Gr glitch. Read in 2022.

This second read of this trilogy has been enlightening. Although I remembered parts of the plot, I forgot many important details. I have deeper understanding of the main characters now.

Amazing novel. Amazing writing. It has become even more evident why Undset won the Nobel Prize in 1928. It is difficult to put into words just how vivid the world is that she creates in these novels. The reader can smell the fires, taste the ale, hear the Celtic music and prayers, and see the incredible landscape.
I loved the deepening of the characters so much in this second book. Kristin is now the mother of seven sons and expresses deep truths about motherhood. Erlend is such a complicated character. One moment I’m furious with him and certain he isn’t worthy of Kristin. The next moment I’m seeing him as nearly admirable and courageous. In the end though, they seem to be at their best in times of crisis and not able to do well living every day life. I’m certain things aren’t going to end well for them. I loved Lavrans, Kristin’s father, and the relationship they shared. What a wonderful man. And I loved understanding her mother much more and watching restoration happen in her marriage. Simon is a fabulous character also who I ache for. Undset creates flawed but beautiful characters who are as complicated as people truly are.
What an unforgettable novel. I almost dread to read the third in this trilogy as then this experience will have ended.

Overall I am disappointed in this second book. However, I know this trilogy is meant to be read all together so I could come back and change my rating after I finish the third book.

I loved the first book so much. There was so much depth to explore and themes to consider and it was handled so deftly. Not to mention the writing/translation, setting, and characters that captivated me. The scene with Kristin in front of the stained glass and the scene with Erlend carrying the burning cross out of the church are two scenes that come vividly to my mind often.

This second book felt much more heavy-handed and we see Kristin suffering and her religiosity is not helping her at all-she's just becoming harder and more rigid. I cringed watching her parent and idolize her children. Lavrans saw what was really happening but admitted that he couldn’t judge her parenting.

I liked the story of Kristin’s parents. Their conversation at the end of the last book was so powerful. I really appreciated the redemption of their relationship. The parts of the book where Kristin is considering her parents and realizing how little she understood was the best part of the book for me.

Lastly, I'll mention that I'm not impressed with how everyone loves Kristin. Maybe there is more to her character that I am not picking up on; maybe medieval and/or catholic symbolism. It seems like the only reason why men love her is because of her physical beauty which is not compelling.

I confess that I read the plot summary for the entire book because I wanted to stop being frustrated with the plot and focus on other aspects. I'm sad that I feel so differently about this book compared to the first. Let's see where I stand after finishing the trilogy.

Undset is still an amazing writer, and the depth of the environment and the humanness of its characters makes me quite excited for the resolution in the next book. But this book in particular I think proves that it isn't perhaps wise to judge each section as it's own book. It's essentially just the middle section of a much larger book and thus at times can feel a bit unremarkable.

i LOVED the first one. parts of the second one bored me to medieval tears. too much blabber for 200 pages about Erlend's political ambitions with and against the Korpensteeters, Lakransmans, Skars and Poppenstooters in Blantz, Krols and Footenvilla. i lost track.

Reread April 2022
Reading this after becoming a mother was incredibly powerful... The scene where Kristin gives birth the first time sent me reeling. I have a feeling this trilogy is one that will continue to resonate on deeper and deeper levels throughout my life... One I will continue to reread again and again...
(and upped from 4 to 5 stars on this reread)

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March 2019 Review:
This second book in the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy is very compelling. While I didn't find the narrative as richly symbolic as the first book (The Wreath), this book complicates the narrative and evokes serious moral questions. The nature of love, mortality, and sacrifice are explored - and I continue to enjoy being enmeshed in such a perfectly wrought historical landscape. Looking forward to the last book in the series.

هنا المراجعة كاملة عن الأجزاء الثلاثة
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
أما سيدة هوسابي: فهو الجزء الثاني من حياة كريستين، من انتقالها إلى ضيعة زوجها (هوسابي) و حتى محنته... في هذا الجزء سقطت الرواية من عالم الأحلام على أم رأسها إلى الواقع... خلافاتهما، حملها و ولاداتها المستنزفة للصحة، ادارتها شؤون ضيعة زوجها، قلبها المليء بالمرار اللامنطقي، المحنة التي نزلت بهم... يعني هي الرواية التي تخبرنا ما يحدث بعد أن يتزوج البطل من البطلة...0
و أظنها ستعجب الذين يميلون للروايات الاجتماعية، كما أن الشخصيات باتت أكثر تطورا...0

I thoroughly enjoyed the second book on the life of Kristin Lavransdatter. In this book we learn more about Kristin's life as wife and mother. She now has 6 boys to care for and she manages the Husaby estates while her husband is off traveling throughout Norway. In this book we are made aware of the troubles she has relating with her past transgressions before her marriage, her relations to religious life, and everyday life in 14th Century Norway. The latter half of the book deals with the plot to overthrow King Magnus, Erlend's imprisonment and Simon's intervention to save Erllend's life.

Likely the most intense, messed up, love/hate relationship I ever saw in literature. Rhett and Scarlett, Heathcliffe and Catherine got nothing on Kristin and Erland.

The first book was about a virtuous young woman who throws it all away to be with the bad boy. She disgraces her family and hurts the man who was to be her husband. But she really hurts herself as her sin and guilt threaten to consume her.

Here she lives with her choice. She loves Erland with a passion that is intense. Yet she hates him for seducing her and causing so much pain. She can't forgive herself nor can she accept God's forgiveness.

Intense. Exhausting. Beautiful.

It seems to be kind of a rare thing, especially in trilogies, for the second book to surpass the first in quality, but I definitely enjoyed this second book of Kristin Lavransdatter more than the first.
I love the way that Sigrid Undset expands the theme of blame and guilt that she began in part one, as Kristen and Erlend cope with the consequences of what they fought for in part one. There is also a very natural feeling maturation of all of the principal characters in this second book, still without making any of them perfect, but definitely making all of them more compelling.

There are some really incredible scenes that stand out, that I don’t want to say too much about, lest I spoil anything. But one involving Margret (Erlend’s bastard daughter) and then three scenes in near succession involving Lavrans. I admired Lavrans in book one, but his best moments are in this second book.

There is quite a bit of marital strife in this book, which is ordinarily just about the least interesting or enjoyable thing to read about (just as it is to witness), but as Undset presents it, I loved it. Not just tolerated, but yes, loved it. What is striking about the marital disputes in this book is how well both sides were normally reasoned. This isn’t absolutely true, but I did find that the extent to which a character is being unreasonable is often the extent to which that character also knows that he/she is being unreasonable. But in general, there seems to me to be so much sober honesty and objectivity and (usually) mutual respect between the individuals, even amidst the conflicts. I loved how, in the end, honest personal ownership over the character’s own mistakes inform their ultimate response to the existing hostility. And I loved that, in the middle of the high point of the marital friction, the feelings of betrayal that are motivating the conflict are kind of forgotten when an issue arises that is, in fact, more important and is recognized as such.

The dialogue writing is something that Undset is particularly great at, and Tina Nunnally, whose translation I’m reading, has done a phenomenal job of preserving its quality.

En kamp å komme seg gjennom. Tok 7 måneder for en grunn...