W. H. G. Kingston’s Mary Liddiard; or, The Missionary’s Daughter is a classic Victorian adventure novel that intertwines themes of faith, family, and survival in an exotic locale. The story centers on the Liddiard family, Christian missionaries living and working among the islanders of the South Seas. The narrative gains its momentum from a common catalyst in such settings: a violent native uprising. When the island is thrown into turmoil, the missionary family is caught in the middle, facing immense peril. Mary Liddiard, the dutiful and courageous daughter, finds her faith and resilience tested to their limits. She may be captured by the hostile islanders, or separated from her family, forcing her to rely on her wits and her unwavering trust in Providence to survive. The plot follows her harrowing experiences in captivity, her efforts to protect younger siblings or fellow captives, and her steadfast hope for rescue. True to the genre and Kingston's own evangelistic purpose, the novel portrays the indigenous people as noble but misguided "savages" in need of Christian conversion, reflecting the colonial mindset of the era. The story is as much a tale of spiritual fortitude as it is of physical endurance, demonstrating how Mary's religious convictions give her the strength to endure hardship and even positively influence her captors. It is a dramatic and moralistic tale aimed at inspiring a sense of religious duty and imperial courage in its young readers.

Table of Contents:

• Mary Liddiard; or, The Missionary’s Daughter. Part 1

• Mary Liddiard; or, The Missionary’s Daughter. Part 2