What do you think?
Rate this book
Dziewczę ze Słonecznego Wzgórza
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
ebook
First published January 1, 1857
16 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
About the author
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
788 books101 followersBjørnstjerne Martinus Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate "as a tribute to his noble, magnificent and versatile poetry, which has always been distinguished by both the freshness of its inspiration and the rare purity of its spirit."
Bjørnson is the author of the lyrics to the Norwegian National Anthem, "Ja, vi elsker dette landet".
Bjørnson is the author of the lyrics to the Norwegian National Anthem, "Ja, vi elsker dette landet".
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
January 22, 2015
Jeg ser det er mange som ikke liker denne noe videre, og jeg kan saktens forstå det. Synnøve Solbakken er ei fin, men ikke veldig actionfylt roman, som for dagens lesere også kan være ganske tung å lese. Enkelte steder er det vanskelig å følge med for en travel leser, særlig hvis du hører den på lydbok, slik som meg. Likevel syns jeg det er en god bok, og ikke minst en god representant for den typisk norske nasjonalromantiske litteraturen.
Jeg knyttet meg til disse to ungdommene, og jeg følte med dem. Tross i at boka er gammel, syns jeg reaksjonene deres var lette å relatere seg til, dessuten har teksten overraskende gode skildringer av kvinnelige karakterer, tidsepoken tatt i betraktning. Sånt sett er den bedre enn mange av dagens litterære verker, overraskende nok.
Den er vakkert skrevet, og gir liv til norske skoger og fjell såvel som unge, forelskede mennesker. Anbefales for alle som kunne tenke seg å lese litt kortere kanonlitteratur.
Jeg knyttet meg til disse to ungdommene, og jeg følte med dem. Tross i at boka er gammel, syns jeg reaksjonene deres var lette å relatere seg til, dessuten har teksten overraskende gode skildringer av kvinnelige karakterer, tidsepoken tatt i betraktning. Sånt sett er den bedre enn mange av dagens litterære verker, overraskende nok.
Den er vakkert skrevet, og gir liv til norske skoger og fjell såvel som unge, forelskede mennesker. Anbefales for alle som kunne tenke seg å lese litt kortere kanonlitteratur.
July 16, 2016
Synnøve Solbakken was a very short, light and cute read. If I was my romantic 12 years old self I would probably give it more stars. Imagine something towards "boy meets girl in picturesque landscape of the village in Norwegian mountains", in the middle of XIX century. Almost idyllic love story, not much stressful, sweet and innocent, surely moving towards the happy end between two protagonists, Synnøve and Torbjørn (guys, scandinavian names are so hot! I'm serious).
Another great Norwegian classic, Kristin Lavransdotter by Sigrid Undset was much more dramatic and eventful. Although I feel like there was some echo of Synnøve Solbakken in it.
So if you're looking for relaxing and fast read for one weekend's night - you can give it a try. On the other hand - there's a lot of "god this, god that, good god, please god", so consider yourself warned, if you're allergic. ;)
Another great Norwegian classic, Kristin Lavransdotter by Sigrid Undset was much more dramatic and eventful. Although I feel like there was some echo of Synnøve Solbakken in it.
So if you're looking for relaxing and fast read for one weekend's night - you can give it a try. On the other hand - there's a lot of "god this, god that, good god, please god", so consider yourself warned, if you're allergic. ;)
March 28, 2024
Przyjemna - trochę bajka, którą można czytać dziecku na dobranoc, tyle że bez fantastyki. Krótka, momentami urocza historia o miłości, dzięki której człowiek staje się lepszy.
May 3, 2019
A beautifully written love story by Bjornstjerne Bjornson. I've read enough of his books now that I'm beginning to detect a certain formula that he uses in telling the story. He first sets up the premise with an idyllic situation and then towards the middle of the book the main protagonist, through either stubbornness or pride, acts against his own best interest which creates tension and unease. He then brings it all back together. This pattern has become very obvious to me but I still enjoy reading his books. One of the things I really enjoy is his description of life in early rural Norway. Life during this time, which was the early 1900's, revolved around strong religious beliefs and a certain way of acting properly with each other. The differences between now and then are very obvious.
April 15, 2024
Fint sitat 🤍:
«Torbjørn hadde satt seg borte ved vinduet, og Synnøve gled hen til ham og la hånden på skulderen hans. ‘Hva ser du på?’ - Han vendte hodet, så lenge og mildt opp på henne, derfra ut igjen. ‘Jeg ser over til Granlien,» sa han; det er så underlig å se den herfra.’»
«Torbjørn hadde satt seg borte ved vinduet, og Synnøve gled hen til ham og la hånden på skulderen hans. ‘Hva ser du på?’ - Han vendte hodet, så lenge og mildt opp på henne, derfra ut igjen. ‘Jeg ser over til Granlien,» sa han; det er så underlig å se den herfra.’»
November 8, 2022
Koselig.
June 26, 2022
Fin, lättläst, fick Lagerlöf-vibbar av berättelsen om enkla människor och kärlek.
September 1, 2025
Dritkjedelig bok. At Bjørnson har den plassen har han i den norsklitterære diskursen e for meg uforståelig.
Ja vi elsker e ein bra sang då…
Ja vi elsker e ein bra sang då…
August 19, 2025
den var koselig da
November 19, 2023
«Du er ikke sint fordi Torbjørn danser (…)
Men du er sint, fordi han danser med andre enn deg?»
February 3, 2025
Det gammeldagse språket og de koslige illustrasjonene gir meg akutt behov for en engasjert norsklærer fra ungdoms-/videregående skole til å forklare meg hver enda detalj om historien, de språklige virkemidlene og hvordan den passer inn i litteraturhistorien.
Enn så lenge leser jeg den solo, og jeg føler jeg får NOE ut av den. Språket tar litt tid å bli vant til, og man må fortsatt gjøre noen double takes ila. fortellingen.
Såvidt jeg klarer å lese handler det om forbudt kjærlighet, forsoning og oppvekst. Man blir ikke så godt kjent med karakterene, noe jeg føler gjør boka litt grå: Jeg kan gjenkjenne det emosjonelle toppunktet mot slutten av boka, men jeg klarer ikke føle det.
Alt i alt en koslig bok. Sterk 3-er.
Enn så lenge leser jeg den solo, og jeg føler jeg får NOE ut av den. Språket tar litt tid å bli vant til, og man må fortsatt gjøre noen double takes ila. fortellingen.
Såvidt jeg klarer å lese handler det om forbudt kjærlighet, forsoning og oppvekst. Man blir ikke så godt kjent med karakterene, noe jeg føler gjør boka litt grå: Jeg kan gjenkjenne det emosjonelle toppunktet mot slutten av boka, men jeg klarer ikke føle det.
Alt i alt en koslig bok. Sterk 3-er.
March 16, 2016
In conjuction with the Theme of Nation building in our Norwegian class (Mandatory Mother tongue class), we were incouraged to read a work by one of the main campiagners for Norway's independence during that time. We ended up with this excerpt from the original Bondefortellinger.
The language is best described as Norwegian with a bit of an old fashioned sentence structure and a lot of old fromulations and words that are not used frequently by our generation. If one is fluent in Norwegian, it is not too big of a challenge understanding these less common words and phrases.
We are introduced to the Solbakken (The Hill of sun)) family and The Granlien (Hillside of Spruce) family. The Solbakken's farm is located on the sunny part of the vally, while the Granlien's fram is in the woods in the valley. Guttorm Solbakken is blessed with a daughter who diligently reads the bible every night. Sædmund is blessed with a son who also happens to read the bible every night, but not as diligently. Solbakken's daughter, Synnøve, is a lonely child and is considered the most beautiful and kindest girl in the valley. Torbjørn has at least three siblings (apparently the number wasn't too important) and is a bit more reckless.
The point of view autoral, so we are not as connected with the characters as I would've liked to. Once in a while one meets a weird mash of nature and animal describe projections, wich honestly makes no sence. However, I like the plot to a certain degree (She cries way too much) and will reward it with 3 Stars.
The language is best described as Norwegian with a bit of an old fashioned sentence structure and a lot of old fromulations and words that are not used frequently by our generation. If one is fluent in Norwegian, it is not too big of a challenge understanding these less common words and phrases.
We are introduced to the Solbakken (The Hill of sun)) family and The Granlien (Hillside of Spruce) family. The Solbakken's farm is located on the sunny part of the vally, while the Granlien's fram is in the woods in the valley. Guttorm Solbakken is blessed with a daughter who diligently reads the bible every night. Sædmund is blessed with a son who also happens to read the bible every night, but not as diligently. Solbakken's daughter, Synnøve, is a lonely child and is considered the most beautiful and kindest girl in the valley. Torbjørn has at least three siblings (apparently the number wasn't too important) and is a bit more reckless.
The point of view autoral, so we are not as connected with the characters as I would've liked to. Once in a while one meets a weird mash of nature and animal describe projections, wich honestly makes no sence. However, I like the plot to a certain degree (She cries way too much) and will reward it with 3 Stars.
April 5, 2016
2.4 stars, maybe??
I don't know what to think about this book, since I didn't understand everything that was written (it's a slightly different version of my language), so some of the content was lost to me...
I don't know what to think about this book, since I didn't understand everything that was written (it's a slightly different version of my language), so some of the content was lost to me...
June 22, 2019
Det er ikke den store dramatikken som skildres, men allikevel er det en fin bok, med preg av sin samtid. Vakre, romantiske naturskildringer, samtidig som den gir et blikk inn i de mørkere sidene av mennesket.
October 22, 2013
Ikke les den.
December 28, 2025
At first glance, to me, this book appeared deceptively simple: a pastoral love story set among the farms and valleys of rural Norway.
Yet on deeper reading I found that Bjørnson’s novella, one of the foundational texts of Norwegian national literature, was not merely a rural romance—it was a moral landscape in miniature, a study of character formation, social inheritance, and the ethical demands of love in a tightly knit community.
The story centres on Thorbjørn Granlien, the son of a once-respected family fallen into disgrace, and Synnøve, the radiant daughter of the prosperous Solbakken farm. Their relationship unfolds less through dramatic incident than through slow moral testing.
Bjørnson’s genius lies precisely here: he understands that in traditional societies, the true drama occurs not in spectacle but in reputation, self-discipline, and the struggle to overcome inherited shame.
Thorbjørn’s challenge is not poverty alone but temperament. He is impulsive, prideful, prone to violence—traits his community associates with his disgraced lineage.
Synnøve’s love is thus conditional in the highest ethical sense: she does not reject him, but she refuses him until he proves capable of mastering himself. Love, in Bjørnson’s vision, is not blind acceptance but moral demand.
Bjørnson’s prose is restrained, almost austere, reflecting the Lutheran moral seriousness of the world he depicts. Nature is omnipresent, but never ornamental. Hills, snowfields, and farms function as moral topography: Solbakken (“Sunny Hill”) embodies clarity, openness, and ethical steadiness, while Granlien lies shadowed by past excess.
Geography becomes destiny—but a destiny that can be resisted through effort.
What distinguishes Synnøve Solbakken from sentimental rural fiction is its refusal to idealize peasant life. The community is watchful, judgmental, and slow to forgive. Gossip operates as an informal legal system.
Honour is collective property, easily lost and painstakingly regained. Bjørnson neither condemns nor romanticizes this world; he presents it as a moral ecosystem that both nurtures and constrains human freedom.
Synnøve herself is one of nineteenth-century literature’s quiet triumphs. She is gentle without being weak, principled without cruelty. Her insistence that Thorbjørn change is not manipulation but ethical clarity. In her, Bjørnson offers a vision of feminine strength grounded not in rebellion but in moral authority—a figure who guides without dominating.
The novel’s national significance cannot be overstated. Written during Norway’s cultural awakening, Synnøve Solbakken helped define a distinctly Norwegian literary voice rooted in rural life, moral seriousness, and emotional restraint. Yet its appeal extends beyond nationalism.
The book speaks universally to the question of whether love alone is sufficient—or whether love must be earned through character.
In its quiet way, Synnøve Solbakken is a novel about redemption without melodrama.
Thorbjørn’s growth is gradual, uncertain, and incomplete, mirroring real moral change rather than fictional transformation. Bjørnson trusts patience over plot, integrity over intensity.
The result is a work that lingers not for its events, but for its ethical atmosphere.
Most recommended.
Yet on deeper reading I found that Bjørnson’s novella, one of the foundational texts of Norwegian national literature, was not merely a rural romance—it was a moral landscape in miniature, a study of character formation, social inheritance, and the ethical demands of love in a tightly knit community.
The story centres on Thorbjørn Granlien, the son of a once-respected family fallen into disgrace, and Synnøve, the radiant daughter of the prosperous Solbakken farm. Their relationship unfolds less through dramatic incident than through slow moral testing.
Bjørnson’s genius lies precisely here: he understands that in traditional societies, the true drama occurs not in spectacle but in reputation, self-discipline, and the struggle to overcome inherited shame.
Thorbjørn’s challenge is not poverty alone but temperament. He is impulsive, prideful, prone to violence—traits his community associates with his disgraced lineage.
Synnøve’s love is thus conditional in the highest ethical sense: she does not reject him, but she refuses him until he proves capable of mastering himself. Love, in Bjørnson’s vision, is not blind acceptance but moral demand.
Bjørnson’s prose is restrained, almost austere, reflecting the Lutheran moral seriousness of the world he depicts. Nature is omnipresent, but never ornamental. Hills, snowfields, and farms function as moral topography: Solbakken (“Sunny Hill”) embodies clarity, openness, and ethical steadiness, while Granlien lies shadowed by past excess.
Geography becomes destiny—but a destiny that can be resisted through effort.
What distinguishes Synnøve Solbakken from sentimental rural fiction is its refusal to idealize peasant life. The community is watchful, judgmental, and slow to forgive. Gossip operates as an informal legal system.
Honour is collective property, easily lost and painstakingly regained. Bjørnson neither condemns nor romanticizes this world; he presents it as a moral ecosystem that both nurtures and constrains human freedom.
Synnøve herself is one of nineteenth-century literature’s quiet triumphs. She is gentle without being weak, principled without cruelty. Her insistence that Thorbjørn change is not manipulation but ethical clarity. In her, Bjørnson offers a vision of feminine strength grounded not in rebellion but in moral authority—a figure who guides without dominating.
The novel’s national significance cannot be overstated. Written during Norway’s cultural awakening, Synnøve Solbakken helped define a distinctly Norwegian literary voice rooted in rural life, moral seriousness, and emotional restraint. Yet its appeal extends beyond nationalism.
The book speaks universally to the question of whether love alone is sufficient—or whether love must be earned through character.
In its quiet way, Synnøve Solbakken is a novel about redemption without melodrama.
Thorbjørn’s growth is gradual, uncertain, and incomplete, mirroring real moral change rather than fictional transformation. Bjørnson trusts patience over plot, integrity over intensity.
The result is a work that lingers not for its events, but for its ethical atmosphere.
Most recommended.
March 18, 2025
[2.5/5.0]
Lydbok, Operasjon Hjernerystelse.
Nasjonalromantikk møter realisme i en enkel kjærlighetshistorie fra landsbygda.
Høydepunktene i boka er de mange naturskildringene. Avsnittene der Torbjørn gir liv til skogens trær er rett og slett geniale! Menneskeskildringene er derimot langt mindre interessante. Karakterene virker for så vidt ekte nok, men ingen av dem er spesielt spennende.
Språket er… øh… gammelt. Det blir for mye eventyr, stev og ordtakliknende fraser. De andre norske klassikerne fra slutten av 1800-tallet som jeg har hørt de siste dagene var skrevet med et mye mer spennende språk. Jeg bør nok holde meg til bøker skrevet etter 1880.
Innleser er Morten Rørth, i 1977. Rørth leser gammelt og greit nok, men uten å skille mellom karakterenes stemmer, sånn at en enkel sjel lurer på hvem som sier hva.
Lydbok, Operasjon Hjernerystelse.
Nasjonalromantikk møter realisme i en enkel kjærlighetshistorie fra landsbygda.
Høydepunktene i boka er de mange naturskildringene. Avsnittene der Torbjørn gir liv til skogens trær er rett og slett geniale! Menneskeskildringene er derimot langt mindre interessante. Karakterene virker for så vidt ekte nok, men ingen av dem er spesielt spennende.
Språket er… øh… gammelt. Det blir for mye eventyr, stev og ordtakliknende fraser. De andre norske klassikerne fra slutten av 1800-tallet som jeg har hørt de siste dagene var skrevet med et mye mer spennende språk. Jeg bør nok holde meg til bøker skrevet etter 1880.
Innleser er Morten Rørth, i 1977. Rørth leser gammelt og greit nok, men uten å skille mellom karakterenes stemmer, sånn at en enkel sjel lurer på hvem som sier hva.
November 18, 2024
B.Bjørnsons debut som forfattar då han var 24 år. Historia er både ein del av nasjonalromantikken og realisme står det i forordet. Bonden er løfta fram som edel, from og arbeidssam. Elles er det ei vakker kjærleikshistorie mellom Synnøve Solbakken og Thorbjørn Granliden som har hatt eit godt auge til kvarandre sidan dei var små. Det er berre det at Thorbjørn har vore litt vel ilter og utemd til at foreldra til Synnøve ser han som eit emne for dottera. Far hans vil heller ikkje leggja inn eit godt ord for han. Det må ei nesten fatal hending til før far og son kjem kvarandre nær og den unge Thorbjørn går frå gut til mann. Rart å lesa ein klassikar ein trur ein har høyrt så mykje om og så veit ein ei
December 2, 2020
Jeg skal innrømme at denne overrasket. Den har stått på pensum i høst, så jeg hadde ikke noe valg, men det er en av de bedre eldre bøkene jeg har lest i år. Selv om historien er satt i en annen tid enn vår, kan man kjenne seg igjen i karakterene. Jeg ble dratt inn i livene til karakterene og kunne godt kjenne meg igjen i følelseslivet til karakterene. Også var det en kort bok da. Det er alltid et pluss.
September 30, 2017
As far as Norwegian classics go, it's worth a read. You'll need some pages to get into the feel of the book, and it's weird how side characters like Aslak fills so many pages with little to no substance in regards to the actual story. The actual story is a love story, and a sweet one at that. Worth a read, and will probably read again at some point.
September 9, 2019
when I started this I understood very little of the language of it and then it took me so long between each read that I kinda forgot the plot. But all that is such a pity, because when I got into it I really enjoyed to story and the characters and I also understood much more of the language towards the end.
March 26, 2020
Just like Arne, this was also a light, nice folklorish story from Norway. Beautiful descriptions of landscapes. If I were 15-13 y3ars younger, I would have definietly enjoyed it more. Now, it is a little simple.
July 11, 2023
A genuinely sweet story with the main narrative accompanied by short tales by side characters who add a bit of their backstory or opinions. I read the novella in the Czech translation by Božena Köllnová-Ehrmannová and enjoyed her style immensely.
September 24, 2025
Noe segen gammelnorsk i Hundreårsutgaven. Råskapen til Torbjørn er heseblesende i starten. Fortellingen blir gradvis mindre spennende, før slåsskampen i bryllupet skrur temperaturen opp. Dog jevnt over litt kjedelig.
November 4, 2025
Norwegische Klassiker bieten meiner Erfahrung gemäß bisher unglaublich viel! Bjørnson steht einem Ibsen in nichts nach wenn es darum geht, die philiströse Gesellschaft anzuklagen, während er hier auch noch eine wunderschöne Liebesgeschichte hinzudichet.
September 14, 2017
Kjedelig, men søt slutt.
January 1, 2020
Cute love story set in a Norwegian village
January 2, 2021
Classic
Read
September 6, 2021pilny student czas
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews