The Peasant Girl's Dream

by George MacDonald

Book by MacDonald, George

Genres: Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical

220 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1893

About the author

George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He became a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow-writer Lewis Carroll. In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works of Christian theology, including several collections of sermons.

Reviews

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't exactly what I would call a great novel, but it had all the beauty and simplicity that I appreciate in George MacDonald's stories. I loved Kirsty and her family and was encouraged by their examples. A very special thank you to my dear friend Emma for reading this with me...that made it doubly enjoyable! 🤗🤗🤗

[Emma | meadowroselibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled a little to get into this, but it didn't take long and I was really enjoying it! It's a very simple story, but so sweet and I loved all the characters and the morals. It was a little sad...and shocked me a couple times...😂 But it was a great introduction to George MacDonald, and I look forward to reading more of his books! I love the way he writes, his perspective on life...it's fascinating and very easy to get lost in his words! So overall, I would highly recommend this! 😊

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

George MacDonald books are hard books to read, thanks to the 19th century Scottish style of language in which they are written, but they are worth the effort. He tells good stories that leave one feeling so, so good. It's very clear that he was a minister, as his books always seem to highlight Biblical virtues. This book is about love. Not cheesy "omg I luuuuuuv you" love, but the "love thy neighbor" kind of love. The story is full of examples of living out this command, and of people learning how to do it. He never denies that loving one's neighbor can be difficult, but shows how much of a struggle it can be. Like a good sermon from a good teacher, the story inspires.

His novels aren't for everyone - I'll be the first to admit that most people would hate reading his adult fiction. But to me, his stories are wonderful and full of light.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought I would be unable to wade through the thick (and honestly, rather unnecessary) Scottish dialect, but I'm glad I stuck it out. This is a good book and I love Kirsty, and you can whisper "Mary Sue" all you like and I won't change my mind one iota. Sometimes it's just nice to have a thoroughly good main character. Oh, and Steenie...I don't know what even to say about Steenie. I have seen few serious portrayals of people with mental disabilities in books, and this one is so beautiful...indeed, it is quite a Catholic view of the matter. I know little about George Macdonald, but between this and The Princess and the Goblin, I'm in a fair way to like him very much indeed.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of two young people growing up in Scotland. The Scottish dialect is difficult to get through sometimes, and I honestly had no idea what was being said in a couple places, but for the most part, it was easy to follow. George Macdonald has a good way of teaching through story.

The way I see it, Heather and Snow represent joy and adversity in life. Both used by God to make us the people He desires. The most dynamic character is Francis, the son of a rich officer in the army. He loves Kirsty, the daughter of his father's friend and one of his tenants. This love begins as self-love, as he thinks he is being gracious in loving her. Though she doesn't consent to him (and is somewhat repulsed), she is able to influence him for the better because of this love. She has the true love--that which seeks the best for her neighbor. She shows him how to be a man--doing something because it is right and not just because she wants him to. He finds his inadequacy, and turns to the only One that can wake love and give strength to us. It is a good illustration of how God works through people to help (love) those they are closest to, and the waste (hatred) it is not to help those around us. Francis is changed in the heather--the symbol of how love and joy can work to change us.

The snow is a symbol of adversity. God uses it the test the trust of his people. In searching for his children in a snowstorm, David Barclay has a revelation:

Then came the reflection, how little at any time could a father do for the wellbeing of his children! The fact of their being children implied their need of an all-powerful father: must there not then be such a father? Therewith the truth dawned upon him, that first of truths, which all his church-going and Bible-reading had hitherto failed to disclose, that, for life to be a good thing and worth living, a man must be the child of a perfect father, and know him. In his terrible perturbation about his children, he lifted up his heart—not to the Governor of the world; not to the God of Abraham or Moses; not in the least to the God of the Kirk; least of all to the God of the Shorter Catechism; but to the faithful creator and Father of David Barclay. The aching soul which none but a perfect father could have created capable of deploring its own fatherly imperfection, cried out to the father of fathers on behalf of his children, and as he cried, a peace came stealing over him such as he had never before felt.

God also uses adversity as our guide. Bringing us where he wants us, as Kirsty realizes in the storm as she finds a place to rest.

Through joy and adversity God makes us the people he wants us to be.

[Seon Ji (Dawn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was complete with a proper ending which raised it a star.

Again we have an inspirational tale about following the will of God and doing one's duty to one's neighbor. It also touches on what is false love and real love, the nobility of telling the truth, and eliminating pride.

Spoiler for romance lovers Kristy and Francis end up together, but Francis was not accepted by Kristy until he changed his ways. A rare thing in Macdonald's works, Francis was strongly hinted at being a man-whore (not in those words) but Kristy knew he was only with the other women due to his pride and need of feeling important. They were NOT a couple when he was seeing other women, as she knew he was not grown into a man just yet. There are a lot of scenes with Francis and Phemy but they appear to not have had intimate relations.

A nice story with a strong heroine who's love of doing right was her strongest character trait.

Due to lack of details, I personally did not get triggered and feel that romance readers should read my spoiler before deciding for themselves.

Content concerns: Alcohol/Alcoholic, mild violence, otherwise pretty clean.

[Valorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one because the main character is such a strong sensible girl. A real, brave heroine. Loved where she whips the 'laird' across the face! Don't worry, he deserved it.

[Ruth Donigian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of love-
Love between friends
Love between parent and child
Love between brother and sister
Love between man and woman
And love between a simple boy his God.
The Peasant Girl’s Dream was a sweet story set in the Scottish Highlands. It was throughly well written, explored the influences we have on people and the influence God has on us when we listen to his voice. A most incredible story. Though sometimes the Scotts’ accents is hard to understand, I loved this book.

[Tsger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simply fantastic story. This is the first book of MacDonald's I have read, at the recommendation of a friend. Many might be turned off by trying to understand the dialog which MacDonald writes as it sounds, in a heavy old Scottish dialect. But it is worth it! This, to me, is Christian fiction at its finest.

[Lark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The copy I read was actually called The Heather and the Snow. Kirsty has so much strength of character, as well as charity and determination. Very good read.

[Elisha Andres · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a blessed book, and what a time for me to read it! Was encouraged by the wisdom of this girl! Loved it!

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirsty's simple love and desire for God is beautiful. The way she relates with the people around her, her family, her childhood friend and those that hate her paints such a lovely picture of a woman trying to follow Christ and getting up and trying again when she fails. I really enjoyed this book.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the beautiful brogue warmed my heart, the story lacked the depth that many other MacDonald masterpieces display. Simplistic, though real, the tale focuses around two families as they deal with different difficulties through different means to discover the strength that comes from knowing the Father of us all.

A few very abrupt transitions in the story leave the reader with a choppy feel, and Steenie, the "half-wit" comes off only as poetic, not mentally challenged.

Great nuggets of insight, but overall not a top MacDonald read.

[hrh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating novel of its time, by an author contemporary with Dickens, Thackeray, and others, so written in that nineteenth-century style. Add to that the Scottish dialect of the characters and it can be a challenge. But the modern editor does include a small glossary at the back so with concentration you can be transported to the Scottish hills circa late-nineteenth century. Recommended for lovers of religious-themed novels with some fantastical, mystical elements.

[Shannon Ture · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would like to read the original - Heather & Snow. This book is not what this publisher's new title and cover make it seem, which is juvenile.

[Penn Hackney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read a second time for the GMD Reading Group on 11/4 & 11/18/24. loc. 98914 (loc is to the kindle location points for my “Complete Novels”edition.
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/...

> Christina (Kirsty) Barclay, “far above rubies” as my wife is, who is always wiser than I and can handily beat me at any endeavor she chooses. As always (?) the protagonist’s parents are fabulous, and have clearly installed much of their goodness into their offspring.
> Francis (Frank) Gordon, begins feckless and petulant, also a result, at least partially, of the absence of his father and the terrible parenting of his mother.

The NARRATOR - who is he?
The narrator is rather hard on Francis’s mom, and not terribly fond of Francis either - ouch
Poking much gentle, if also quite pointed, fun at adolescent love. Cf. much of Matthew Arnold and P. Shelley.
Is the narrator Francis? loc. 96781 getting Steenie’s prayer from Kirsty; loc. 96861 Kirsty telling the story many years later; loc. 99908 access to Kirsty’s poems.
Where did Steenie get his Bonny man epithet for Jesus?

Kirstie’s WISDOM:
‘Sae ye maun tak me, what I am, for his sake, Steenie!' Ch. 14 loc. 96813

Kirsty is “aye richt” per Steenie Ch. 14 loc. 96813; per David ch. 24 loc. 98475; per Francis ch. 41 loc. 99870

‘an unwise man is not to be trusted with a foolish girl.’ Ch. 17 loc. 97029 True today too. A salacious imagination? loc. 97053; feisty Kirsty loc. 97114; and she wins another race loc. 97137

'A man,' she said, 'at disna tell ye the trowth aboot himsel 's no likly to tell ye the trowth aboot yoursel!’ Ch. 17 loc 97241

Was Kirsty always after Francis? Here are three quotes that suggest so:
1. ‘I beg your pardon, Miss Barclay; I was wrong to venture the remark. But may I say in excuse, that it is not unnatural to imagine a young woman, doing so much for a young man, just a little bit in love with him?' 99090 lady McIntosh ch. 36

2. ‘Mother,' said Francis, 'I have twice asked Kirsty Barclay to be my wife, and she has twice refused me.' 'You may try her again: she had her reasons! She never meant to let you slip! 99758 ch. 42

3. All this tyranny of yours, all your late insolence to your mother, comes from the power of that low-born woman over you! 99776 Mrs. gordon ch. 42

Kirsty’s EPITHETS ( in the power of service):
goddess
Amazon
splendid
an angelic bete noir
halo’d

David Barclay’s WISDOM:
'But, in God's name, dear laddie, be a richteous man. Gien ye requere no more than's fair frae man or beast, ye'll maistly aye get it. But gien yer ootluik in life be to get a'thing and gie naething, ye maun come to grief ae w'y and a' w'ys. Success in an ill attemp is the warst failyie a man can mak.' Ch. 10 loc. 96195

Kristy thrashes Francis ch. 19 loc. 97316 ff.

MacDonald’s final theology ch. 28 loc. 98335

Is Francis a coward in India? Ch. 31 loc.

Mrs Gordon’s conversion: ch. 40 loc. 99629

Dante, ch. 14 loc. 96692; ch. 41 loc. 99851;

Vocabulary:
crook-fingered gentry
gangrel
scoriae
world-shell
winsey
grudged
laddies ir gowks
bole
dominie
gowk (et al. 95924)
grutten
sair she grat
gangna blinlins intil the tod's hole.
toom-heidit
hiz lass-fowk
poddick
weem

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm teetering between 3.5 and 4 stars here.

This is a book that I'm happy to have read. I found it at a thrift store and since my daughter and I are reading George MacDonald for her year 2 homeschool, I thought it would be fun to read something for myself. I am not sure if I would tell you it was a "must-read" but if you have a little time to spare and want to be inspired to love your neighbor better, go for it!

George MacDonald was an excellent writer, and while some things came off as overly moralized and saccharine-sweet, I think it was more a product of the time than sub-par execution. Other aspects, though, seemed far beyond the times.

Kirsty is a teenager in the Scottish highlands in the 1800's, and she is likable from the start. Not only does she have nearly flawless character, she is not the old-fashioned character who is waiting to be rescued by a man. In fact, she turns down the proposal of a Lord, someone who would elevate her social status, because of his poor character.

The first half unfolded very slowly. We learn about Kirsty's life and family, and her brother Steenie, who has exceptionally strong faith in God, probably because he has special needs. I was so impressed that this boy was not presented in a condescending way, another aspect of this book that seemed to be ahead of its time. Steenie was especially good at loving others, and I loved that about him.

The book picked up when the boy who proposed to her put another girl from the village in a precarious position. Kirsty chastised him and ended up physically beating him up. Not your average old-fashioned book! I loved this about Kirsty, even if physical violence is never okay.

A big storm comes and shakes everything up in Kirsty's home and village. From this point on, I was hooked. I won't give away the ending, but I was so happy with how it turned out.

[Liam Andres · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suppose we have to be clear that this isn’t a five-star review for literary excellence. This isn’t some high literary masterpiece everyone should read, it’s not necessarily easy to get into, and it takes a lot of work to understand (because of the Scottish dialect). However, this piece masterfully portrays Love. Not the kind of feel-good being loved kind of love but the selfless joyfully giving kind of Love.

For me, I need reminders of what that Love looks like quite often, and reading this at the current season of my life really impacted me deeply. This book had me weeping and rejoicing more than once because I was able to see the truth it aims to present as if in real life. My heart had long sat in winter, begrudging Love its way for fear of pain and loss and labor, but this story just reopened my heart to the world in a poignant way.

And that is why this book deserves five stars. It’s foolish to me to think that books only exist to delight the reader with imagery and adventure. Some books exist just to point out the simple realities and magic of life that we too often lose sight of. Hence, this book is more like a fable or parable than a novel, and placed in that genre, it is of the highest quality.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖋️ Well-written novella with characters who use a Scottish pronunciation of English.
📙 This book was published in 1893 under the title The Peasant Girl's Dream.
🟢The e-book version can be found on Project Gutenberg.
🟣 Kindle.
🔷●▬●🔶●🔶●▬●🔷

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me awhile to get into this book only because the conversations were all with a Scottish dialect and yet the main body of the story's narration was in English. Much of this story was told by the narrator, and therefore the pace of it was slower, but I enjoyed the growth of heart and life and spirit in the two main characters.

[Kathy Davila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The heroine in this book is strong, loving, strategic, long-suffering, and then ultimately blessed in every way. After I finished reading this book, I retold this story to my daughters on a long car trip. They found it very inspiring and relevant, especially as many young men are being lured into military service these days.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is my fourth book by him. I think I now appreciate what CS Lewis says about him. The numinous - - the something (the Someone) who is beyond us and around us and in us. I do think it is ironic, however, when the heroine says that the hero is full of himself (in a high and mighty way) .

[Susan Krich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the hardcover book.
It was a typical story from the 1890's.
There is enough story and action but it is partly written in Scottish and while I was able to get the drift of what was happening, I'm sure it would have been better to understand the interactions of the characters.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good one.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute story, but I can't get past the dialect. Half the time I couldn't even understand what they were saying. I had to keep rereading paragraphs.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love George MacDonald; this is one of his "quieter" books. The story and characters are engaging, the setting is interesting, and I count it as a good read.

[Debbie Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous story of love and courage

I enjoyed every word of this book. The depth and richness of Kirsty's character is delightful. I'll read it again!

[Jennie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care for the Scottish dialect.