I love this book so much! Following Kristin through her journey from an innocent young girl to a weary woman. I cried in her sorrow, laughed in her joy, and was left at the end pondering. Such a good story!

This is an engrossing novel, actually three books. There is a non-judgemental style to the wrting that makes the book so fasinating. It is hard to tell if Erland is simply a bad husband or if Kristin herself is too strict and too emotional. We know how society views it, but Undset leaves it up to the reader to make that determination.

Part of the problem with this translation is that the passion seems to be utterly lacking. It is almost like the translator is physically present. Despite this, the book still raises questions. Where does extactly Kristin's passion lie? Like a young Jane Eyre, Kristin seems to have no close female friends, and all her best relationships are with men. In fact, she seems to live for her men, maybe that is her passion. Even her serving maids are mentioned in passing. It does make you look at her differently.

Still, an engrossing book. Lovely.

Oh. How painful. But beautiful. But painful.

Externals and internals. Marriage. Children. Birth. Death. Stubbornness. Selfishness. Selflessness. Plenty and Want. Springtime, harvest; feast and famine.

And Jesus. Woven in and throughout.

Oh. I am undone. My heart is wrenched.

Simply beautiful. Sigrid Undset is was an artist with a deep understanding of human nature, natural consequences, and history--the medieval history of Norway. This novel series touched many deep cords within me. I'm awakened in new ways. I cried. I was so angry at the choices made. I laughed. I was right there every moment. The description of motherhood and all its joys and sorrows were perfectly described and came alive in beautiful descriptions. I've been pondering on what I could say about a book that touched me so personally, so deeply, and moved me. Normally, I would never read a book that covers a person's life to the end, but THIS, THIS was a well-done masterpiece.

That was quite a journey: at times like watching a train wreck, other times quite moving, but never comfortable.

I read this years ago, so I really can't review it properly.

It's a wonderful story of the life of a 14th century Scandinavian woman.

Highly recommended.

Although I've never read any other story so gut-wrenching, its brutal honesty about human nature and relationships, especially familial relationships laced with selfishness and bitterness is not crass. It remains gracious in the midst of honesty and noble in the midst of sin. The novel is a masterpiece.

Kristin is a loving and faithful wife. She is also a harsh and bitter wife. Kristin is a loving and doting mother. She's also a neglectful and self-absorbed mother. Kristin is a dutiful and penitent Christian. She is also knowledgable in the practices of paganism. She reveres her father and yet breaks his heart in every possible way. Almost every character in the book has rich, real, human complexity.

We are all often such walking contradictions. We require grace and forgiveness from one another and from God to make it through.

This is a book that will break your heart, but you will be a better, wiser person for enduring and considering through the entire epic. Just don't read it while pregnant or post-partum.

Arriving, finally, at the end of this book felt like an ending to some part of my soul. Very highly recommended.

This is one of the finest novels I have ever read. Until reading about it to write this note, I had not realized that it was one of the first novels to describe the entire life of a woman who was not a royal. My estimation of the book may be influenced by the fact that I purchased and read it in Norway while spending two months there visting family. Consequently, I was able to visit several of the sites which play a part in the novel while reading it.

I read the "unauthentic archaic language" original translation by Charles Archer that is "not true to...original Norwegian text" according to Ashley's review and I did almost give up after 20 or 40 pages but I kept going anyway. It's so good now I'm tracking down the Nunnally translation.

This work is very Catholic and traditional in its examination of morality. It is written from a woman's point of view and this makes for much of the trilogy's uniqueness. Her father arranges her a secure marriage but she falls in love with a carefree noble adventurer. The action take place in 1300-1350 Norway.

OK I've read the other translation and recommend it instead. It's modern & easier to read. The old translation was artificially archaic. I will post a review at that edition.

Its difficult to talk about the books in this series as individuals. Really, it is the story of one life. I was not expecting to be as moved as I was by these stories. These lives wrapped me up so fully that I didn't noticed that I had become so deeply attached to Kristin. And now that I am done and she is gone I feel loss.

Its difficult to write much about this story and not sound trite. Sweeping, epic, beautiful, are adjectives that all come to mind. What I can say is that at the end I was struck by how Kristin's life, in all its sadness and beauty was overcome by a larger force. Reading this was almost more than I could bear. I am so glad I've read these books.

Wow! I didn’t realize how invested I’d become in Kristin’s life. There is so much heartache in this book but in the end, it’s amazing to see the mercy of God.