Against the Tide: The Valor of Margaret Wilson

Chosen Daughters

by Hope Irvin Marston

Margaret, a young Covenanter and a stalwart in the faith, is apprehended by the king’s forces. When she refuses to recant, she is tied to a stake at low tide and drowned.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction, Historical, Young Adult, Childrens

220 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2007

About the author

Hope Irvin Marston was the founder of the Black River Valley Writers Club and the founder and director of the North Country Children's Writers and Illustrators Workshop. She has taught creative writing workshops at Jefferson Community College and the Jefferson-Lewis Teacher Center for many years. She has also been on staff at Christian Writers Conferences at Hephzibah Heights (MA), Montrose Bible Conference (PA), and a St. Davids Christian Writers Conference at Beaver Falls, Pa. Hope is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another read aloud with my kids that I cried through! Here's history I never knew: a biography of a young girl martyred for her belief in Jesus Christ. This takes place in Scotland during the Reformation, a part of history I'm eager to learn more about.

[Jillian Kardoes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Against the Tide for the first time when I was in elementary school. This story completely changed my view of our duties as Christians and what it may cost us. Before it was an abstract idea of old men and their stories. In this book I saw a young girl who ended up giving everything for the sake of the cross. I spent middle school and highschool reading St. Augustine, Bede, Martin Luther, John Calvin, histories about the disciples and their lots in life, and many others, but very few spoke to me like 'Against the Tide' did.

The phrase "service or sacrifice" is one that has stuck with me throughout the years. Even now as I've begun entering the adult world this book is one that gives me hope and joy, despite the fact that I cry like a baby every time I read it.

10/10 This is a must read for every young Christian girl.

[Jennifer]

Hope came to Campbell's Point a few summers ago. She has a line of children's books about animals that are beautifully illustrated.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I really enjoyed reading about the life of Margaret Wilson. Wow, she had a tough life but she trusted God in everything. I would love to read it again sometime.

[Hailey Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very emotional book. I cried several times. :) Overall it was a worthwhile read.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though the story itself is incredibly inspiring, I found the writing a bit blah and I admit I skimmed quite frequently.

[Karina (Karina's Christian Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number of pages: 220

Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: Chosen Daughters (don’t need to be read in any order)

Age recommendation: 13-15

Summary: The new king made himself head of the Kirk and the Scottish Christians aren’t having it. They know God is the head. But do they outwardly submit to the king and avoid punishment, or do they oppose the king and suffer the consequences?

My thoughts: I have been so excited to read this book. Ever since I was about 12 I have been so impressed with Margaret Wilson’s courage to stand up for her faith and follow what she believed God was asking her to do. I really liked that this book gave me a bit more of her family’s perspective (although it still followed Margaret’s story).
I respected her dad's stance of trying to respect the authorities and protect his family/help others who opposed the king. However, I also understand why Margaret decided she could no longer pretend to follow the king as leader of the church when God is the true head of the church. I can see both perspectives, but I also realize that our own personal convictions and burden toward God is important. Our relationship with God should always come first.
I do think Margaret was a little foolish at times. Now, I’ve never been separated from my family and required to take care of my younger siblings while unable to contact my parents. That must have been hard for Margaret. I understand why she risked her safety to meet friends and her father, but as an onlooker, I wanted to yell at her that she was making very unwise decisions.
I really liked the way the story was written. It may not have necessarily been the best writing, but I did find it very interesting. I kept wanting to find out what happened next, and I felt everything was well explained and described.
I also appreciated that there was a historical note that explained what part of the story was true and what part wasn’t. To be fair, most of the story was true (with maybe a bit of creative license in the dialogue part), but a few things with Margaret’s uncle and cousins were made up for example. It’s always nice to know what’s actually true and what’s not.
I should probably mention that Margaret is a martyr, and there are some mentions of brutal killings in the book. Many covenanters (those who opposed the king as head of the church) were hanged or drowned for their belief. Margaret herself is drowned after having to watch an older lady drown before her.
I don’t think there was too much detail, but I think it's important to be careful to whom you give the book. I would recommend proofreading before giving it to a sensitive person.
Overall, it was a good book that I definitely recommend, although I would be wary about giving it to someone too young.

My personal rating: 4/5 stars.

Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...

[Leila Bowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

In terms of writing style and quality, this is one of my favorite so far in this series. Unlike some of the others, there is not a lot of action in the plot, and it is a hard story to read because of the true history it fictionalizes, so if you have a sensitive soul (like I do) who is unfamiliar with what happened to the Covenanters and Margaret, you may want to do some warning beforehand. That said, Margaret Wilson is a wonderful example of a faithful, brave, strong young woman and young women of today *should* read hard stories like this one.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dienstbetoon of een offer?"

Dit boek vertelt een voor mij nog onbekend deel van de Schotse geschiedenis. Ik heb dan ook veel geleerd over de Convenanters de vervolgingen en Margaret Wilson. De tijdsperiode kwam tot leven en ik vond het ook fijn dat bepaalde dingen uitgelegd werden.

Dit gaat natuurlijk over heftige gebeurtenissen, maar ik miste toch wat diepgang in het verhaal. Hierdoor voelde het verhaal soms wat vlak aan en kon ik mij ook minder in de personages inleveren. Dit neemt absoluut niet weg dat hier het leven van een sterk, dapper meisje mooi beschreven is!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book! It's a beautiful, sad and heartwrenching story about a young woman named Margret Wilson, who lives in 18th century Scotland and is a Covenanter.
As a Christian teenage girl, this is really inspiring. Every time I read it I become more inspired to live my life for Christ. This is a wonderful book, I highly recommend! I have read it 2 times and will read it much more!!!

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Bold for the Faith, Brave in Peril, Beautiful on Surrender”

A heart-rending portrayal of young Scottish Convenanter Margaret Wilson. The struggle and persecution of the Protestant church in Scotland is a story that praises the courage of a weak woman who leaned on her Heavenly Father when her earthly one forsook her, and is a glorious tribute to all the unsung heroes who stood up for the truth.
This is a tale all children should grow up hearing

[Katie Rew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Service or Sacrifice?

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book every young girl should read ! I as a adult loved it very much .

[Lynn Morgan]

Powerful story of people of faith and their strength to hold to their faith in the midst of persecution.

[Zebra Can Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margaret Wilson was a real Scottish girl who lived from 1667 to 1685, and this book of historical fiction is based upon her life and is one of the “Chosen Daughters” series which includes Wings Like a Dove by Christine Farenhorst and Dr. Oma by Ethel Herr. It is the late seventeenth century in Scotland. King Charles II has turned his back on the Scottish Presbyterians and demands that everyone accept him as the head of the Church of Scotland. Those who refuse to do so are called the Covenanters. These include the Wilson family who live at Glenvernoch in Galloway. Margaret’s parents are Gilbert, a farmer, and Janet. Her older brothers are John and Robert. Her younger brother is Thomas, ten and her younger sister is Agnes, seven. Charles has sent his dragoons under John Gresham, Lord Claverhouse, along with James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, to enforce his demands. There is a division among the Covenanters. Some encourage militant action against the King, while others, like Mr. Wilson, abhor violence and seek a peaceful solution. Though his sympathies definitely lie with the Covenanters, he and his family still attend the local kirk with the King’s minister to protect his family and his property, but his older sons want to fight with the Covenanter army. Margaret is very conflicted about the whole situation.
As the book opens, Finlay Walker, a young neighbor of the Wilsons, has been savagely killed by an English dragoon who mistakenly thought that the boy was on his way to one of the forbidden Coventicle meetings. Finlay’s brother Fergus and Margaret are sweet on each other. Mr. Wilson sends John and Robert to Loudon Hill with letter offering to sell some of his cattle to his brother Samuel. While there, they attend a Conventicle and witness the Covenanter victory at the Battle of Drumclog. However, Samuel is fearful of reprisals, so he and his sons Andrew and Gavin, flee to Ireland. Gilbert orders his sons not to engage in the warfare, but they sneak off with Fergus to join the Covenanter army and suffer a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge. Fergus returns alone to tell the Wilsons that following the battle John and Robert escaped and decided to flee to Ireland also. What will happen when Margaret determines that she can no longer in good conscience attend the local kirk with her family? How will she respond to Fergus’s proposal of marriage? And what will happen when she and Agnes are caught and put in jail along with their friend the widow M’Lauchlan?
There are many things for which we Americans can be thankful regarding our nation’s heritage as colonies of England—the Magna Carta, the rights of yeomen, and English common law. However, there were some bad blips and bumps along the way, one of which was the royal absolutism of King Charles II that affected religious freedom. Author Hope Irvin Marston wrote, “The major incidents of the story are true, and all the characters were real people except for the Walkers and Margaret’s Uncle Samuel and his sons. I have fictionalized a few portions of my story to enhance the plot while reflecting life in the seventeenth century.” Against the Tide well portrays the dilemma of the Scottish Covenanters—when to submit to the King and when “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Firm believers in Christ who refused to compromise their convictions have often been persecuted—by the Romans, by the medieval Catholic Church, by the Nazis, etc. After all, Jesus Himself was put to death. Fortunately, when the “killing times” were over for the Covenanters eventually ended, people came to understand what an injustice had been done, but any system which condemns a harmless elderly lady and a harmless teenage girl to death just for refusing to acknowledge the King as Head of the Church was wrong and needed to be changed. It was just this kind of oppression that led to our Founding Fathers’ notion of religious freedom. And while we may not necessarily agree with all the Scots Presbyterians’ theology, it was out of their insistence on freedom of conscience that men like Thomas and Alexander Campbell and Barton Warren Stone in this country came preaching religious restoration. Some might think that the ending of this book is tragic and sorrowful, but many of us would conclude that in actuality it has a triumphant conclusion. Everyone should be able to appreciate Margaret Wilson’s courage to stand up for what she believed.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw the title of this book, I knew I needed it. I recognized the heroine as one of the two Margarets martyred together on the Solway Firth. I enjoyed the book very much. The author brought the period to life, and showed the fear and courage of the “killing times”, when one’s life was not much safer at home than abroad.

The book begins when Margaret was very young, and tells of the few years of maturing she had before her betrayal and martyrdom. Knowing the tragic but glorious end makes each part of Margaret’s life more poignant.

There is a little romance between Margaret and a close neighbor, with three mentions of “innocent kisses.” Fergus eventually asks Margaret to marry him and flee to Ireland, but Margaret believed she should stay single, though she loved him very much. I don’t know whether this is actual history, but it fits nicely in the book.

One thing that did trouble me was the portrayal of Margaret’s disobedience to her father, and her arguing with him in front of the family. I do understand that her conscience dictated that she not go to the church meeting with her family, but rather meet secretly with true believers. Also Margaret’s father is shown as not being able to choose between his cattle and his Saviour, when he was trying to protect his family. Even though they were not being fed at the state church, he went to protect his family, and he did teach them the Scriptures at home. I’m not saying his decision was the best one or not; it’s hard to tell what someone should or should not do when you’ve never been in their shoes. Also, Margaret’s determination to separate from her father’s authority caused her two younger siblings to follow her example, which was a good example except in the way she treated her father. And I do realize that this is historically accurate. I just wish Margaret might have been portrayed showing her father more respect.

Altogether, I would recommend this book, and will keep it on my shelf and read it again. I really appreciate the author’s work, and am happy that a book has been written for young girls about Margaret Wilson.

[Jill Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret Wilson is heartbroken over the death of her friend, Finlay, who was killed by dragoons. Finlay wasn’t even going to a Covenanters meeting, but lately the dragoons have been striking first and asking questions later. King Charles II has recently taken the throne and claimed to be the head of the Church of Scotland. He demands that the people attend his churches only.

Margaret wants to take a stand for her faith, but she is afraid. Her parents are determined to attend the king’s services and not make trouble. She wants to obey her parents, but she feels that God is calling her to a different path. Believers should be able to worship God in their own way. Is that worth risking her life? Her determination puts her life and her siblings’ life in danger.

A woman tells Margaret that each person is called to serve God in their own way. For some that is a life of service. For others it is a life of sacrifice. Although Margaret wants to serve God without having to give up her life, she is determined to let God choose her path.

I knew little of Church history from this time period and found the struggle fascinating. Although Margaret’s story is incredible and heartbreaking, I was not drawn to her character as strongly as I would like to have been. Sometimes historical fiction reads like a list of researched events and this book got that way for me at times. If the author could have gotten deeper into Margaret’s character from a writing aspect, this book would have been amazing. I still enjoyed the history and peeking into the life of this woman who lived so long ago.

[Natalie Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part of a “Chosen Daughters” series that I saw advertised and on sale through Grace and Truth Books. After reading through the synopsis and a couple of the endorsements, I decided to order the series of four books to share with my sisters as an engaging way to learn more about the history of the true Church of Jesus Christ. This book is set in 17th century Scotland and highlights the persecution the Covenanters faced because of their refusal to acquiesce to the demands of King Charles II. Written for younger girls, there were a few places where the literary license employed by the author seemed a bit contrived, and I took issue with a few negative character depictions that weren’t adequately addressed in my opinion, but it was still a quick, enjoyable read.

[Elzbeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's incredibly rare that I give any book 5 stars, but this one deserved it. This is historical fiction following the life of Margaret Wilson during the Scottish persecution in the 1600s.

There are so few good stories of historical females, but this is definitely one of them. It doesn't disappoint. Now I want to read the rest of Marston's books.

[Hannah Lofthus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book in the 'chosen daughters' series so far. I loved it!

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this!~\

[Grace DuBois · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really good.
I actually know someone who is related to Margaret Wilson.

[Hollie D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our nine year old daughter loved this book and couldn't put it down.