June 7, 2017

Review: Kristin Lavransdatter

Kristin Lavransdatter
Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I feel silly trying to review this book. Maybe not silly, maybe more like out of my league. This was my second time through (and if you haven’t read it, look at the page count and be impressed). It was good to read it again…the first time I kept waiting and hoping for the Disney fairy tale ending. But it’s about Norway in the Middle Ages. So there are things like war, and snow, and the plague. The first time through I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t a “happy ending.”
However, on the second read, minus the edge-of-your-seat quality of wondering what could possibly happen next, I was able to appreciate the beauty, struggle, and joy of life. A hard life, a complicated life, and a sinful life, but life tied to the church and the saints, tied to family, driven by love. Kristen and her father make the same point, which I think sums up my take-away the second time through the book: as hard as life is, in the end they both found themselves grateful for both the joys and the sorrows, and reluctant to imagine existing without the full measure of both.
Kristen Lavransdatter is gripping, immersive, and full of thanksgiving for the stuff of life. You should read it…preferably at least twice.

View all my reviews

Share:
Posted by Christina
At 11:45 AM

Post a Comment

Welcome

Christina is a writer and mother of five who usually has a book in her hands and dirt under her nails. Grab a cup of tea, and come join the fun!

Subscribe

Search This Blog

Twitter Feed

Currently Reading

Letters
The
Writing
The
Earth
The
Unruly
Paradise

Categories

1000 Book Challenge

1

Ars

18

In search of beauty

Credo

96

Matters of faith

Domum

58

Homeward-towards a Christian home

Familia

211

Life as a family

Home Schooling

44

Notes on our learning journey

Libri

75

Books

Paideia

30

In search of wisdom

Res publica

21

The things of the people (sometimes known as politics)

Uncategorized

34