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.

I thought it was because she is being presented publicly by her father/family to all their friends and aquaintances as a maiden (hair down and wearing the wreath) so it is embarrassing for them that they were presenting her as such when she wasn't really.

I found the conversation between Lavrans and Ragnfrid, in the barn after the wedding, powerful and moving. It was beautifully written (and translated) and clarified so much of the backstory that we have been speculating on. I felt deeply sorry for both of them.

Contrast with Kristin, who has stubbornly held out for the man she fell passionately in love with. It's the first few days of married bliss and it's not clear that she's going to be any happier.

It explained so much of their marriage and really gave insight into why Lavrans couldn’t understand his daughter. Only now is he acknowledging what he has missed.

In fact his outright refusal to recognise Kristin’s grown up sexuality is the flip side of his lifelong repression of his own.

Last week's chapters finally saw Kristin having doubts and experiencing guilt. In a way, it's very sad as she spent so long fighting for what she wanted and now she is getting Erlend she is not able to be happy. Trying to work out how old Kristin is now - 19? Think she was 15 when she went to the convent and it said she had waited three and a half years to be wed to Erlend.

I had wondered about her fertility given the number of occasions on which they appeared to have been together without a pregnancy. Erlend seems to be incredibly unobservant if she is 20+ weeks pregnant and he hasn't noticed even allowing for the fact that she might not have a bump with her first, there would be changes.

Like others really enjoying the domestic detail - Erlend's house sounds rank!

Lavrans and Ragnfrid become more tragic with each revelation about their past. I wonder if they might find some peace at least together after their post-wedding conversation.

This week's chapters are:

Book 2
Monday / Tuesday - Chapter 2
Wednesday / Thursday - Chapter 3
Friday / Saturday - Chapter 4

No page numbers as I forgot to check before heading to work!

Thank you TimeforaGandT!
I'll read them later on.

'Erlend's house sounds rank!' I couldn't agree more!

I felt these lines at the close of chapter one were apt; 'So', he said merrily as they came out onto the road again, 'now we'll ride home to Husaby, my Kristin, and be as happy as two thieves'. They haven't been honest with each other or with her parents. Their dishonesty has cast a cloud over their union. Kristin has chosen a hard path. She has her work cut out for her.

Thank you @TimeforaGandT

That was an interesting chapter. Erlend’s behaviour was less than admirable, as usual, but Kristin is very stubborn. He is weak, she is stronger. He will realise this.

I thought the ending was very moving and explained a lot about Lavrans and Ragnfrid’s relationship. I think while Lavrans focuses on realising what he has missed, the reader also needs to take into account what the book shows us about what he has achieved. He was clearly put in an impossible situation very young, but has tried to make the best of it. Although he wasn’t able to respond to Ragnfrid’s feelings for him how she might have liked, he has respected her and has sacrificed his own chance of a more fulfilling relationship by remaining faithful to her. He is also clearly immensely successful and popular as a landowner - I also thought about the Little House on the Prairie books (particularly Farmer Boy) when reading the text although for me it was due to the references to Lavrans’ horses. It’s very easy to imagine that he has the patience and self-control to break and trains fantastic horses because it is keeping with the rest of his personality.

In contrast, no-one who has had a more passionate relationship seems to have benefitted from it. Ragnfrid is haunted by her past, which has certainly paid a toll on her family too. Fru Aashild is exiled from her family. Éline and Arne end up dead. Erlend has wasted his youth and his fortune. There’s another dimension to this, which is that the main characters are all from the nobility, so they all have obligations to the families who work for them - Lavrans’ choices have made life better for his retainers and tenants, and we are now seeing that life on Erlend’s estate isn’t so comfortable. In some ways Lavrans and Erlend mirror each other - while Lavrans regrets what he has missed, Erlend is wishing to display his new wife to try to regain the respect he has lost. There’s also the judgment of the reader to consider - I also would probably consider Lavrans to be my favourite character whereas Erlend quickly loses his initial glamour once we learn more about him.

It’s also striking that while in the first book Kristin’s similarity to Ragnfrid was noticeable, after her marriage we can see her resemblance to her father. She may be haunted by her earlier behaviour, but she also decides to make the best of it (I think there is a comment saying that she would think it sinful not to make the most of the manor). The author’s description of household details that was mentioned earlier, really does get across how squalid the manor is with the image of the fine fabrics covering the filthy straw (it’s also very tempting to extend the imagery to Erlend’s character). Then there is Erlend’s unattractive eating habits and Kristin’s sadness at the uncomfortable state of the manor after the Christmas feast compared to the standard ses she was used to at home. It’s clear that Erlend just doesn’t measure up to her father and this does not bode well for their relationship.

Kristin's homesickness and loneliness are very evident in these chapters.
Erlend continues to be a disappointment.

It's not that he's a mean or a bad man, but he is weak. Really less than ideal and he compares so poorly with her father.
I wonder if he will ever be any different.
My heart was in my mouth reading chapter four.

There was an amusing comment in chapter 3 or so contrasting Erland with his brother and noting that Erland had « drooping » shoulders or something like that. I chuckled - slopey shoulders, what a surprise! That man doesn’t take responsibility for anything!

I liked Erland's brother in this section. Erland himself still seemed a bit useless but did at least care about Kristin. And the backstory about his parents was interesting.

I am about unsure whether Kristin is so fixated on Eline due to guilt or jealousy. Maybe both - with a heavy dose of homesickness thrown in.

The birthing traditions were interesting and terrifying in equal measure. I was particularly struck by how tiring it was for the supporting women as well as Kirstin herself.

This week's chapters are:

Book 2
Monday / Tuesday - Chapter 5 (pages 372 - 384)
Wednesday / Thursday - Chapter 6 (pages 385 - 410)
Part II
Friday / Saturday - Chapter 7 (pages 413 - 429)

Back later with my thoughts on last week's chapters....

I really felt for Kristin in the last chapter, I had a long labour, the thought of doing it without pain relief is alarming!

I was sad that they sent Erland's son away, just as he and Kristin were beginning to bond. She really has managed to isolate herself as she can't admit to her father that she had betrayed his trust in her.

She likes and trusts the farmer's wife, but she is pushed aside by the other women. Looking forward to this weeks chapters

I felt very sorry for Orm too, and his sister who was too young to be there, so both children are isolated. They have lost their mother after all. Erland has also put them in the position of being disinherited - now he has a son with Kristin, it’s certain Orm will never inherit from him because of his illegitimacy. It’s completely irresponsible to bring children into the world and not be able to provide for them (generally and in this particular historical and legal context).

Hello again. I have finally caught up with you again after a month off! I thought the labour scene was harrowing and very true to life - perhaps because I gave birth without pain relief too, I really felt her exhaustion. The walk to Nidaros (barefoot?) was fascinating. I looked it up on Google maps (and presuming I got the right starting point) it would take about eight hours on foot. No wander she was tired.

I only started this week, and was putting it off, but I remembered I have the audio too so caught up (almost, just one more chapter).

The references to religion, penance, sin is A LOT. Back at the weekend for more thoughts once everyone has read this week.

The long trek sounded so difficult. Thanks for the information Buttalapasta about how long it was. Wearing rough clothes, without any provisions and carrying her young baby in a sling, ensuring his safety and well-being, I think she has paid her dues.

I'm not sure I completely grasped what was happening concerning the king. Is Lavrans a royalist or not? I got a bit befuddled. It was a long chapter. I might read it or someone here might explain in ten words or less.

I haven't read this week's chapters yet as I am still too annoyed by Erlend.....

For Erlend, it was clearly all about "the chase" as since he has married Kristen he has made no effort at all. His house and estate are in disrepair and she is the one trying to improve things, he doesn't even speak to her in the evenings or provide any entertainment (music, games, stories), he doesn't consider she might need support during and after the birth. Kristen was parenting his son more than he was. He has no redeeming features and she really is paying dearly for falling for his flattery.

If this was AIBU, everyone would be saying LTB.

The writing of the birth scene/chapter was excellent in conjuring up the pain, exhaustion and unrelenting nature of the experience.

You're not going to love him this week either, Time. Kristin seems to be doing the penance for both of them!

Exactly what Fuzzy said!

I read part of that chapter twice and am still confused! I don't think it's at all clear so I'm hoping we don't have to understand it in detail, just know that there is trouble brewing.

Thanks Buttalapasta :)

Thank you Fuzzy and Agualusa - I will brace myself!

Even by his own standards, Erlend is particularly dreadful when his son is born. It is his third child, so he has no excuse for not putting in place things that would help Kristin.

It was also instructive seeing Erlend from Lavrans’ perspective (I did find it funny when Lavrans prays for the strength to put up with Erlend’s visit). Previously, we’ve seen Erlend mainly from Kristin’s point of view where he moves from a heroic, romantic view towards the role of a more villainous seducer - but once we see him from Lavrans’ perspective he becomes a more lightweight and trivial figure. I found it striking that Lavrans can’t dislike him - even though he is a disappointment as a son-in-law / feudal lord he just isn’t consequential enough to hate. It’s also becoming clear that Erlend is easily influenced by stronger characters (as shown by Erlend putting his estate in order during the time Lavrans is staying with him).