A review by serendipitysbooks
Kristin Lavransdatter, II: The Wife by Sigrid Undset

4.0

Both richly detailed and yet wide in scope. Much of the book focuses on Kristin’s family life - particularly the births of her children, the deaths of her parents and other family members. In doing so it covers a lot of culture - both traditional beliefs,p and church influence. There was also a lot of political machinations which gave this the feel of a sprawling epic. Much of the plot revolves around Kristin’s first child being the result of pre-marriage conception. The guilt and shame associated with this, not to mention the differing standards men and women were held to, the impact of patriarchal beliefs ( women’s virginity being the property of the father), and the hypocrisy of men involved as both lovers and later fathers made for some uncomfortable reading for me - someone of modern and liberal bent. But this is not a negative commentary or the book which I’m sure just accurately portrays society at the time. A fully immersive read.