Book Blitz ~ The Last Blast of the Trumpet by Marie Macpherson

 

Delighted to be part of this Book Blitz today

Penmore Press
2020

My thanks to the author for my copy of the book
and Love Books Group for my invitation to this Book Blitz

Conflict, Chaos and Corruption in Reformation Scotland

He wants to reform Scotland, but his enemies will stop at nothing to prevent him.

Scotland 1559: Fiery reformer John Knox returns to a Scotland on the brink of civil war. Victorious, he feels confident of his place leading the reform until the charismatic young widow, Mary Queen of Scots returns to claim her throne. She challenges his position and initiates a ferocious battle of wills as they strive to win the hearts and minds of the Scots. But the treachery and jealousy that surrounds them both as they make critical choices in their public and private lives has dangerous consequences that neither of them can imagine,

In this final instalment of the trilogy of the fiery reformer John Knox, Macpherson tells the story of a man and a queen at one of the most critical phases of Scottish history.

What did I think about it..

I have followed this fascinating trilogy from the very first blast of the trumpet which I reviewed back in 2013 when I was just starting out as a book reviewer. The thrill of being trusted with an author's work remains just as exciting today as it did back then and to have followed a series from its beginning, to its completion, has been a real treat.

In The Last Blast of the Trumpet we return to the complicated world of Scottish history and religious politics. We meet again with the fiery preacher, John Knox, as he enters Perth ready to lay the foundations of what will become a violent, and bloody, civil war. With the ailing, Regent of Scotland, Marie de Guise, doing all she can to protect the kingdom for her daughter, it is soon obvious that Knox's quest to scourge Popish idolatry out of Scotland will not be gainstayed. That this war of Reformation is fought between the Scottish people makes the unrest all the more disturbing, especially as there are no winners, only losers in this battle against God.

It's been interesting to get this vivid interpretation of Scottish history particularly in the years following Marie de Guise's death and the arrival of the young Mary Stewart, taking her rightful place as Queen of Scots. Knox's vitriol against the fair, young Queen is well documented and the author succeeds admirably in bringing their encounters alive with all the venom that this Scottish Presbyterian minister possesses.

Beautifully written, extensively researched and with a wonderful historical authenticity, The Last Blast of the Trumpet, is complete in itself and it is perfectly possible to read it as standalone historical fiction, especially if your interest in Scottish history takes in the tumultuous reign of Mary Queen of Scots. However, as the conclusion to the trilogy there is no doubt that the author has done herself proud with this final blast. The history comes alive in the imagination, as does the rather dour, Knox,  but what's also interesting is to see the people from history take their place in the spotlight, standing comfortably alongside those fictional characters who have been such stalwarts since the first book.

The author has concluded the Knox trilogy with all the passionate zeal and intensity as the man himself. She has infused such life and personality into the man that, although I am still nowhere near liking him, I do have more of an understanding into his life and times, and all credit to the author for bringing the life of this belligerent, political and religious reformist to life in a remarkable and fascinating way.

My review of The First Blast of the Trumpet is here  (2013)

My review of The Second Blast of the Trumpet is here (2017)

About the Author

Scottish writer Marie Macpherson grew up in Musselburgh on the site of the Battle of Pinkie and within sight of Fa’side Castle where tales and legends haunted her imagination. She left the Honest Toun to study Russian at Strathclyde University and spent a year in the former Soviet Union to research her PhD thesis on the 19th century Russian writer Mikhail Lermontov, said to be descended from the Scottish poet and seer, Thomas the Rhymer. Though travelled widely, teaching languages and literature from Madrid to Moscow, she has never lost her enthusiasm for the rich history and culture of her native Scotland.

Writing historical fiction combines her academic’s love of research with a passion for storytelling. Exploring the personal relationships and often hidden motivations of historical characters drives her curiosity.

The Knox Trilogy is a fictional biography of the fiery reformer, John Knox, set during the 16th century Scottish Reformation. Prizes and awards include the Martha Hamilton Prize for Creative Writing from Edinburgh University and Writer of the Year 2011 awarded by Tyne & Esk Writers. She is a member of the Historical Writers’ Association (HWA), the Historical Novel Society (HNS) and the Society of Authors (SoA).

Twitter @scotscriever

@PenmorePress1

@LoveBooksGroup

Amazon UK

Review ~ The Second Blast of the Trumpet by Marie Macpherson

Knox Robinson
2016

A bit of blurb...

1559: Freed after a stint in the galleys, the Scottish reformer John Knox is fired up with his mission as God's messenger to strike at the roots of papistry. Prophet without honour in his own land, he is welcomed as chaplain to Edward VI in England. But by challenging the liturgy of the English Protestant Church, he makes dangerous enemies. With Edward's untimely death and the accession of the Catholic Mary Tudor, Knox is forced to flee her fires of persecution...

My thoughts about the book..

I must admit that, in the past, my only knowledge of John Knox came more from my interest in the ill-fated queen, Mary Stuart and although I recognised Knox as the one who maligned her from the pulpit, I knew nothing of the man, or the circles, in which he moved. In The Second Blast of the Trumpet the author has done a commendable job of bringing to life this dour Scotsman in such a readable way. There is something compellingly different about this fleshing out of perhaps the most important radical reformer in Scottish history.

My interest in the series was sparked by the first book in the series, The First Blast of the Trumpet, and I'm pleased to say that this second book follows on seamlessly. We meet Knox as he is freed from his time in the galleys, and watch as he begins the journey which will take him right into the heart of religious and political turmoil. After Knox's well documented diatribe on the Monstrous Regiment of Women, I imagined that he would be portrayed as a chauvinistic misogynist however, he shown to be rather charismatic, and a man who women found much to admire. It was interesting to see how his relationships with his wife, Marjory, and his mother-in -law Elizabeth, would play out in the wider scheme of the story.

I have great admiration for the author who has succeeded in giving us more than just a bible thumping maniac. She has instilled such a sense of personality into John Knox that regardless of religious differences you can't help but be drawn into his story of fervent religious strife. Time and place is captured with such fine attention to detail that I felt as if I kept company with those who stood shoulder to shoulder listening to Knox as he railed, from the pulpit and beyond, against religious injustice.

The Second Blast of the Trumpet is not a quick read, and I don't mean that as a criticism, but the depth of content and beautifully described situations make this more a of story to take your time over in order to fully absorb the detail and imagery which is so wonderfully portrayed. 

However, as always, Knox’s heart and soul belongs in Scotland and the author has made sure that his burning ambition is always central to the story and never falters from giving glorious life to this most enigmatic of men.

Best Read with...A bowl of steaming stew  and a glut of ale...

About the Author

Marie Macpherson developed a love for literature and languages from an early age. She studied French and German at school, followed by Spanish and Italian at university. After gaining an honors degree in Russian and English, she spent a year in Moscow and Leningrad (St. Petersburg).

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Find The First Blast of the Trumpet on Amazon UK

Find The Second Blast of the Trumpet on Amazon UK

Publisher

Read and interview with the author about The Second Blast of the Trumpet by clicking  here 

My thanks to the author for sharing her book with me.

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The author on my spotlight is ...Marie Macpherson

I am delighted to welcome to the blog on St Andrew's Day


Scottish Author 

Marie Macpherson

Marie is celebrating the publication of the second book in her trilogy of historical novels about the Scottish reformer , John Knox

The Second Blast of the Trumpet

Knox Robinson Publishers
2016

Hi Marie, welcome back to Jaffareadstoo and thank you for answering my questions about your novel.


The Second Blast of the Trumpet

The fiery Scottish Reformer, John Knox is the main protagonist of the Knox trilogy; tell us a little about him.

Knox was tantalisingly tight-lipped about his early life but it’s now accepted he was born in Haddington around 1513 and studied at St Andrews University before being ordained as a Roman Catholic priest. He abandoned the church after falling under the spell of the charismatic Protestant preacher, George Wishart, who was burnt at the stake in 1546. Galvanised by his mentor’s martyrdom, Knox answered the call to become preacher at St Andrews Castle where he was arrested as a heretic and sentenced to toil as a galley slave. Freed after 19 gruelling months in the French galleys, he was welcomed by the English church and appointed chaplain to Edward VI. On the young king’s untimely death, the Catholic Mary Tudor took the throne, forcing Knox to flee to the continent to consult Calvin in Geneva. Months before her death, Knox wrote his notorious tract The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women denouncing Bloody Mary’s reign of persecution. Though Protestant, Elizabeth I was not amused and refused to have him back in England. In 1559 he returned to Scotland to head the Protestant rebellion but no sooner had Protestantism been established as the official religion in Scotland than the widowed Mary Stewart returned to claim her Scottish crown. The Protestant firebrand preacher clashed with the devout Catholic queen not only over religion but her choice of unsuitable husbands. The persecuted preacher who feared he would end his life atop a burning pyre, died in his bed in 1572. 

Illustration: Portrait of John Knox from Theodore Beza’s Icones

John Knox famously ranted against the Monstrous Regiment of Women why was he so vehemently opposed to women as monarchs?

Knox used ‘monstrous’ and ‘regiment’ in the archaic sense to mean ‘unnatural’ and ‘rule’, and quoted Scripture to support his argument that female dominion over men was against divine and natural law. While echoing the era’s widespread assumption that women were inferior to men, he trumpeted it much more vehemently than most to the point of advocating regicide to bring down the ‘abominable empire of wicked women’ – Mary Tudor in England and Mary of Guise, regent in Scotland. Even John Calvin was appalled and washed his hands off any association with the fiery Scot’s extremism.

Illustration: Title page of The First Blast of the Trumpet, 1766 edition

In this novel, John Knox travels across Europe, in researching the book, did you visit any of the places he visited?

Despite his health being ravaged in the galleys, Knox must have had incredible stamina to endure arduous, dangerous journeys of over 600 miles as he criss-crossed the continent from Dieppe to Geneva, as well as numerous voyages back and forth to Scotland. Although I’ve been to Frankfurt, the opportunity to visit Geneva hasn’t arisen – yet. Fortunately, nowadays writers can travel ‘virtually’ in time and space using 16th century maps, diaries and documents to get a flavour of what cities were like then.

Illustration: Map of Geneva 

Seeking to make John Knox into a more sympathetic figure must have taken a great deal of time and commitment – what have you learned about him that has taken you by surprise?

Embarking on The Second Blast filled me with trepidation. How could I write about a man who, though admired by some, was loathed by many? How could I, a woman, write sympathetically about the notorious misogynist? 

However, to my great surprise, I discovered that not only did Knox love women but they loved him back. He married twice – to much younger brides – fathered five children, caused tongues to wag about his intense relationship with his mother-in-law, and corresponded with his flock of female followers. He must have had some charisma.

His letters reveal his tender ‘feminine side’ and also betray fears and doubts about his mission as ‘God’s messenger’. After a courtship strewn with obstacles, his marriage to Marjory – the perfect wife in Calvin’s view – seems to have been happy. More interesting was his relationship with the poet and translator, Anna Locke, the only woman he truly loved – according to Robert Louis Stevenson. 

John Knox ladies’ man? Knox the star-crossed lover? This portrait of patient pastor and affectionate husband, devoted father and faithful friend is in striking contrast to the strident bigot thundering fire and brimstone from the pulpit. All this spurred me on to uncover more about the man behind the myth.

I enjoyed reading the quotations which head each chapter – where did you find them and do you have a favourite?

The literature of the 16th century, including the Scottish makars and the English poets of the Silver Age, has always fascinated me. Besides, their work presents authentic source material for the historical fiction author as many of them were courtiers who paint a vivid picture of the courtly love and treachery at the brilliant but violent Stewart and Tudor courts. Seeking appropriate quotations gave me the opportunity to read them again. So, it’s difficult to say which is my favourite – I like them all!

I’ll choose the one in Part III: Chapter 1 that comes from Robert Henryson’s Abbey Walk, because it touches on one of the major themes in the novel – whether predestination or chance determines our lives. 

This changing and great variance

Of eardly states up and down

Is nocht but casualtie and chance

As some men say is without reason

The Second Blast of the Trumpet is the second novel in the Knox Trilogy – did you feel more of an obligation to make this book even better than the first?

I must admit that I did feel the sword of Damocles hanging over me while writing the Second Blast! The ‘what if?’ question plagued me! What if it doesn’t live up to expectations? What if readers who loved my first novel don’t like this one? What if… what if... 

Readers expect second novels to be better than the first. After all, you must have learned something in the process of writing, editing and publicising your debut. Some writers have such traumatic second book nerves that they take years to produce it – others not at all!

And then, just as the second novel is published I’m starting to worry about writing the third. Be careful what you wish for!.

What can we expect to discover in The Third Blast of the Trumpet?

The Last Blast as I think I’ll call it, covers Knox’s arrival in Scotland in 1559 to his death in 1572. Those thirteen years are packed full of drama and conflict. On one side, Knox has to contend with the Scots nobles who are using religion as a pretext for seizing wealth and power; on the other he faces Mary Queen of Scots whose Catholicism poses a threat the the incipient Protestant state. I’m looking forward to depicting the confrontations between these two charismatic characters. 

I’d also like to explore Knox’s role in the politics of the time, including the murders of Rizzio and Darnley, and his relationship with the key players such as Secretary Lethington and his kinsman James Hepburn, Lord Bothwell. His second marriage to Margaret Stewart, a distant kinswoman of Queen Mary which infuriated her, offers exciting possibilities. And, of course, I must resolve his troubled relationship with his godmother, Prioress Elisabeth Hepburn.

Illustration: John Knox admonishing Mary, Queen of Scots

More about the Author

Marie Macpherson developed a love for literature and languages from an early age. She studied French and German at school, followed by Spanish and Italian at university. After gaining an honors degree in Russian and English, she spent a year in Moscow and Leningrad (St. Petersburg).

Like on Facebook

Follow on Twitter @MGMacpherson

Find The First Blast of the Trumpet on Amazon UK

Find The Second Blast of the Trumpet on Amazon UK

Publisher

Huge thanks to Marie for sharing this fascinating insight into Scottish history. 

Jaffa and I wish you continued success with The Second Blast of the Trumpet and thank you 

for spending time with us today and for sharing your books with us.

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