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.

Welcome MagpieCastle - that's a real connection to the book!

I am already behind having been away this week but planning to catch up shortly!

Oh sad chapter.

Now caught up.

I enjoyed the artistic monk in Chapter 2 although I suspect we will not see him again.

Chapter 3 was very sad. Interesting to see Ragnfrid became revitalised with the birth of her second daughter. It's not clear if the sons who died came before or after Kristin but perhaps after given her age. Kristin could perhaps feel slighted that she was not sufficient to make her mother happy whereas the birth of her sister was but I think the order of births and deaths would be significant. A terrible accident which looks as if it will have long-lasting consequences both physically and emotionally.

Thank you for the lovely warm welcome ❤️

I really like the way the writer gets us to follow the story from Kristin's perspective. For example, the argument between Ragnfrid and her brother, Trond in ch3. We don't actually witness it but get a sense of the anger from what Kristin learns that morning. Like Kristin, we're trying to understand what went on between the siblings, what might have been said. It's interesting seeing Kristin's view subtly shift as it occurs to her that there was 'something about her mother that was not was not as it should be - that she was different from other women'

May I join? I adore KL and will tey to re-read along.

All welcome pikkumyy77!

Welcome, welcome new readers!

Interesting how Ragnfrid is being portrayed. At the start she is given this incredibly negative persona, gloomy and anti social, who has suffered terrible loss, then rejuvenated by the birth of the new child, and there is clearly some backstory to come out yet about what she did that she seems to believe she is being punished for. Feel very sorry for Kristin who is beginning to realise that her mother feels differently about her.

An interesting range of characters though, I'm enjoying it but having to try quite hard not to break down every event into a Mumsnet thread but it's quite hard (AIBU to think they shouldn't have let DCs play on a building site? Oh, but we were right there watching...)

I know, that's what I felt in Chapter 1 when they all went to sleep and Kristin was able to wander off on her own and in Chapter 2 when Lavrans happily abandoned Kristin to the care of an unknown monk for the day - MN threads about irresponsible parenting and stranger danger! Times were very different and I need to get adjust to the medieval way of life.

Good points about all the shocking instances of lack of safeguarding!!

Like you @TonTonMacoute I was struck by the mother's guilt and self-hatred.

One aspect of the book I like so far is the way Christian beliefs and folkloric beliefs (also with a supernatural aspect) coexist side by side. You have the priests, but also the dwarf woman and Fru Aashild. This is typical of some of the medieval literature I've read.

@cassandre there is a book I read last year which looks at the link between Anglo Saxon Christianity and older belief systems - not as dry as it sounds!

It makes sense I suppose, as a way to spread a new belief system, attach it to the already existing one.

This week we're reading:

Monday / Tuesday - Chapter 4 (pages 48 - 60)
Wednesday / Thursday - Chapter 5 (pages 61 - 73)
Friday / Saturday - Chapter 6 (pages 74 - 80)

Page references are to the Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition translated by Tiina Nunnally (as pictured at top of thread).

I’ve made peace with my non-Tina edition. Though am yet to start.

I've just got my edition (new translation) and am slowly catching up. Enjoyed Chapter 1.

Fru Aashild is developing into an interesting character, wise and astute. The scene with Sira Sigurd when the wine and ale goes to his head is pretty tense. It feels like we're learning more about what might be behind Ragnfrid's concerns.

Well, DS1 listened to me and took the book back to the shop today. So Kindle new version incoming.

Things certainly warming up in chapter 4. Poor old Ragnfrid has a lot on her plate, with her annoying DB plus some secret in her past.

I'm a bit disappointed with Fru Aashild much younger husband though, fat and balding and a bit arsey by the sound of it.

Agreed TonTon. He doesn't sound much of a catch!

Poor Ragnfrid. She is such a deeply unhappy woman. It's strange that the secret from her past involves Fru Aashild who is spending all the time in her home without acknowledging they knew each other before.

Was it “The Anglo Saxon Year,” @TonTonMacoute ? I found that v interesting, the grafting of Christianity onto the Old Gods, as it were.

As an aside, I wonder if Tolkien read this before he wrote LOTR? There’s something very Goldberry about the elf woman with the golden wreath.

(Have been catching up, finished chapter 3, loving it, the descriptions of nature are beautiful and Kristin’s perspective is excellent).

Agree that they let Kristin get up to all sorts for such a treasured daughter - I too was thinking, Oh no! When she went off with the artistic monk!

@MotherOfCatBoy No, it’s called Winters in the World by Eleanor Parker.

It’s quite a short book and is divided into the seasons. I read it all at once but I might re read it a season at a time.

Fru Aashild is very good at defusing potentially difficult situations. An interesting character - surely there must be more to her husband than meets the eye.

Yes, and there is a lot going on there with the brother, Trond, who has now stormed off. Perhaps lots of backstory and some explanation for Kristin’s mother’s state of mind?

I'm trying to figure out why Fru Aashild doesn't approve of Simon for being fat and cheerful. Kristin doesn't fully understand and neither do I. Has it got to do with the sin of gluttony, overindulgence? Maybe it's shameful to enjoy food too much. Finding a thin, melancholy friend doesn't sound much fun but it fits in with a frugal, puritanical way of life.

Yes, I thought that was a bit obscure too, but I think we were meant to because Kristin doesn't know either, and I think we will gain understanding when she does.

Thanks TonTon! We will have to wait and see!

There’s a bit of comparison with Arne going on (and the way Lavrans is described) that might hint that Simon isn’t as lean and muscular as them, so therefore perhaps not as hard working? We would see this as outdated now but in their society, maybe fat = lazy?
Did make me laugh when Kristin thought he bounced everywhere like a ball…