Kristin Lavransdatter read-along | 2025

[TimeforaGandT]

Following on from The Count of Monte Cristo read-along in the first half of 2025, we are reading Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset for the second half of 2025.

The medieval epic tells the story of a passionate and headstrong woman from childhood in three books : The Wreath, The Wife and The Cross.

It’s a majestic 1124 pages in the Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition which has been translated by Tiina Nunnally and this is the edition I am using for page number references. Kudos to anyone who is reading it in the original Norwegian.

There are 67 chapters in total (if I have counted correctly) and the consensus is to read three chapters a week / one every two days with Sundays off. I have ignored the Introduction as part of the read-along as, in my experience, there are often contain spoilers.

Starting on Monday, 7 July our first week looks like this:

The Wreath – Part 1 (Jørundgaard)

Monday / Tuesday – Chapter 1 (pages 5 to 21)
Wednesday / Thursday – Chapter 2 (pages 22 to 37)
Friday / Saturday – Chapter 3 (pages 38 – 47)
Sunday – day off

I will try and tag all those who have previously expressed interest.

Is everyone still on track? I am finding it quite hard to not fall behind or get too far ahead. I think with three chapters a week it is quite hard to work out when to post. Will try to do better!

Apologies kinswomen, I just haven’t been able to keep up with this one. Not the book’s fault as I’m enjoying it but my reading time has plunged recently. I am still reading (actually listening) when I can, and really enjoying reading the thread, but have only just finished book 2.

I am back on track - I tend to read all the chapters at once.

Feeling sorry for nearly everyone (except Erlend) at the moment. Kristin is increasingly isolated now that Simon has cut contact, seems to be responsible for running the estate and marrying her sons off/keeping them out of trouble. Simon's revelation has damaged his relationship with Ramborg and I sympathise with both of them as Simon can't help how he feels (but might have been better off keeping quiet) and Ramborg has no control over the situation but must very much feel second best. Erlend seems oblivious to everything.

It's interesting to hear more about the sons as they grow older as they have not really been fleshed out as characters and individuals until now. Trouble ahead!

This week's chapters are:

Part III
Chapter 2 pages (845 - 863)
Chapter 3 pages (864 - 891)
Chapter 4 pages (892 - 907)

@CornishLizard - don't worry, you're not hugely behind us but I can see you may be trying to avoid spoilers.

I'm a bit behind as well, just starting book three. I'll contribute to the discussion again when I'm up to date. Thanks for keeping the thread going!

Morning kinswomen! I finished last week’s chapters this morning. I am also tend to read them all in one go as to be honest I find it hard to put down once I get going. I am still really enjoying it.

Poor Simon, for such a grown up responsible man, he often lacks real self awareness, or has been repressing his feelings so hard that as someone said, it’s a dam burst when they come out. He resembles the late Lavrans quite a lot in that he doesn’t really understand the easy sexual relationship that has been the real bond between Kristin and Erlend. Or perhaps he does a little - when he was observing Erlend at the property negotiation he almost seemed to find him attractive, and resented it badly.

Confession time - despite Erlend’s “perpetual nonchalance,” I liked that phrase from Kristin, it’s her way of thinking about his eternal uselessness - I did find him pretty hot during the fight scene! 😳 And before that, when he solves the problem with the land dispute with his knowledge of law and contracts etc. It’s competence porn - he was v capable at both! Shame he can’t be as capable in other areas if his life!

Agree it’s fascinating to see the boys grow up. Who thinks Naavke got that girl pregnant and she made up the rape story? Perhaps? Hard to tell. But it’s interesting how hard Kristin pushes her away given the parallels with her own youth.

Perpetual nonchalance - it's exactly the phrase that leapt out at me. It's clearly driving Kristin to distraction, and now she has lost Simon's steady support and advice.

Erlend just lives in the moment, and makes no plans for the future at all. We have a friend just like that but amazing opportunities just keep falling into his lap, so maybe this will happen to Erlend too.

I'm also still behind. I'm on chapter 2 of the last part of book 2. I will get there, but I am still finding it less compelling than others - and am keeping up with the thread as overall, it isn't a hugely spoiler based tale.

I did really enjoy the dialogue during the illness and death of Lavrans, everything from his chats with Rangfrid to Kristin. I will miss Lavrans.

Re opportunities for Erlend - I found the evolving politics later on interesting - it seems other noblemen have come to the same conclusion as him about the King, but as he says, won’t actually do anything about it. He was brave to lead the rebellion before (though an idiot to let slip the plans). I keep being torn between, maybe something will change and Erlend will regain his former status, or maybe he’ll just have a “stupid death” (like in Horrible Histories) because that would be just like him.

Agreed that Erlend did display his competence with the contract situation etc and is clearly capable of arranging a rebellion/coup which makes me think that much of the time he simply can't be arsed to do things (such as the day to day running of the estate).

I am in two minds as to whether Naakkve was the father of the child. He clearly slept with her but given the official line that she was pregnant already maybe he didn't realise she was already pregnant and therefore thought he was responsible for the pregnancy initially hence the red face etc.

Just finished this week's chapters. I am longing to discuss but will wait to avoid massive spoiler!!

Ooh - intriguing. I will switch books and prioritise this week's chapters!

I have caught up with last week but not read this week's chapters yet. I am not sure if I am imagining it - but chapters seem to be getting longer. I agree it was interesting to hear more about the boys personalities.

I have finished The Wife. I’ve been following the thread which is way more insightful than anything I have to offer.

Main thoughts without particular insight are:

• I continue to love Lavrans
• I like Erlend a lot more than Kristin
• I have really enjoyed the tone and pronunciation with the audio, although it was quite nice to finish up reading the chapters myself
• Awwwwww Simon
• 7 friggin boys!!!!

Will get started on book 3 tomorrow.

Great comments @AgualusasL0ver .

I have finished this week's chapters and it was quite eventful.

I know! Waiting for others to catch up.

I have finished this week’s chapters too - very emotional as well as eventful (so much so that I kept reading into next week).

I have caught up.

😢

Can we talk now?

Yes, we can talk!

So sad. Reminds us how easy death was in those days. 42, no age at all, and so much unfulfilled. Poor Simon. A good man. Who even managed to speak well of Erlend on his deathbed.

I agree with the poster upthread who said they like Erlend better than Kristin at the moment. Erlend has done nothing wrong here (although he did plenty and failed to do plenty in the past); he was wise about the knight and stopped Naakkve going off with him; Kristin is allowing her anxiety to get the better of her and projecting it all onto Erlend. She is a good advert for the perils of ruminating and over thinking. By the end of this section she seems completely isolated.

Very sad chapters, this loss has really left Kristin without her rock, even though she kept her distance since the falling out between the men, Simon was always there in the background.

Although she is by no means perfect, and does have a tendency to take things too much to heart, and analyse her own level of sin and wrongdoing, find it irritating that it's expected that she has to do all the forgiving and make the first move to make amends with Erlend, when he has flounced off and just left everyone.

I do think Erlend was weak to walk out on Kristin though. He might have lost his estates, but he still is the head of his family living in a fairly violent society and he should be there to protect his children even if he isn’t getting on very well with his wife. It’s a completely different situation to when he left in the last book when his absence could be excused because he was furthering his family’s interests. The book has a lot about the role of the chieftain, and Erlend fails at this as much as he fails as a husband because ultimately he just doesn’t shoulder his responsibilities (as noted earlier, his sloping shoulders are very apt).

Simon’s death I wasn’t expecting - I do think Sigrid Undset was very uncompromising in describing how his relationship with Kristin ends, in that she recognises that he has everything that Erlend lacks, but she still can’t love him. Another author might have allowed Kristin to end up with him (eg if Erlend died and Ramborg ran off) or Kristin to realise her true feelings for him on his deathbed (I think one of Thomas Hardy’s novels (the Woodlanders?) ends like that). With his death, Kristin has lost her protector.

I had a lot of sympathy for Ramborg in this part - the rift between the households is clearly better for her marriage, but she also tries to protect her sister by still talking to her. She also clearly recognises Simon’s true feelings, but she remains affectionate towards him.

Very sad to see the death of Simon. Although I struggled with his relationship with the young Ramborg, he was otherwise a good man trying to do the right thing. And how is Ramborg going to cope as Simon seemed to run everything (estate and house).

Kristin's problem (as she pretty much admitted to Simon) is that she wouldn't be happy in any scenario. She can't or won't get over the way Erlend behaved pre-marriage so can't be happy with him; but she acknowledged that if Simon had held her to their betrothal that she would not have been happy with him. Her whole life has been blighted by her refusal or inability to move on / forgive and forget how Erlend and she behaved. Whilst I attribute the majority of the blame to Erlend as he was older and more worldly, she could have refused to meet him (except in public).

I thought it quite odd that when Erlend came to church that Kristin rushed off without speaking to him. I know that she rushed home to sort out food etc but it looked like she was avoiding him (both to him and the rest of the congregation) and surely if you have not spoken in months then that would be your priority.

Not sure how long it will take Kristin to fulfill her promise to Simon to make peace with Erlend but she is going to be very isolated if she doesn't do so.

Just wanted to say that I'm still here though very behind! Really struggling with work and haven't had enough time to read. Hope to catch up with you all over the next few days. xx