love chatting to my readers so please don't be shy about contacting me.

I also collect and deal in antiques, mainly textiles, in my spare time - quite often they find their way into my fiction.

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Rab and Jean were alive today and on Facebook, they might list their relationship status as "it's complicated." Robert Burns--probably the most beloved Scottish figure throughout the world, to the point that gallons of whisky and pounds haggis are consumed on Burns Night in honor of his birthday--was quite the naughty boy, as can easily be seen from reading from the poems collected in Bawdy Burns. And he was not a faithful husband. He had illegitimate children both before and during his marriage to Jean. Some writers might excuse his behavior, perhaps making Jean seem beneath him. Others might make Jean the victim of a faithless man. The Jewel hits just the right note. In this excellently researched novel, Czerkawska does a brilliant job of depicting this brilliant but flawed man and convincing us that despite everything Jean was his true love. After reading this book, I could see why Jean would stay with him and was a bit in love with him myself. There is so much to recommend about this book, even beyond the story of the main characters. Czerkawska invites us into Rab and Jean ' s world and teaches us so much about everyday life in late 18th century Ayrshire. She has a wonderful sense of place. This book is truly a Jewel!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quite a bit more than expected; I was skeptical about the historical novel approach, but it worked. The story filled in the more day-to-day aspects of Jean Armour's life, both with her husband Robert Burns and before and after him. It stayed true to historical facts of Jean's life, as well as to local dialect and customs of the time, as best I could tell. In short, it gave the details we'd expect of a biography, filling in those unavailable because of the passage of time with life-like and plausible creativity. The author uses her extensive research background to paint a more nuanced picture of Jean Armour and her marriage to Robert Burns. There were a few editing fails that I hope will get caught for the next edition (punctuation, repetition).

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book, if a little glossy as it paints Burns as a lovable rogue and "nice guy really" ! I did enjoy it however, though I am not usually attracted to historical novels.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in reading this book because of its connections to poetry and Scotland, two of my favourite things! It was a bit of a slow burner to start with and I almost gave up on it, but glad I didn't. As the story progresses it is not so much the story of Robert Burns but the story of his long-suffering wife. It is the story of a deep love that covers a multitude of sins, a story of female strength, family control and loyalties, creativity but also the peril of fame and not forgetting those who loved you when you were no-one. I had never heard of Jean Armour although I was very familiar with Robert Burns. I feel she should be more celebrated and acknowledged than she has been. A remarkable woman and well worth a read.

[graham morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

I did not seek out this book, I somehow came across it. A lovely well written book. It opened my eyes to life in those times and the culture and ways of behaving in Ayrshire and in Edinburgh. I don't even like Burns poetry! but he sounded amazing and awful at the same time. Jeany seemed a person you would love to have enough charm to charm. Must go South and see the fields and rivers of that area. Thank you

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book about Jean and Robert (Rab) Burns, told from Jean's POV. I learned a lot about the poet's life that I'd not known, as well as life in general at the time. Definitely a complicated relationship, and a complex and complicated genius of a poet.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I visited the Burns Museum in my teens and only now in my senior years, am I finding out more about the great Scottish poet and writer, through a novel about his wife Jean Armour. A wonderful love story and insight into the lives of rural Ayrshire in the late 1700s.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing love story from real life people. Was great to see mention of local places where I live.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet tale of 'ploughman poet' Robert Burns and his wife Jean Armour. I didn't know much about her at all. Her life wasn't all plain sailing, that's for sure.

Sometimes the language, despite a glossary, was a stumbling block and also a factual error in talk of Nigeria, which didn't exist as a country in the 18th Century.

An enlightening read, overall.

[Duntay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought the book after hearing a talk by the author. She mentioned the watch- paper Valentine http://artdaily.com/news/66501/Robert... (I hope 'Anonymous buyer' lets the rest of the world see it sometime) and I became interested in the actual objects and documents the author framed her story around. As she says in the Historical Note to the book, "The casual reader might be surprised by what is documented fact and how little is invention".