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Sigrid Undset
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Ida Elisabeth: A Novel Paperback – September 20, 2011

by Sigrid Undset (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 67 ratings
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In this compelling drama about fidelity, sorrow and forgiveness, Nobel Prize-winning author Sigrid Undset tells the story of Ida Elisabeth, who marries her teenage sweetheart, Frithjof, in an effort to redeem her reputation. Early in their marriage, she realizes that her charming husband is incapable of supporting the family and she sews dresses to make ends meet. When Frithjof becomes involved with another woman, Ida Elisabeth leaves him and moves with her children to a small town.

Still young, the admirably hardworking Ida attracts the attention of a successful lawyer, who possesses the manly virtues that her husband lacked. As she contemplates marrying again, Frithjof, now gravely sick, re-enters her life.

Unlike Undset's famous historical novels, which are set in medieval Norway, the story of Ida Elisabeth opens in 1930. As in Undset's other fiction, however, Ida Elisabeth poignantly illustrates how poor choices affect the course of a person's life and how the suffering endured because of grievous mistakes can become the means by which a love is purified.

With its setting in modern times, Ida Elisabeth examines the difficulties inherent in male-female relationships as they are experienced in contemporary society. Undset's descriptions of the Norwegian people and countryside coupled with her profound understanding of the human heart won her worldwide literary acclaim. Both are powerfully displayed in this moving story about fidelity and mercy.

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  1. Print length
    425 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Ignatius Press
  4. Publication date
    September 20, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 1 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    158617424X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1586174248
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Undset is a realist in the truest sense of the word. She sees the real world in which people face the bitter consequences of selfish choices and in which suffering is unavoidable and yet potentially redemptive. In her acclaimed historical fiction, Undset shows us that the acceptance of suffering is the beginning of wisdom and also, paradoxically, the path to peace and lasting joy."
- Joseph Pearce, Author, The Quest for Shakespeare

"Undset's skillfully crafted novel explores with devastating simplicity and realism the quiet, hidden heartbreak experienced by a woman living with the consequences of a loveless marriage. The heroine's journey takes place within the evocative landscape of 1930s Norway but in many ways, it is a timeless portrait of the loneliness and guilt suffered by so many men and women when marriages break down. It will ring true with contemporary readers living at a time where marriage is so little appreciated and supported by society." 
-Fiorella de Maria, Author, Poor Banished Children

About the Author

Sigrid Undset, a renowned literary author and one of the most acclaimed novelists of the 20th century, won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1928 for her epic work Kristin Lavransdatter.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ignatius Press; First Edition (September 20, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 425 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 158617424X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1586174248
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 67 ratings

About the author

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Sigrid Undset

Sigrid Undset

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Sigrid Undset (20 May 1882 – 10 June 1949) was a Norwegian novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928.

Undset was born in Kalundborg, Denmark, but her family moved to Norway when she was two years old. In 1924, she converted to Catholicism. She fled Norway for the United States in 1940 because of her opposition to Nazi Germany and the German invasion and occupation of Norway, but returned after World War II ended in 1945.

Her best-known work is Kristin Lavransdatter, a trilogy about life in Scandinavia in the Middle Ages, portrayed through the experiences of a woman from birth until death. Its three volumes were published between 1920 and 1922.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Aage Remfeldt / Aage Rasmussen (1889-1983) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
67 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

A.C.D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Counter-cultural tale of sacrifice and redemption
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2017
Verified Purchase
Undset is a writer through and through, and she goes deeply into those things that make us most fully human. In this book, Ida Elizabeth wrestles with the painful dichotomy between what she wants to do and what she believes is the right thing to do. Ida does not sugarcoat the pain she endures in her choice to sacrifice. At the same time, her story is a moving example of how in the end, Love redeems all things.
4 people found this helpful
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ABH
5.0 out of 5 stars Undset is a master storyteller
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2016
Verified Purchase
Undset is a master storyteller, an accomplished writer and a developer of character like no one else. Our Book Club discussed this one for hours and we could have gone on much longer! Find in here the drama of family, of mental capabilities, the sorrows and faithfulness of marriage, and above all the complexity of motherhood. The Nobel prize winner does not disappoint.
3 people found this helpful
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Sean
4.0 out of 5 stars No Kristin, but worth the read
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2024
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This novel falls short of Undset's masterpiece, Kristin Lavransdatter, but still provides a moving modern setting for her favorite, age-old themes like the tensions between love and duty.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Ida Elisabeth - a strong Norwegian woman and mother to be proud of.
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2016
Verified Purchase
A beautiful story, written in her inimitable style. She weaves the storyline and characters in such a way as to reveal them layer upon layer. I loved all of her books about medieval Norway, but this is also wonderful at portraying the times in Norway early in the 20th century.
3 people found this helpful
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Kristine
5.0 out of 5 stars Ida Elisabeth
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2014
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The lessons learned and the mistakes made by the main character are of the kind that grip half the air in your chest and hold on to it; the writing is great! I'm about to circle my way back to the book with a fresh cup of coffee to nestle in and read it's last pages. I may be reading Ida Elisabeth again.
7 people found this helpful
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Leslie Irene
5.0 out of 5 stars A rare gem of a writer...
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2013
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Her descriptive powers are rare, so genuine...Unset's voice is barely audible behind the gorgeous prose. Like having a angel describe the scene, the setting, and all of the nuances...this is a tale of ordinary life made extraordinary by bitter circumstance. The translator also deserves an Oscar!
4 people found this helpful
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Gwen in Kentucky
2.0 out of 5 stars Poor Translation
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2012
Verified Purchase
I was excited to read another book by this author but unfortunately it is not good. It seems to be the translation which makes it sound silly at times.
4 people found this helpful
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Christina M
4.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for fans of Undset
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2013
Verified Purchase
As a fan of Sigrid Undset's works, I was very happy to see that Ignatius Press is reprinting some of her lesser-known novels. I hope to see more from them in the future. Undset is a Catholic writer in every sense of the word - her appeal is universal but the subtle themes of faith echo throughout her works. Ida Elisabeth is considerably less epic in scale than Kristin Lavransdatter or Olav Audunsson, but no less enjoyable for all that.

Like Undset's more famous heroine, Ida Elisabeth is another woman who finds herself paying the price for romantic recklessness in her youth. After her reputation is damaged by the discovery of her sexual escapades with the feckless Frithjof, she feels that he is her inevitable destiny - for better or for worse. His total inability to hold down any decent job for a significant amount of time forces Ida Elisabeth into the role of breadwinner. It can be a bit jarring to read the novel and realize how rapidly things have changed in the past century - in the 19th century Norway, a woman who worked to provide for the household was totally unnatural and reflected badly on her husband. As in all Undset's novels, no character is entirely sympathetic. Frithjof is amazingly immature, but as lovable as the overgrown child he is. Ida Elisabeth is as hard-working as her husband is lazy, but she seems to lack a backbone. The modern woman in me wanted to scream at the way Ida Elisabeth permits herself to be taken advantage of by her cheerfully callous in-laws. They are very true to life - how many of us know people who happily railroad everyone else around them, blissfully unaware of how grossly selfish they are.

But Undset clearly intends that we not mistake her kindness for weakness. After Ida Elisabeth manages to free herself from her man-child of a husband and begins a new life with her children, a new suitor appears on the scene. But just in time to disrupt the fairytale ending, Frithjof drops back into Ida Elisabeth's life, in desperate straits and in need of her care. In an act of self-sacrifice nearly incomprehensible to readers accustomed to "empowered" characters who pursue their own desires, Ida Elisabeth lovingly cares for him for the sake of her children - and for his own sake. No, there isn't the "happy ending" that we expect - but we learn much about redemption and about the true meaning of love. I highly recommend this for fans of Kristin Lavransdatter. I didn't experience any issues with the translation, or with the Kindle edition.
19 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

June C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on August 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
beautiful story, beautifully written.
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