Reviews

The Saga of Gösta Berling by Selma Lagerlöf

ippa's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

jmatthiass's review against another edition

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2.0

I can't find the quote right now, but Strindberg said of Lagerlöf something like, "I hate her fairy stories." Me too, August. Me too. Too romantic and whimsical to be enjoyable. Pulp.

jarichan's review against another edition

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2.0

Ein Klassiker, der mir immer wieder begegnet ist, dann auch noch von der vielgeliebten und vielgelobten Selma Lagerlöf. Natürlich musste ich die Saga um Gösta Berling also lesen.

Leider sind wir nicht miteinander klar gekommen; das Buch war für mich leider eine herbe Enttäuschung.

Die Geschichten, die erzählt werden, gaben mir nämlich gar nichts. Weder konnten die Figuren mein Interesse wecken, noch erfuhr ich sonderlich viel über das Leben im damaligen Schweden. Ich habe mir extra Bilder der Umgebung angesehen, in der Geschichten angesiedelt sind, und es ist eine wundervolle Gegend.

Davon konnte ich in dem Buch aber nichts spüren. Überhaupt hatte ich für alles nur ein müdes Schulterzucken übrig. Nichts konnte mich irgendwie faszinieren, ergreifen oder meine Neugierde wecken. Dinge geschehen halt. Und dann geschieht noch etwas mehr. Von mir aus.

Lagerlöf habe ich damit für mich persönlich abgehakt. Ihre Kinderbücher werde ich nicht ganz aus meiner imaginären Liste streichen, aber die Titel für die erwachsene Leserschaft scheinen mich nicht einzuschliessen. Also lasse ich es wohl.

Auch wenn ich es natürlich wirklich schade finde, einen Namen wie Selma Lagerlöf aus meiner Leseplanung entfernen zu müssen.

proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

"Äntligen stod prästen i predikstolen." Så lyder den välkända inledningsmeningen i Gösta Berlings saga. Även om man inte läst boken (eller sett filmen) så har de flesta hört talas om majorskan och kavaljererna på Ekeby, ledda av den avsuttne prästen Gösta Berling. Så även jag, men jag blev lite förvånad över att majorskan inte förekom mer i handlingen. 

Jag har tidigare läst bland annat En herrgårdssägen och Körkarlen av Lagerlöf som jag har älskat. Jag tyckte också väldigt mycket om Herr Arnes penningar, så jag är lite besviken över att jag inte tyckte bättre om Gösta Berlings saga. Jag ogillar den inte, men jag upplevde språket en aning för "pompöst" (i brist på ett bättre ord) och jag hade svårt att hålla isär alla karaktärer. Jag kan erkänna att jag skummade vissa partier, men jag är glad att jag till slut har läst denna klassiker.

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vikola's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

overdramaticsoprano's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

dannem's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

micaela11's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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sbeerens's review against another edition

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3.0

I found this a very hard book to form an opinion of. Lagerlöf's novel reminds me in no way of any other book I've ever read other than the old Icelandic sagas (hence the title, I suppose), but because it's written many centuries after that, its style also involves some lyrical elements and the story is set in another age.
I could appreciate Lagerlöf's courage and originality to publish a work like this in her day and age, but neither her writing style, nor the story by itself impressed me all that much. Selma Lagerlöf is one of the heroes of Swedish literature and this book is on every Swede's to-read list, but I don't entirely see where the fuss is coming from. This book just has too many characters, too many magical and mythical elements and is altogether too strangely put together for it to be "great".
It was an okay read, but not more than that.

harpirl's review

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4.0

This book in many ways was a pleasure to read. I found myself really enjoying the prose in which Lagerlöf writes. I can definitely see why she had won the Nobel piece prize in literature.
The story itself isn't particularly happy, in some was it was bit depressing at times. It tells the story about not only one man, Gösta Bering, but spends quite a bit of time relating the adventures of other characters in the story. There was also a good telling of certain myths surrounding the area and village these characters live in, which I think made the story a bit more unique.
Overall, It was an enjoyable read. I would say the first half of the story was better.