I thought Undset did a fine job in depicting the rural communities, the social customs, and the Church’s strong influence. I expected it to be more difficult for some reason. It is surprisingly easy to read given the time in which it is set as well as the fact it’s a classic – it is completely accessible. Having now satisfied my curiosity about this writer, I’m of two minds about the novel itself. The time period fascinated me, as well as the fact that it was written by a strong voice in European literature with Undset being one of the youngest recipients of the Nobel Prize as well as only the third woman to receive this honor. In 1928, Sigrid Undset won the Nobel Prize for Literature for “her powerful pictures of Northern life in medieval times.” Naturally, I was quite curious to read this book. Undset moved to Norway at the age of two, and this series takes place in that country during the early fourteenth century at a time when the Catholic Church was firmly established and played a significant role in the lives of its people. Published in 1920, The Wreath is the first volume in the Kristin Lavransdatter medieval trilogy written by Danish born Sigrid Undset. "She whimpered silently in fear at the inconstancy of her own heart and at the transitory nature of all things.”
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