The Wreath

Published in 1920, “The Wreath” is the first book in the “Kristin Lavransdatter” trilogy by the Nobel Prize winning Norwegian author Sigrid Undset. Beloved for its historical and cultural accuracy, the stories follow the life of the main character, Kristin Lavransdatter, a fictional Norwegian woman living in the 14th century in the Gudbrand Valley in Norway. In “The Wreath” readers are introduced to Kristin at a young age at her family’s prosperous farm. Kristin often clashes with her loving family and, while kind and gentle, she becomes willful and headstrong. Her family is beset by repeated tragedies and her life is upended when her reputation becomes tarnished. In response, she is sent to a nunnery by her parents and her life takes a dramatic turn. There she falls in love with an inappropriate man and engages in a scandalous affair, much to the disapproval of her pious parents. Beautifully written and poetic, “The Wreath” captures both the details of this ancient world and creates characters who share all the same passions and shortcomings as those in the modern era. Undset’s classic continues to be treasured in Norway and read all over the world.