Kristin Lavransdatter - The Wreath

Originally published in Norwegian in 1920 and set in fourteenth-century Norway, The Wreath chronicles the courtship of a strong-willed and passionate young woman and a dangerously charming and impetuous man. Undset recreates the historical backdrop in vivid detail, immersing readers in the day-to-day life, social conventions, and political undercurrents of the period. Her prose combines the sounds and style of Nordic ballads, European courtly poetry, and religious literature. But the story Undset tells is a modern one; not only does it mirror the political and religious anxieties of post-World War I, but it introduces a heroine who has long captivated contemporary readers. With her defiance of her parents' disapproval of her suitor and her headstrong pursuit of her own happiness, Kristin emerges as a woman who not only loves with power and passion but one who intrepidly confronts her sexuality.