Autorentext

Margaret Oliphant was a Scottish author and historical writer who usually wrote under the name Mrs. Oliphant. She was born Margaret Oliphant Wilson on April 4, 1828, and died on June 20, 1897. She writes "domestic realism, the historical novel, and tales of the supernatural" as her short stories. Margaret Oliphant was born in Wallyford, near Musselburgh, East Lothian. She was the only daughter and youngest child still living of Margaret Oliphant (c. 1789 17 September 1854) and Francis W. Wilson, a clerk. We lived in Lasswade, Glasgow, and Liverpool when she was a child. In Wallyford, a street called Oliphant Gardens is named after her. As a girl, she was always trying new things with writing. Passages in the Life of Mrs. Margaret Maitland, her first book, came out in 1849. This was about the mostly successful Scottish Free Church movement, which was something her folks agreed with. Next came Caleb Field in 1851, the same year she met publisher William Blackwood in Edinburgh and was asked to write for Blackwood's Magazine. She did so for the rest of her life and wrote over 100 articles, including one that criticized Arthur Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter".

Klappentext

Kirsteen: The story of a scotch family seventy years ago Vol. I explores the quiet strength of a woman who navigates familial duty, personal longing, and societal constraints in a changing world. The tensions between obligation and self-determination emerge as she balances devotion to her family with an unspoken yearning for independence. Domestic life, shaped by unacknowledged sacrifices and deeply ingrained expectations, forms the foundation of a journey that challenges traditional roles. The contrast between those who leave in pursuit of opportunity and those who remain underscores the weight of responsibility placed on women, whose aspirations are often overshadowed by duty. As emotions simmer beneath the surface, the narrative reveals the quiet resilience required to carve out a path beyond predetermined roles. The novel portrays the subtle defiance found in small acts of courage, showing how perseverance and self-awareness shape identity despite restrictive circumstances. Through moments of reflection and unspoken struggles, the story captures the enduring conflict between tradition and the desire for a life defined by choice.