Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset - 4 stars

[Joy D]

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset - 4* -My Review

Originally published in the early 1920s as a trilogy, this book combines the three publications into an epic saga set in 14th century Norway about the life of Kristin Lavransdatter, starting from the time she is a young child living with her parents on their farm. She is independent-minded and manages to get what she wants while going against traditions such as arranged marriage, but she learns that often getting what she wants does not turn out as she had planned. It is based around Kristin’s relationships, family life, husband’s ambitions, and the fallout from her own rash decisions.

It is filled with the difficulties of the time, such as early deaths (especially of children) and diseases. Religion, particularly religious guilt, plays a key role. Life is filled with sadness and tragedy, and the Church offers a salve for the soul. It contains quite a bit of religious symbolism; however, the book can be appreciated without overanalyzing it. Occasionally the old pagan beliefs make an appearance. The author does a good job of depicting class differences. We also get an idea of how estates and farms were run. It also includes a plot against the king, which provides insight into the politics of the era.

It is impressive that the author keeps the pacing consistent throughout the course of over one thousand pages. Women get blamed for everything, and the patriarchal oppression gets a bit tiring after a while, but by the end, it felt like I had a sense of what life was like in rural medieval Norway. It made me glad not to have lived back then. I read the English translation from the original Norwegian by Tiina Nunnally. I can see why this book is considered a classic.