Olav Audunssøn

In the second volume of Olav Audunssøn, the characters grapple with their troubled past while trying to forge a new life together amidst political and familial turmoil.

The second volume in the Nobel Prize-winning writer's epic of medieval Norway, Olav Audunssøn continues to showcase Sigrid Undset's fluid and natural style with a new English translation, the first in nearly a century. Set against the backdrop of Norway's tumultuous fourteenth century, the narrative weaves a tale of political strife and familial vendettas, centering on the lives of Olav Audunssøn and Ingunn Steinfinnsdatter. Betrothed in childhood and raised as siblings, their deep love ignites a chain of tragic events marked by betrayal, murder, and disgrace that resonate through generations.

In Olav Audunssøn, specifically in the volume titled Providence, Olav returns to his ancestral estate of Hestviken, bringing Ingunn home as his bride. They aspire to leave behind their troubled past, yet the shadows of previous sins and dark secrets loom large. The weight of familial obligations and the consequences of their past choices threaten their newfound happiness, demonstrating that the echoes of their history are not easily silenced.

Undset's narrative paints a vivid picture of life in medieval Northern Europe, where the interplay of royalty, religion, and bloodlines shapes existence. Her meticulous research into legal, religious, and historical texts imbues Olav Audunssøn with authenticity, while translator Tiina Nunnally captures the essence of Undset's lyrical prose. The result is a rich and moving portrayal of a bygone world, filled with emotional depth and the haunting specter of sin and retribution.