krislars08's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cathiwarren's review against another edition
3.0
I'd have given this four stars if it were half as long. Just too much.
michhxox's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bleepbloop's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ana_ku's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Great understanding of human nature, deeply psychological. A very precise and lifelike portrayal of what it was like to live in the 14th century Norway, true to the epoch it describes. The historical background is immensely richt, but natural and doesn't come off as if the author was showing-off her research or trying to teach the reader with exposition dumps and weird inner monologues. High-quality writing.
The characters don't think and behave like modern people, but are products of their environment. At the same time, they still have universal human needs, desires and motivations. They are written with love, understanding and in the spirit of humanism, even though they are all deeply flawed, even unlikeable.
The book is steeped in Catholicism with some lingering traces of a pagan worldview, and to me it read as an indictment of the catholic psychology, which riddled the heroine with guilt and remorse throughout her whole life and repressed her strength and independence. However, seeing as Sigrid Undset is a converted Catholic, I'd be surpsied if it was what she intended. But she was also a feminist, so who knows. I was always afraid the book would turn to sermonising, and it's surprisng to me how it's full of priest-talk and catholics' torturous inner monologues, and yet it never felt to me like religious propaganda. It was more of a faithful description of what this worldview feels like, a glimpse into the souls of these people.
As the book progressed it sometimes felt heavy and depressing, but it was a worthwhile, insightful read.
The characters don't think and behave like modern people, but are products of their environment. At the same time, they still have universal human needs, desires and motivations. They are written with love, understanding and in the spirit of humanism, even though they are all deeply flawed, even unlikeable.
The book is steeped in Catholicism with some lingering traces of a pagan worldview, and to me it read as an indictment of the catholic psychology, which riddled the heroine with guilt and remorse throughout her whole life and repressed her strength and independence. However, seeing as Sigrid Undset is a converted Catholic, I'd be surpsied if it was what she intended. But she was also a feminist, so who knows. I was always afraid the book would turn to sermonising, and it's surprisng to me how it's full of priest-talk and catholics' torturous inner monologues, and yet it never felt to me like religious propaganda. It was more of a faithful description of what this worldview feels like, a glimpse into the souls of these people.
As the book progressed it sometimes felt heavy and depressing, but it was a worthwhile, insightful read.
rachelb36's review against another edition
4.0
If you think what you want will make you happy, you're wrong... it won't. This is the basic premise of the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy. Overall, I really liked it. I thought it was very realistic in portraying the characters' emotional lives, and some of their actions that spilled over from these.
Though it follows Kristin and Erlend's relationship, it is not a love story, which I really loved. Since the premise of this book is that Kristin sleeps with Erlend before they're married and is then filled with guilt, yet still goes on to fight for what she wants (Erlend), there is a certain amount of sexual references/content, though nothing is very graphic.
The name of Jesus is used in vain several times throughout.
I'm giving it 4 stars overall, but have briefly reviewed the individual books below.
Book One, The Wreath - 3 Stars
The first book in the series was not very interesting. The pace was slow, not much happens, and I didn't love the characters. What I liked the most about this first book was some of what the monks said about God and their faith.
Throughout most of this book, I was so disengaged that I wasn't even planning on continuing the series, but at the very end, the book left off at a place that finally piqued my interest.
A favorite quote from The Wreath:
"'God help you, Ragnfrid Ivarsdatter,' said Sira Eirik, shaking his head. 'You want nothing more from all your prayers and fasting than to force your will on God. Does it surprise you, then, that it has accomplished so little good?'" (p 44)
Book Two, The Wife - 5 Stars
I really liked this book, as this is when Undset begins really showing that Kristin isn't satisfied with all the choices she's made, yet now she has to deal with the consequences, like it or not. Undset also begins showing some situations from the point of view of Simon, the man Kristin was betrothed to before she married Erlend. Their lives never go as planned and they're bittersweet.
A few favorite quotes from The Wife:
"Every man forgets the sinful pleasure he has enjoyed when he has to pay for it." (p 306)
"Are you so arrogant that you think yourself capable of sinning so badly that God's mercy is not great enough?..." (p 361)
"She had chosen to follow the other man, whom she knew traveled on dangerous paths. Monks and priests had pointed out remorse and repentance as the road home to peace, but she had chosen strife rather than give up her precious sin." (p 630)
Book Three, The Cross - 4.5 Stars
This was a good continuation of The Wife, but toward the end it began to drag, and some of the characters I'd become comfortable with were switched out for others whom I had no attachment to, so I didn't enjoy it quite as much.
Favorite quote from The Cross:
"It seems to me that you should have seen so much by now that you would put more trust in God the Almighty. Haven't you realized yet that He will hold up each soul as long as that soul clings to Him?... 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." (p 1094-1095)
Though it follows Kristin and Erlend's relationship, it is not a love story, which I really loved. Since the premise of this book is that Kristin sleeps with Erlend before they're married and is then filled with guilt, yet still goes on to fight for what she wants (Erlend), there is a certain amount of sexual references/content, though nothing is very graphic.
The name of Jesus is used in vain several times throughout.
I'm giving it 4 stars overall, but have briefly reviewed the individual books below.
Book One, The Wreath - 3 Stars
The first book in the series was not very interesting. The pace was slow, not much happens, and I didn't love the characters. What I liked the most about this first book was some of what the monks said about God and their faith.
Throughout most of this book, I was so disengaged that I wasn't even planning on continuing the series, but at the very end, the book left off at a place that finally piqued my interest.
A favorite quote from The Wreath:
"'God help you, Ragnfrid Ivarsdatter,' said Sira Eirik, shaking his head. 'You want nothing more from all your prayers and fasting than to force your will on God. Does it surprise you, then, that it has accomplished so little good?'" (p 44)
Book Two, The Wife - 5 Stars
I really liked this book, as this is when Undset begins really showing that Kristin isn't satisfied with all the choices she's made, yet now she has to deal with the consequences, like it or not. Undset also begins showing some situations from the point of view of Simon, the man Kristin was betrothed to before she married Erlend. Their lives never go as planned and they're bittersweet.
A few favorite quotes from The Wife:
"Every man forgets the sinful pleasure he has enjoyed when he has to pay for it." (p 306)
"Are you so arrogant that you think yourself capable of sinning so badly that God's mercy is not great enough?..." (p 361)
"She had chosen to follow the other man, whom she knew traveled on dangerous paths. Monks and priests had pointed out remorse and repentance as the road home to peace, but she had chosen strife rather than give up her precious sin." (p 630)
Book Three, The Cross - 4.5 Stars
This was a good continuation of The Wife, but toward the end it began to drag, and some of the characters I'd become comfortable with were switched out for others whom I had no attachment to, so I didn't enjoy it quite as much.
Favorite quote from The Cross:
"It seems to me that you should have seen so much by now that you would put more trust in God the Almighty. Haven't you realized yet that He will hold up each soul as long as that soul clings to Him?... 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." (p 1094-1095)
saralynnburnett's review against another edition
4.0
Wow- what a book! I think I’ve developed arthritis in my wrists from holding this tome too much over the past two weeks, that and thank goodness it was not a hardback because otherwise I’d have several black and blues across my face from dropping it while in bed.
However, it was all worth it.
Undset’s novel is actually three in one and I think it really should be read this way instead of breaks between since they are so seamless: The Wreath, The Wife, and The Cross.
The Wreath was by far my favorite of the three because the setting and cultural traditions were so new to me. The story follows a young maiden in rural, 14th century Norway – Kristin, and you meet her father, Lavrans, and her strange, silent, and depressed mother, Ragnfrid. You’re introduced to the main theme of the trilogy here: motherhood as you learn just exactly why her mother is so morose. You are also introduced to all the religion in this book, which I normally hate but it’s such a part of the culture at the time that it didn’t seem heavy-handed. Kristin is betrothed to Simon, but hardly loves him and is sent to a nunnery until she is older, but meets Erland, a good looking but excommunicated man currently living 'in sin' with judge’s wife and their two illegitimate children. They begin a passionate romance that will propel the plot for the rest of the novels.
The Wreath had it all – medieval customs, death, witchcraft, attempted rape, illicit romance, a strange fairy in the woods, a shocking confession from Ragnfrid – it was fantastic. If you’re going to read only one of these three books, read this one.
The Wife sees Kristin become the head of her household at Husaby, give birth to 7 sons, witness the marriage of her sister to her former beau, Simon, and you become an intimate witness to her gut wrenching estrangement from Erland. This book was all about what it is like to be a mother – both the good and the bad. There is more death, illicit love, political intrigue, and arguments and you’ll find yourself at times wanting to slap Kristin as she tries to apply her religious code to others.
The Cross is quite depressing and as I neared the end of it I found that I didn’t want to read it before falling asleep. You’ve spent a good 800 pages with these characters, you learn to love them despite all their faults, and then Kristin commits a major breach of local custom that brings dire consequences. The black plague then comes to Europe and …. I’ll leave it at that ;-)
However, it was all worth it.
Undset’s novel is actually three in one and I think it really should be read this way instead of breaks between since they are so seamless: The Wreath, The Wife, and The Cross.
The Wreath was by far my favorite of the three because the setting and cultural traditions were so new to me. The story follows a young maiden in rural, 14th century Norway – Kristin, and you meet her father, Lavrans, and her strange, silent, and depressed mother, Ragnfrid. You’re introduced to the main theme of the trilogy here: motherhood as you learn just exactly why her mother is so morose. You are also introduced to all the religion in this book, which I normally hate but it’s such a part of the culture at the time that it didn’t seem heavy-handed. Kristin is betrothed to Simon, but hardly loves him and is sent to a nunnery until she is older, but meets Erland, a good looking but excommunicated man currently living 'in sin' with judge’s wife and their two illegitimate children. They begin a passionate romance that will propel the plot for the rest of the novels.
The Wreath had it all – medieval customs, death, witchcraft, attempted rape, illicit romance, a strange fairy in the woods, a shocking confession from Ragnfrid – it was fantastic. If you’re going to read only one of these three books, read this one.
The Wife sees Kristin become the head of her household at Husaby, give birth to 7 sons, witness the marriage of her sister to her former beau, Simon, and you become an intimate witness to her gut wrenching estrangement from Erland. This book was all about what it is like to be a mother – both the good and the bad. There is more death, illicit love, political intrigue, and arguments and you’ll find yourself at times wanting to slap Kristin as she tries to apply her religious code to others.
The Cross is quite depressing and as I neared the end of it I found that I didn’t want to read it before falling asleep. You’ve spent a good 800 pages with these characters, you learn to love them despite all their faults, and then Kristin commits a major breach of local custom that brings dire consequences. The black plague then comes to Europe and …. I’ll leave it at that ;-)
debbiecuddy's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! This is one of the best books I have ever read and I loved every page of this long book! I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story and historical fiction. It was wonderful!