Wayfarers

August-trilogien #1

by Knut Hamsun

The novel portrays the wayfarers August and Edevart's experiences while they travel around in Norway for more or less random work. The trilogy continues with August three years later, and concludes with The Road Leads On in 1933.
The events in Wayfarers take place between 1864 and the 1870s. The entire trilogy describes the conflict between a traditional subsistence economy and a modern commercial and industrial society, as it emerged in Norway in the second half of the 1800s and the early 1900s. August is the main character that ties the three novels together.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Scandinavian Literature, Literary Fiction, Literature, 20th Century, Adventure

460 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1927

About the author

Novels of Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun (born Knud Pedersen), include Hunger (1890) and The Growth of the Soil (1917). He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1920.

He insisted on the intricacies of the human mind as the main object of modern literature to describe the "whisper of the blood, and the pleading of the bone marrow." Hamsun pursued his literary program, debuting in 1890 with the psychological novel Hunger.

Reviews

[Nora Barnacle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lutalice su divna, topla i nežna knjiga sa ukusom zimskih bajki, ali ne onih koje pričaju bake da ugreju, odagnaju strahove i ražeste maštu, već onih koje pričaju dede, da ojunače: sa konkretnim događajima, fantastično stvarnim likovima, pravom srčanošću, ozbiljnim izdajama i raznim životnim zgodama i nedaćama iz kojih sam moraš izvući nauk. Nema upadica i zapitkivanja, ali je dozvoljeno da malko čeprkas prstom po dedinom brku dok ga slušaš (ta, pogledajte samo tog Hamsuna!).

Taman toliko je ovaj roman romanisran i toliko je lirski.

Hamsunova snaga je u prisutnosti, u lakoći sa kojom realnost prihvata i objašnjava, u spremnosti na sve i ništa. Ovaj roman je pisao nadomak sedamdesete godine života, pa je to sve pojačano zrelom smirenošću, pomirljivošću i opčinjenošću životom, onom pravom – iz iskustva. Da, da, otvoreno propagira desničarske principe i ovo bi se moglo posmatrati kao oda nacionalizmu (pre svega norveškom, a zapravo ideji „Ostajte ovde“), ali neostrašćena, razborita i ubedljiva. Kako bilo, radije biram da ga posmatram kao velikog, vanvremenskog pisca kome pripadaju svi prostori ovog sveta.

Priča je beskrajno uzbudljiva, dinamična od prvog do poslednjeg slova. Iz vizure sveznajućeg pisca (kome je to što sve zna posao, a ne izuzetnost – dakle, bez trunke oholosti), pratimo nekoliko likova koji su ovako ili onako upleteni u život nepismenog, ali vrednog i bistrog Edevarta iz malog ribarskog seoceta na severu Norveške, negde na dnu božijeg zadnjeg džepa. Naravno, on ima i prijatelja: hvalisavog lažovčinu, dovitljivog smutljivca i cmizdravog kukavicu koji je vraški inventivan i prijatelj do srži odan. Njih dvojica se sreću u detinjstvu i prepliću tokom čitavog života, snalaze se kako znaju i umeju, nailaze na trista čuda (sve ovozemaljskih). I na ljubav, naravno! Zar bi Hamsun to izostavio?!

I ovde su Hamsunovi junaci ljudi od krvi i mesa, a žrtve isključivo svojih sopstvenih demona, dok život teče kroz prilike i neprilike koje se smenjuju sa ili bez reda. Što pre shvatiš da ti je simbioza sa tim demonima neminovnost i pronađeš nekakav modus vivendi, pre ćeš uhvatiti ritam života. Za razliku od Gladi i Pana, ovde je tema Should I stay or should I go: otišao ti čak u Ameriku gde damice nose šešire sa pantljikom i spavaćice sa karnerima a livade kose grdosije od mašina, ili ostao da krpiš ribarsku mrežu i godinama isušuješ metar po metar močvarne pustopoljine, svoje demone nosiš sa sobom, pobeći nećeš. A ti vidi šta ćeš. No, ako se Hamsun pita, ostani, bre, tamo gde su ti koreni i gde te svi poznaju, kakve Amerike, kakvi bakrači! On sam je bio. Dva puta! Video. Zna o čemu govori. Uostalom, evo ti deset epizodnih likova, vidi kako se provode i kakvi su to jedni ljudski otpaci. Al' dobro, ako te baš pundraci toliko bockaju - šta ćeš, idi. Neka ti je srećan put.

Diskretna su sva stilska poigravanja, po najviše sa dijalozima. Lako, jasno, tečno. Takav je i prevod Flavija Rigonata, na žalost – sa engleskog.

Ko voli klasike iz kojih je istrešena sva ona prašinčina dosadnih opisa i razvlačenja, neka ne propusti. Nije ovo tih lektirskih 500 strana.

[Ratko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Занимљива прича о норвешком северу с почетка ХХ века, сиротињи која ту крпи крај с крајем и о проблему исељавања становништва у САД, у потрази за бољим животом.
Главни лик практично води живот путујућег трговца, па ћемо кроз његове авантуре видети како изгледа живот обичног сељака, његово потуцање по мору и копну како би се зарадила која пара, али и описе тренутака опуштања и љубавних заноса.
Помало преопширно, али не пише Хамсун лоше, напротив.

[Nataša · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volim da čitam Hamsuna. Volim njegove divne opise, njegove divne zemlje :) svaki put po završetku knjige imam utisak da sam i fizički boravila u Norveškoj, ne samo mislima.
Ovaj roman je, u odnosu na prethodne koje sam čitala, nešto obimniji, po mom mišljenju bespotrebno...čini mi se da se radnja neprestano vrti ukrug..pretpostavljam zato da bi nam bolje dočarao život svojih lutalica. Nije mi nijednog trenutka bio dosadan, samo mi se čini da bi se sve moglo ispričati i na manje stranica i da time ne bi izgubio na veličini...naprotiv.
Poruka priče postaje jasna već na polovini drugog toma (uzeh Lom-ovo izdanje na sajmu), ako ne i ranije. No dobro, neću zanovetati, jedna dobra četvorka za početak uspešne čitalačke godine :)

Iako je "Glad" na mene ostavila najjači utisak (tematika je ipak nešto teža od ostalih koje pročitah), nekako mi se čini da su mi "Plodovi zemlje" definitivno favorit.

[Bettie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Translated from the Norwegian by James McFarlane

First line - Two men came trudging northward from the neighbouring village.

This has 460 pages and if a passing librarian can enter that in the blurb box then I could watch my progress and be very happy indeed. Sorted thanks to Dear Hayes.

Page 45. There is mention of a boat called The Seagull and for some reason my mind threw out 'unlucky name' so I went looking for a boat with that name, which seemed to fill me with trepidation. Couldn't find one however I did find this little treasure, a list of boats and ships in fiction; who knew! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_...

A little later - think my dread of The Seagull comes from an icky little book.

4* - Hunger
4* - Mysteries
4* - Wayfarers

[David Haight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Hamsun received the Nobel Prize he isn't widely read anymore. This is a shame. His quiet books have a lot to say about the effect of modern times on man. In this book many of Hansun's themes are on display: restlessness, the effect of industrialization on mankind, Hamsun's dislike of technology in favor of a more agrarian, simple living, the importance of friendship and so on. This is the first in a three part series - although they are only loosely connected. The book focuses on two friends. For me there is a melancholy in his writing that really makes him worth reading and the last few pages, for me at least, have stayed with me for over 10 years. Very good stuff.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, to be able to live the life of a VAGABOND. Really enjoyed this poignantly rich gem from one of my all-time favorite authors KNUT HAMSUN. Fave lines: "He had no one to talk with, for he was too lowly to mingle with the snobs and too snobbish to mingle with the lowly"&"Rich he was not and he never claimed that he was; but he wore beautiful blue clothes, owned a silver watch and had a few dollars in his pocket" & "The crab must proceed patiently on its long backward journey to the place from whence it started." Loved the wild escapades of the young brash character AUGUST and his more conservative thoughtful friend EDEVART. Great juxtaposition of personalities through various wanderings in times of both happiness and grief. This dense tale is indeed one of those books for the ages. Great read.

[Michael Canoeist · Rating 4 out of 5]

My edition of this first in Hamsun's "August" trilogy was entitled Vagabonds, and translated by Eugene Gay-Tifft. (No listing for that edition here in GoodReads.) A big canvas on which Hamsun depicts numerous intertwined characters' lives, focusing primarily on two on-again, off-again traveling buddies Edevart and August. Though little-known today, this is a major work by this Nobel Prize-winner. Great character studies all through, but the reader will identify most with Edevart's crises of love, work, friendship and destiny. The principal tension underlying much of the plotting is the excitement of change, versus the risk of loss it brings. People are leaving the small town of Polden for other places, including America, and sometimes returning -- are they happier? They seem less happy to some of the stay-behinds. Does an increase in one's possibilities offset the restlessness and lack of depth, or rootedness, that such freedom brings with it? Were the Poldeners happier when they stayed on the land, keeping their one or two cows, and working with the seasons -- despite some degree of privation? I could not be sure which of these choices Hamsun himself favored; he wrote both alternatives accurately. One of the little changes mentioned along the way caught at my heart: Edevart's brother complains that some farmers were raising cows to slaughter to sell the veal to rich families, instead of naming them and keeping them as part of the farmer's own family, as they had always done before. This book from the 1920s is moving, often funny, and different from most contemporary fiction -- it's satisfying.

[Bojan Mihajilovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always wonder if Knut Hamsun is a really good writer, or he just had very nice period to write about.
His characters are resilient and passionate, enjoying good times and struggling through bad ones, knowing that changes are part of the life and nothing last forever. This book is about two friends' search for their place in that vibrant world. Nothing occupies them for too long. The road is their only destiny.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first foray into Norwegian Lit. And it was great - something entirely different. It sort of had a Hardy-ish feel to it. At least, there was some of that grim tied-to-the-land attitude about the villagers. I love how Hamsun brought out the tension between being content (or at least accustomed) with what you have (even if it's a struggle to survive), and the drive to see, be, and have more. Really wonderful writing, I must say. I'm sitting back now, letting it all sink in. Hamsun goes a step further than Hardy, I think, showing what happens when individuals try to rise above their fate, try to improve their lot. Many things are lost, and what is gained? That seems to be the big question. Is knowing, seeing, and having more really "being" more? It's hard for us 21st century folk to comprehend not having access to the wealth of knowledge we have now. The idea of just living with things as they are - I have trouble imagining it.

A great book on many levels. It raised a lot of questions.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seen through the life of Edevart, a simple, steadfast man from a small Norwegian village whose friendship with the roguish and nomadic August inspires in him the desire to lead a wandering life, Wayfarers is concerned with roots and restlessness, progress and its effects on humanity - big themes taken on through the minutiae of a life - and gently argues the case for a simpler, materially poor but more spiritually satisfying way of life.

Filled with lots of characters that all feel like real people - no black and white but a mass of short tempers, pride, generosity, deceit, love, arrogance and every other thing you could think of - it seems like not much is happening while absolutely loads is going on at the same time. Sometimes funny, sometimes infuriating, sometimes sad, it's a hard book to pin down and review!

While this sometimes also required patience to get through it (it's rather hefty after all) I was nonetheless still as interested in the goings on of agrarian Norway by the end as I was in the beginning, and if you're in the mood for something thoughtful, meandering and perceptive, you could do a lot worse than by taking this on.

[lyell bark · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is ok but someone from la public library poked out the front cover's balls with the metal bit tip of a mechanical pencil, hard enough to leave an impression like 50 pages into the book. pretty cool. either

a] a prudish librarian did not want the delicate eyes of knut hamsun readers to be assulted by a busy walking man's pubes and balls

or

b] a prudish reader of knut hamsun saved as all from aforesaid.

truely life is full of magic and mysteries. speaking of mysteries read that, hunger, or even pan before this one. thanks bye

[Magnus Trætteberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like god som Markens Grød imo. Beskrivelsene av mennesket fra bygden i møte med moderniseringen og fremtiden - og vise versa er et gjennomgående der vi følger enkeltindividers mig og levnet og deres ringvirkninger på andre.

[David Aasen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessant å lese om opptakten til det moderne samfunnet i Norge, selv om det tidvis ble litt langdrygt og uengasjerende for min del.

[Faris · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Lutalice" su složen roman o životima ljudi na dalekom sjeveru, u ribarskim gradovima, koje ne veže mjesto...
O ljudima koji "lutaju" na svojim plovilima u potrazi za ribom, novim mjestima, prilikama. U traganju su za putevima vlastitih života.
Ovo je ujedno i priča o naivnosti, o ljubavi, o pohlepi... Slojevito, jako...

Nije mi se svidio pripovjedački stil, s malo dijaloga, i imam osjećaj da bi to moglo imati veze s prijevodom ovog romana. Možda griješim, ali mi je ponekad djelovalo da je ovo radna verzija nekog prevedenog teksta koji tek treba da se uređuje.

U prvom tomu glavni junak luta rodnim krajem, u drugom je to puno dalje putovanje. Možda se odlučim čitati i drugi tom, ali za sada.... pa, nisam siguran.

[Kristian Røymo · Rating 4 out of 5]

En nydelig historie om Edevart og August, med sitt unike vennskap, og deres møte med modernisering og den store verden. En stille og fin bok, med fantastiske karaktera, humor, god dialog, realistiske vennskap og forhold, deilige hint av romanse og ikke minst en idyllisk representasjon av en liten grend i vårt vakre og kjære land.
Glede mæ til å lese de to andre bøkeren i denne serien. Hamsun❤️!!!

[Max B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the last Hamsun I’ll read this year. Enjoyed every second.

[Tuva Kongshaug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nesten på Markens grøde-nivå denne! Det lover bra for de neste bøkene i serien

[Edvard Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boken skildrer Edevart og Augusts rastløse liv, preget av stadige nye steder, karakterer og situasjoner. Til tider oppleves boken litt repetitiv og langdryg, med Edevarts forsøk på å finne ro som stadig avbrytes av Augusts påfunn. Samtidig er det jo nettopp denne syklusen som understreker Edevarts indre konflikt, mellom ønsket om stabilitet og tiltrekningen til et hva et omstreifende liv som landstryker har å by på.

Denne konflikten var høyaktuell i tiden Hamsuns skriver om, med amerikautvandring og modernisering som bakteppe, men den treffer på et vis enda bredere i dag – ien globalisert verden med umiddelbar tilgang på Instagram-influensernes spennende liv, utfordres også vår ro og glede ved det nære og stabile.

Trengte jeg 350 tettpakkede sider fra Hamsun for å fortelle meg det? Antakelig ikke, men det ga meg tid og ro, stabilitet om du vil, til å filosofere litt om det underveis. Hvor mye til landstryker har denne Edvarden lyst til å være?

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hamsunove knjige obožavam, ali ovde se nismo našli.

[Descending Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third Hamsun book ive read this year and the best. I loved this book, it's just great and the story just moves so naturally and effortlessly, its true that your never gunna need a dictionary when reading Hamsun but who needs to be able to string along aload of big words when your just a phenomenal storyteller like Hamsun. This is kinda like another novel by Hamsun ~ Growth Of Soil, it follows a cast of characters over a number of years as they struggle though life, though all the ups and downs and the changes, there's murder, grave robbing, restlessness and loss love. They are just great characters. One being August, he tells all these tales of adventures that are most likely bullshit but you still want too hear them and the others know he's most likey lying but they love him anyway. What i also like about this book and other Hamsun books is that there is never any throwaway characters or any events that don't pay off someway. It's just a great book. This is the first book in a trilogy, the other two books are pretty hard to come by which makes me sad because i would love to read more, but if i don't get a chance to read the others at least i have this, a great story.

With this book ive reached my goal of reading 50 books this year which is awesome. Now onto the next book!

[Harald Seljåsen Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

En bedre historie om tilhørighet har jeg lett lenge etter. Hamsun klarer å skildre hele kysten mens Edvart og August farer opp og ned med sine påfunn. Dynamikken mellom de to hovedkarakterene, hjembygda, kjærlighet, arbeid, tilhørighet, klasse og utvandring.

Med noe lokalkunnskap om plassene som skildres, og et generelt overblikk over Norges geografi, gir denne romanen et særegent stort visuelt landskap å drømme seg bort i. Jeg skal være ærlig at et par mannlige tårer ble felt opptil flere ganger. Karakterene er stakkarslige og utilhørlige. Likevel føler man gjennomgående en barmhjertig medlidenhet overfor guttene.

Om det er en liten del jeg vil trekke spesielt frem, er det samtalen I landhandelen på Fosenlandet hvor den gamle nabobonden og utvandreren til Amerika diskuterer lykke. Det er et gjennomgående tema hos Hamsun, men her integreres det så sømløst gjennom en sidekarakter.

Gled deg, fryd deg, for dette er en slager.

[Juan de Dios Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gustó mucho. No voy a descubrir yo qué buen escritor es Hamsun! pero además de ser una grata lectura, uno se va involucrando con los personajes principales, llega a quererlos e identificarse un poco con ellos sufriendo y gozando con sus desventuras y aventuras; la descripción del ambiente natural también es muy grata y cercana. Todo esto es, naturalmente, esperable que lo fuera por parte de un buen escritor, pero además permite conocer muy de cerca el ambiente y estilo de vida de la Noruega rural de hace ya más de cien años atrás y eso es otra ganancia en el libro. Por si fuera poco, también nos va mostrando la metamorfosis de las personas y las sociedades humanas sometidas a distintas pruebas, su "evolución"... Me gustó mucho

[Terje · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.75/5.0]

Lydbok, Cappelen Damm 2024, lest av Nils Johnson, Operasjon Hjernerystelse.

Nok en flott historie om rotløshet, nyrydding, fiske, den staute bonden og naturen.

Vi følger Edevart og August som flakker rundt i landet, August også rundt om i verden, uten at noen av dem klarer å finne ro eller slå seg ned noe sted. Handlinga finner sted i en tydelig brytningstid mellom det tradisjonelle bonde- og fiskersamfunnet, og moderne impulser fra byene og Amerika. Mye av spenninga i boka dreier seg om det tradisjonelle mot det nye, det norske mot det utenlandske og stedfasthet mot utvandrertrang. Er overflod og materielle goder er det som skal til for å skape et godt liv? Eller er et nøysomt liv på en enkel gård nok også for denne generasjonen? Det virker nokså tydelig at Hamsun holder en knapp på de gamle tider!

Boka har mange gode personskildringer. Edevarts forhold til Lovise Margrete blir beskrevet på en nydelig måte. Av og til blir August i overkant lettbeint, og Edevarts mange antipengekrangler med søsknene virker litt søkte, men hovedinntrykket er troverdighet og ekthet.

Interessant er «den gamle klokkejøde» Papst framstilt med ømhet og kjærlighet. Han er riktignok utspekulert og går ikke av veien for å snyte en kunde han misliker, men han er svært god på bunnen og varmhjerta som få. Ikke noen spor av antisemittisme fra Nazi-Knut her!

Skrivestilen er lett og ledig, humoristisk og muntlig. Naturskildringene mangler noe av inderligheten fra f.eks. Pan, Den siste glede og Markens grøde. I denne romanen er det menneskene som står i fokus.

Innleser er Nils Johnson. Jeg prøvde meg også litt på Trond Espen Seims innspilling fra 2021. Han har en god stemme, men lesestilen var totalt blotta for innlevelse, og nordlandsdialogen blei framført med klingende østlandstonefall. Jeg måtte tegne et abonnement på en ny lydboktjeneste for å få tilgang til Johnsons som alltid svært gode innlesing! Han er en mester til å gi personene gjenkjennbare stemmer, liv og karakter.

[Paul Gaya Ochieng Simeon Juma · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, let us talk about Knut Hamsun. He was and still is described by other quarters as the Nazi Novelist. He grew up in poverty just like his main character in the Wayfarers, Edvart. He spent his time travelling and working as a tram driver. He had a deep admiration of Germany and Hitler. The author had two wives whom he lived with. He wrecked havoc at his home and in his life. He hated Ibsen and was jealous of him and his works. He worshiped Hitler and longed for Norway to become a part of Germany. When Hitler committed suicide, he sent a condolence note to the German People. Despite all these, he rose to be "the soul of Norway". He was celebrated as a writer and was even awarded a nobel sfter his masterpiece "the Growth of the Soil".

In this novel, Hamsun looks at the lives of two vagabonds as they travel Norway looking for work. August and Edvart struggle with poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy. Despite all these, they are able to survive as they look for work. They face great challenges and have to keep running away from place to place in order to evade some angry customers who have been deceived by their deceitful business practices. They also look for love which has also proved elusive. In the end, Edvart becomes rich and successful. Without education and technology. That is a central theme in Hamsun's novels. He was against civilization and believed that man could earn a decent living from exploring the earth.

[César Torres Hernández · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leí Vagabundos de Knut Hamsun y aunque Augusto da nombre a la trilogía, fue Eduardo quien me dejó pensando.

Al principio pensé que eran vagabundos sin ofinicio ni beneficio, pero Eduardo y Augusto solo son trabajadores que no pueden estar en un mismo lugar por mucho tiempo. En una Noruega rural que empieza a transformarse, ambos personajes vagan entre trabajos temporales, conversaciones y paisajes que ya no les pertenecen.

Pero hay algo más: el eco de la migración. Está muy marcado el tema de la migración a Estados Unidos, la búsqueda de oportunidades de toda una comunidad que siente que en su tierra ya no hay un futuro prometedor.

Vagabundos no es solo una novela rural. Es una historia sobre desplazamiento, sobre identidades que se desdibujan, y sobre cómo el mundo moderno empuja a los personajes a elegir entre adaptarse o resistir.

En tiempos donde la migración sigue siendo tema urgente, esta novela nórdica nos recuerda que el cambiar de lugar de residencia no siempre es elección. A veces, es la única forma de seguir adelante.

[Hans Moerland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Het lezen van 'Zwervers' behelsde voor mij de kennismaking met het werk van Knut Hamsun. De naam van deze schrijver kende ik misschien al een halve eeuw of langer, maar ik had nog nooit iets van hem gelezen. Ten onrechte dus, wat een verteltalent legt hij hier aan de dag, deze (later in politiek opzicht toch wel uiterst bedenkelijke) winnaar van de Nobelprijs voor Literatuur 1920.
'Zwervers' is een buitengewoon onderhoudend boek, dat wat mij betreft nog honderden bladzijden meer had mogen bevatten. Vermakelijk vond ik het dat het, hoe bijzonder, af en toe herinneringen opriep aan de door mij als kind verslonden en de afgelopen jaren aan mijn kleindochters voorgelezen verhalen over de wereldreis van Bulletje en Bonestaak, van A.M. de Jong en G. van Raemdonck. Zwerver August heeft verdacht veel weg van de permanent fabulerende roerganger Ouwe Hein - of omgekeerd, natuurlijk.

[Maksim Prokopiuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Какие люди нужны человечеству? Человечеству нужны всякие люди"

Не могу назвать философской, не могу назвать простой. Селение Поллен в некотором смысле Россия в миниатюре. Разные персонажи - это все мы. Но, конечно, в книге раскрывается образ скитальцев. Именно поэтому она меня и заинтересовала. Я надеялся получить ответы на свои вопросы или мысли для своих умозаключений, но...это книга описательная, сага, история. Бродяг сложно понять, но они нужны миру, т.к. они (как в этой книге) несут перемены. А перемены, какие бы они не были, это основа всего. Но не думаю, что сразу приступлю ко второй книге, т.к. всё-таки тяжеловата, суховата.

[Harald · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel takes place in a small village in Nordland county in the 1870s. Initially poor and isolated, access to the Lofoten fisheries brings money and a thirst for adventure to the young protagonist Edevart, who finds an ally, but also a counterpart in August. Whenever Edevart appears vacillating and at times ineffective, August is full of inventions and a drive to work. He serves as a deus ex machina<(i> that drives the plot forward where the novel would otherwise have stopped.

The large gallery of characters surprises with the breadth of notable women. The novel is also characterized by a rich language with words and expressions taken from several Norwegian dialects.

[Alfred Ingmår · Rating 4 out of 5]

Här finns en berättarglädje som jag påminns om att jag bara stött på i litteratur innan andra världskriget. Den typ av roman som tar ett brett grepp på samhälleliga förändringar i skiftet mellan 1800 och 1900-talet, som vågar behandla psykologiska arketyper och mönster sida vid sida av mycket konkret historisk analys.
En relativt vanlig uppfattning om Hamsun, med tanke på hans hitlervänlighet, är att han är ett litterärt geni som är svår att tycka om. Det kanske stämmer.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

'We lived in Polden and went fishing in the winter and lived as well as we could from year to year. That was good enough for us. We had no cause to complain to God. He kept us alive and did not foresake us.'

'So it comes and goes. Indeed it does. Everything comes and goes, but some things go under. It cannot be otherwise.'