Honestly, I'm not even sure how to review this book. Did I like it? Yes. Do I have 1000 questions about it? Yes. Do I wish I had read it with a group so that I could have an entire evening to discuss it with them? Yes. It is haunting, gutwrenching, redemptive, joyful. It captures incredibly poignantly the sadness that inevitably comes to a mother when her children grow up and no longer need her.

[I read the Charles Archer translation, and everyone I know seems to agree that the Tina Nunnaly translation is the best, so when I read it again, I think I will read that one and see how different it is.]

One passage I loved was right near the end when she is dying, and she removes her bridal ring, which evokes a host of memories as well as tears:

"The life that ring had wed her to, that she had complained against, had murmured at, had raged at and defied--none the less she had loved it so, joyed in it so, both in good days and evil, that not one day had there been when 'twould not have seemed hard to give it back to God, nor one grief that she could have forgone without regret."
(pg. 1044)

A long, deep exploration of the mystery of love, free will, sin, and grace, set in medieval Norway. The The portrayal of the historical setting alone makes this novel worth the read. If you like character development and a "slow burn", this trilogy is for you.

This book had come up in conversation many times among my friends; it felt great to finally check it off the list. My experience of reading it was that it felt long and tedious in various places, but then really picked up in other places, which made me glad I persevered. Admittedly, I should have read it more quickly, which probably would have helped mitigate some of the occasional tedium.

Regarding the translation, I began reading the older translation but it was pretty stilted. The newer translation (by T Nunnally) was much nicer.

Questo libro, che in realtà racchiude in sé tre volumi pubblicati dall'autrice in anni diversi, narra tutta la storia di Krisin, dalla fanciullezza, fino ad arrivare alla vecchiaia.
La storia è ambientata nel Medioevo in Norvegia.
Kristin è la figlia del benestante Lavrans, imparentato alla famiglia reale. La ragazza è stata allevata secondo i principi cristiani ed è promessa sposa a Simon Darre, ma l'incontro con l'affascinante Erlend rimescola le carte!
Kristin si innamora dell'uomo, gli si concede e lotta per diventare la sposa di Erlend, sfidando le leggi morali e l'onta che si è abbattuta sul suo buon nome e su quello del padre.
Il buon Simon le rende la libertà, Lavrans, seppur non contento, acconsente al matrimonio e Kristin diventa, quindi, la signora di Husaby.
Il secondo libro ci racconta la vita in comune tra i coniugi: i litigi, la nascita dei figli, i periodi di gioia, la conduzione della tenuta e la prigionia di Erlend per alto tradimento.
La vita per Kristin ed Erlend non è tutta rose e fiori, Kristin, a volte sa essere fredda, rigida ed egoista, ma mai smette di lottare per la propria famiglia!
L'ultima parte è dedicata alla vecchiaia, al timore per i figli che abbandonano il nido familiare e alla sfera spirituale, all'avvicinamento e alla consacrazione dell'anima a Dio nella fase conclusiva della vita.
È stata una lettura lunga, ma piacevole, che illustra la vita, le tradizioni e la cultura norvegese medioevale. Si tratta di una vita semplice, dedicata al lavoro ai principi religiosi, alla famiglia e alla conservazione delle ricchezze terrene, affinché esse costituiscano una base solida per tutti i membri della famiglia.
Ma è anche un libro che dà ampio spazio alla religione, a cui si contrappongono, però, riti pagani e superstizioni e che trasmette con forza un senso di appartenenza ad una comunità.
Per quanto mi riguarda, a volte ho trovato Kristin un po' poco sincera con se stessa e troppo algida. Pertanto, spesso, mi sono trovata a parteggiare per il più passionale Erlend. Non posso non riconoscere, però, all'autrice un'ottima abilità narrativa e il merito di aver creato un personaggio femminile forte e capace di sopportare tutte le tempeste della vita e, a volte, non convenzionale rispetto al momento storico in cui è collocata.
Una lettura intensa che consiglio a chi ama i romanzi storici.

Da una parte ero prevenuta, temevo fosse troppo legato a un modo di vivere la religione a me lontano, dall'altra ero incuriosita perché non conoscevo l'autrice, norvegese, premio Nobel del 1928. E invece la storia mi ha coinvolto completamente, non solo perché è stata una lettura piacevole nonostante l'elevato numero di pagine, ma per la profonda umanità e realismo dei personaggi, immersi nella religione, superstizione, magia, violenza tipiche del medioevo. In fondo il cuore umano è sempre quello, e Kristin non è solo una donna del suo tempo, ma di tutti i tempi: La sua vita è un cammino quasi "dostoevskiano", con le sue forti contraddizioni tra passioni, paure e ricerca di una spiritualità che vada oltre la sofferenza e la bellezza del vivere quotidiano.

What to write about Kristin Lavransdatter? Writing anything about a 1,124-page novel that takes the reader from the titular character’s childhood to her death is a nearly impossible task, especially when the novel is as good as this one is. Kristin Lavransdatter comprises three separate novels—The Wreath (1920), The Wife (1921), and The Cross (1922)—that are now published as one volume in an excellent English translation from Norwegian; and clearly the story was intended to be read straight through. There’s no reason to stop between each book, though that makes the reading experience intense as well as engrossing. In part because of this trilogy, Undset very deservedly received the 1928 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Kristin Lavransdatter follows the tradition of major novels like Anna Karenina, Vanity Fair, and Tess of the d’Urbervilles, guiding the reader through the protagonist’s entire life. In this case, the context is Norway in the 1300s, a time of transition from pagan mysticism to early Christianity. Kristin’s journey travels through numerous bad choices and their consequences en route to extreme depth of insight about human nature, religious faith, love, family, the stages of parenting, vocation, and many other topics. What Undset reveals about the human heart is too grand to lightly mention in a Goodreads review. I’ll be thinking about this story for many days to come, and despite its length, it’s a book I hope to read again.

My concerns in the first novel, that perhaps the ultimate end was going to be a celebration of Kristin’s unwise choices, were entirely alleviated in the second two books, where it was clear that Undset was going to require Kristin to take on the full results of her actions. What I still didn’t expect, though, even past the halfway point, were the lessons Kristin would have to learn right at the end, many of which have to do with the pains of releasing one’s grown children to whatever ways God leads them. In fact, the novel concludes with the release of just about everything. Those final chapters were very poignant for me right now.

For me, the high point of the story comes very near the end, starting on page 1,093, when Sira Eiliv shares a true perspective with Kristin about all that she has come through:

Haven’t you realized yet, sister, that God has helped you each time you prayed, even when you prayed with half a heart or with little faith, and He gave you much more than you asked for. You loved God the way you loved your father: not as much as you loved your own will, but still enough that you always grieved when you had to part from him. And then you were blessed with having good grow from the bad which you had to reap from the seed of your stubborn will. (1,094)

It’s a lesson that could come from a Narnia story, or from Middle-earth. Or go further back to the story of Joseph and his brothers: “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20). The idea that God is at work even through our bad decisions . . . it’s a simple yet profound idea for contemplation. And coming here, at the end of a thousand pages of struggle and confusion, it struck me as a singular moment of stasis and clarity when Sira Eiliv speaks it to Kristin.

That’s all I can write at this point. This is not a novel I want to spoil by putting all my thoughts about it into words. I highly recommend it to anyone, and I affirm that the length is worth the investment of a lot of reading time.

Brilliant and beautiful! I just finished Kristin Lavransdatter and it has easily earned a place in my favorite books ever. Sigrid Undset won the Nobel Prize in Literature for Kristin Lavransdatter while still in her prime and it was well earned. For those reading it for the first time, I strongly recommend the most recent translation by Tiina Nunnally. The original translation into english by Charles Archer, which I tried to read unsuccessfully several years ago, is filled with unauthentic arhaic language that is not true to Sigrid Undset's original Norwegian text which was written in clear and beautiful modern prose despite its medieval context. Nunnally's translation is natural and easy to read as well as authentic.

It is the historical epic of the passionate and headstrong Kristin Lavransdatter. The trilogy, now compiled into one massive volume (1124 pages) is well worth the time and the biceps gained from lugging it around. I read it over several weeks and truly savored every bit. The story is set in 14th century medieval Norway and follows Kristin from childhood to death, through her choice to defy her gentle and devoted father's wish that she marry the honorable and kind, but unglamorous Simon. Instead, while spending a year in a convent in Oslo, she falls for and marries an impulsive young knight, Erlend Nikulausson. Erlend is truly devoted in heart to Kristin, but is plagued by his own scandalous past and inability to act responsibly and Kristin has some hard consequences to deal with because of her willfulness. But, to quote Brad Leithauser in his introduction to the book, "her unshakable guilt in no way paralyzes her and she carries on with her life."

Undset's potent message is that even though we may experience pain and sorrow over our choices one cannot squander one's life in regret and bitterness, failing to recognize the blessings and happiness we have been given. Kristin struggles to maintain the balance between a repentant heart and self-loathing and torment. In the end she comes to realize in a beautiful way that her life has been full of wonderful blessings, including her life with Erlend. A passage close to the time of Kristin's death when she is looking at her wedding ring illustrates:

"She opened her eyes and looked at the ring lying in the dark palm of the smith. And her tears burst forth in torrents, for she felt as if she had never before fully understood what it signified. The life to which this ring had married her, over which she had complained and grumbled, raged and rebelled. And yet she had loved it so, rejoicing over it, with both the bad and the good, so that there was not a single day she would have given back to God without lament or a single sorrow she would have relinquished without regret."

Truly a book that has deepened my appreciation of life.

8.5/10 - Wow. Rollercoaster. And enough quotes to pray with that it takes about five swipes on my notes app to get to the bottom of all of the ones I have saved. If you want an expert yet subtle insight into the consequences of mortal sin represented correctly from a true Catholic worldview, and simultaneously want to say “okay ouchhh my heart” at least 27 times while reading it, this is the book for you. You love and hate Kristin and you love and hate her decisions, yet the story ends with you holding on dearly to the hope of her redemption. Very beautiful.

One of the first real historical novels that I read as a teen -- and still do as an adult. Set in Norway in the 14th century, the tale of Kristen from her childhood to old age is a classic as she makes an impetuous mistake that may or may not be the right choice. Full of joys and heartache, this is a wonderful book, and one that I heartily recommend.

For the complete review, please go here:
http://www.bubblews.com/news/6647222-...

I enjoyed volume 1 (4-stars), made it through volume 2 - just, (3-stars), staggered through volume 3 only through judicious skimming (2-stars) so am settling for a 3-star rating overall with individual thoughts on each volume below:

Volume 1: The Garland (4-stars)
In the spirit of the bildungsroman, we first meet Kristin as a young child of 7 and it's her close relationship with her father which fills the early part of the book. Her colder, troubled mother sits in the background and it's not till the end of this volume that we understand the complicated dynamics that underpin the family. As Kristin grows, her unconscious sensuality works as a catalyst on the young men of her acquaintance, setting the theme for her adolescence when it's her own sexuality which comes to the fore.

Written in the 1920s, this reminded me of Thomas Hardy: the attention to rural rituals and calendar, the focus on young womanhood - and, in places, Kristin recalled Tess to my mind. What's very different, though, is that Undset structures her story around a strict moral, Christian compass. Whereas Hardy's Tess is 'a pure woman', Undset is quite sure that Kristin is not. As the volume progresses, the dominant thematics of sin and guilt emerge (and Undset herself converted to Catholicism). Sin, we're shown, once welcomed, becomes a burden on Kristin's soul and proliferates, leading to a particularly over-heated scene towards the end. The volume finishes with Kristin getting what she thought she wanted all along, but finding her victory more hollow than she expected.

This is a surprisingly fast read as the writing is straightforward and the story-telling relatively simple. I'm not as convinced as other reviewers of the historical evocation of C13th Norway, this could just as easily be a C19th rural town. That said, and despite the explicitly moralising tone, this is an engrossing read. This volume ends with Kristin's marriage, and I'm certainly keen to move on to the next section of her story.

Volume 2: The Mistress of Husaby (3-stars)
If vol.1 contains echoes of Tess of the D'Urbervilles, this vol. reminded me at the start of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall: another woman in love with a weak but charismatic man finds that marriage brings out all his worst faults. The difference, though, is that Erlend isn't nearly as brutal as Wildfell's husband, foolish and unthinking rather than consciously cruel, and Kristin is a hard character to empathise with as she sits around either weeping, wringing her hands, being passive-aggressive, or frequently all three as she broods about the sinfulness of her soul and gets pregnant with another son (seven, I think, but frankly I lost count).

There's some political goings-on in the last section which livens things up, and the return of Simon from volume 1  who, unaccountably, is in love with weepy Kristin. The presence of priests and long (long!) spiritual discussions about sin, confession and redemption really weighed this volume down for me.

Volume 3: The Cross (2-stars)
As the title indicates, the spiritual element is very much to the fore here as everyone is older, thinking about death and the salvation of their mortal soul. There's a last-minute flurry of activity as the Black Death takes hold in Norway  and Kristin is predictably heroic as she retreats to a convent and emerges to treat the ill before succumbing herself to death.

The trilogy overall
There's an old-fashioned feel to the trilogy overall and I think it comes from Undset's own moral, Catholic values (she converted to Catholicism) rather than necessarily being a reflection of the C14th, however much it saw itself in the light of Christianity - just think of bawdy Chaucer, or the writings of the querelle des femmes ('debate about women') that were produced by female as well as male writers in medieval Europe.

Placing this trilogy, which was written between 1920-22, alongside other works of the period such as Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, F.Scott Fitzgerald, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce or T.S.Eliot's The Waste Land, foregrounds its moral nostalgia and certainty, a confidence that was lost by the modernists.

I'm glad I've read this, even if only partially in the latter stages, but can't say I share the adulation it has incurred: if you're thinking about it, then check out this quotation to give you a taste of the moral framework which structures these books:

n  

'A handmaiden of God she had been - a wayward, unruly servant, oftenest an eye-servant in her prayers and faithless in her heart, slothful and neglectful, impatient under correction, but little constant in her deeds - yet had he held her fast in his service, and under the glittering golden ring a mark had been set secretly upon her, showing she was His handmaid, owned by the Lord and King who was now coming, borne by the priest's anointed hands, to give her freedom and salvation'

n.

Still not sure? Volume 1 is the most accessible with a racy second section - just be aware that the overall trilogy is gloomy, dour and humourless, and that any sexual pleasure felt in vol. 1 will be paid for tenfold in the burden on Kristin's soul.

Che tortura! Ne avrei sospeso la lettura già dopo i primi cinque capitoli, ma mi ero imposta di finirlo sia perché lo stavo leggendo insieme ad altri utenti sia perché speravo che migliorasse. Della Undset avevo già letto Jenny e mi era piaciuto nonostante una partenza lenta che non prometteva nulla di buono.

Tutto il libro ruota intorno a Kristin figlia di Lavrans e seguiamo la sua vita dall'infanzia fino alla morte; la storia è ambientata nella Norvegia medievale. Kristin è il personaggio più odioso che abbia mai incontrato. Vuole comportarsi da persona devota, casta e pia ma è orgogliosa, prepotente ed egocentrica. Un po' tutti i personaggi sono contraddittori e cambiano comportamento da un momento all'altro senza che il lettore ne capisca il motivo; sembrano leggermente isterici. Non so se è colpa della scrittrice o della traduzione; questa, infatti, lascia molto a desiderare. Alcune volte si ha l'impressione che manchino dei pezzi nella storia e non si riesce a capire il motivo di alcune reazioni dei personaggi. Anche in questo caso non so se è colpa della traduzione o se è l'autrice che non ha le capacità di approfondire alcune aspetti psicologici dei personaggi.
Il libro non mi è piaciuto soltanto per il comportamento incomprensibile e odioso dei personaggi, ma ho anche fatto fatica a sopportare il tema cristiano che è fortemente presente in ogni pagina. Di solito mi piacciono i libri con tema religioso o spirituale ma questo libro sembra una propaganda cattolica. Non essendo cattolica facevo fatica a star dietro a Kristin che ogni cinque pagine è convinta di aver peccato e corre dal prete per confessarsi pensando di risolvere in questo modo i problemi nati dal suo carattere. Nel comportamento di Kristin vedevo tutta l'ipocrisia di molti credenti che invece di farsi un esame di coscienza cercando di cambiare i lati negativi della propria personalità continuano a sbagliare pensando di trovare poi sollievo e pace nella confessione. Questo della confessione è solo uno dei tanti temi cristiani che ci sono nel libro, ma ce ne sono molti altri che mi irritavano. All'inizio avevo l'impressione che Kristin fosse una donna forte e coraggiosa ma man mano che andavo avanti nella lettura mi rendevo conto che era soltanto un'egoista testarda che non si metteva mai realmente in discussione per cambiare. Non sopporto le persone come lei.

Ci sono altre cose che non mi sono piaciute:
- nel libro non ci sono date ma gli avvenimenti sono indicati seguendo i giorni dei santi. In poche parole: un personaggio si rende conto di essere incinta il giorno di San Simone, spera di sposarsi prima di San Bartolomeo così che non si vede la pancia e di partorire il giorno della nascita della Vergine (i santi li ho messi io, non mi ricordavo l'ordine esatto che c'era nel libro). Per leggere il libro e capire quando si svolgevano i fatti dovevo continuamente cercare su internet i giorni dei santi.
- ho fatto molta fatica a ricordare i nomi norvegesi soprattutto perché ogni personaggio era indicato come "...figlio di XYZ" quindi si aveva Lavrans figlio di Borgulf ma anche Lavrans figlio di Erlend; c'era anche un Borgulf figlio di Erlend ed Erlend figlio di Nicola. Ogni tanto c'era anche un errore di battitura quindi Borgulf diventava Biorgulfn e non sapevo se era un personaggio nuovo o un errore dell'editore.
- non ci sono note. In questo libro sarebbero state molto apprezzate per capire anche meglio gli accenni storici della Norvegia medievale. Si parlava di un paio di re, di una regina che ha avuto figli da un secondo matrimonio e di complotti ma tutto era scritto dando per scontato che il lettore conoscesse alla perfezione i personaggi e gli avvenimenti storici.
- alcune preghiere sono scritte in latino e non c'è la traduzione; il latino l'ho studiato più di vent'anni fa e purtroppo non lo ricordo così bene da poter capire intere frasi. Anche in questo caso delle note sarebbero state utili.
- ogni volta che iniziava una parte interessante, come per esempio un'introspezione psicologica, questa si troncava e non era approfondita; altre parti erano prolisse e piene di dettagli inutili e noiosi.

Forse l'unico pregio si trova nella descrizione dei paesaggi e degli usi e costumi norvegesi durante il medioevo; purtroppo queste descrizioni si perdono tra le molte altre cose che non ho apprezzato.


English review

It was a torture to finish this book but I held on because I was reading it as a readalong with other members but also because by the same author I had read Jenny and liked it though the start was a little bit slow.

My edition of Kristin Lavransdatter has the whole trilogy and the story deals with Kristin's life from childhood to death and it is set in medieval Norway.
Kristin is the most hateful character I've ever met; she wants to behave like a devout person, chaste and pious but she is proud, arrogant and self-centered.

The characters' behavior suddenly change and the reader doesn't know what happened in their mind and why they acted that way; they seem contradictory and hysterical. I don't know if it's the translator's fault or if the author isn't able to see deep in a person's behavior and talk about it. I hadn't a good translation and sometimes it seemed to me that some pieces were missing in the story; but also this, I don't know if it's fault of the translator or if it's the author who doesn't have the skill to deepen some psychological aspects of the characters.
I didn't like the Christian religious theme of this book and it is the main theme. I usually like books with religious or spiritual theme but this one seems to be a Catholic propaganda. Not being Catholic I was struggling to keep up with Kristin that every five pages is convinced that she has sinned and runs to the priest for confession thinking to solve her problems born from her personality. In Kristin's behavior I saw all the hypocrisy of many believers that instead of changing the negative aspects of their personality making an introspection, they continue to make mistakes and then expect to find a solution, solace and peace with the confession. This is just an example but there are many other Christian themes that irritated me. At the beginning I had the impression that Kristin was a strong and brave woman but as I went on reading I realized that she was selfish and stubborn.

There were many other things I didn't like:
- in the book we haven't dates but everything happens following the days of the Saints. Everytime I had to look on the internet to know when something was happening otherwise it was confusing.
- I had a hard time with Norwegian names mostly because each character was listed as "son of XYZ" so we have Lavrans son of Borgulf but also Lavrans son of Erlend; there was also a Borgulf son of Erlend and an Erlend son of Nicholas. Every now and then there was a typo so Borgulf became suddenly Biorgulfn and I didn't know if it was a new character or a mistake of the publisher. Perhaps I had this problem of the names because of the Italian translation, I don't know how they are written in English but in Italian it was really annoying and confusing.
- there are no notes. These would have been much appreciated in order to understand even better the historical references of medieval Norway. There were a couple of kings, a queen who had children from a second marriage and cospiracies but everything was written assuming that the reader knew perfectly the historical characters and events.
- some of the prayers are written in Latin and there is no translation; I studied Latin more than twenty years ago and unfortunately I don't remember it well enough to understand whole sentences. Also in this case the notes would have been useful.
- every time an interesting part began, such as a psychological introspection, this is cut short and was not deepened; other parts were lengthy and filled with unnecessary and boring details.

The only things I liked were the descriptions of the landscapes and of the customs of Norway during the Middle Ages; unfortunately these descriptions are lost among the many other things I didn't like.

2024 - This is a heart book, and this read (with Close Reads) really brought home the true repentance and humanity of Kristin and broke my heart regularly. I’d not read this since Covid and thinking of how Undset, just after the Spanish Flu outbreak, used the Black Plague in her story was quite striking
2019- I had read this before in the intentionally archaic original translation. While I found it to be a good story (and found several quotes to ponder and keep,) it felt clunky and rough.
I took this wonderful newer translation on a recent airplane flight and was so thrilled to have so many hours to read this beautifully written story of a medieval Norwegian woman and her world. Full of faith, love, longing, parenting, and redemption, a true epic.

As an omnibus, the length of this classic trilogy is daunting; it was on my to-read list for years before I decided to read just the first, 300-page book. Of course that was excellent and I soon read the rest of the trilogy. While I understand the omnibus packaging – the later books assume knowledge of the earlier ones such that it is akin to one three-volume novel – for me, reading three individual novels worked best.

Kristin Lavransdatter is the life story of one woman, and the people closest to her, in 14th century Norway. The first volume follows Kristin’s childhood and her teenage romance with a man her father would never have chosen for her; the second, her life as a young wife and mother, struggling with the practical and religious fallout from her choices in the first book; and the third, her life as a middle-aged woman navigating complex relationships, while her importance in her sons’ lives diminishes. Kristin is a fascinating character, because she feels entirely realistic and human. Undset never pandered to the faction who insist that female characters be “likeable” (i.e., flawless); she simply presents the character as she is, in all her strengths and weaknesses, noble impulses and bad decisions. But I think most readers will like her and relate to her fight to marry the man she loves and to build a future for her children. It’s not all domestic life, though; political maneuvering, swordfights, and other drama keeps Kristin’s life from becoming too predictable.

Many reviews discuss the religion in these books: Catholicism is a major part of the characters’ lives, and the author herself converted. But though religious themes are present throughout, I never found the books preachy. Religion was an essential aspect of medieval life, and Undset captures that well; interestingly, while Kristin is a religious woman by today’s standards and in the eyes of some of the characters, in the context of her time and in her interactions with religious folk she seems far more interested in the secular aspects of her life, but raised to be guilty about that preoccupation.

At any rate, every aspect of life at the time, from social interaction to farming to the layout of homes, seems grounded in solid research that allows the author to create an immersive and believable setting. Few authors could write about such a foreign world in a way that’s both realistic and accessible, but that’s just what Undset does; at times it was hard to believe that the story was set in medieval times, not because there’s anachronism present (there isn’t) but because the characters are so human and relatable regardless.

The writing is excellent, and Nunnally’s translation superb: the prose is smooth and absorbing, very readable but with a hint of distance that puts the reader in mind of ancient sagas. The story has a strong sense of place, and contains beautiful descriptions of the Norwegian landscape. Like the story itself, the writing manages to be entirely accessible to the modern reader and yet faithful to its medieval setting.

In sum, this is an excellent trilogy, and fully deserving of its awards. I give four stars rather than five because it didn’t rock my world (it’s been some time since any book has), and because the middle volume often felt tedious; the second book was perhaps longer than necessary, and only toward the end did it regain strength. That said, the trilogy returns to form with an exceptional final volume. It was overall a great reading experience, providing both depth and entertainment, and one I would not hesitate to recommend.