I absolutely loved how the last quarter of this epic saga ended. While the first three volumes were filled with drama, suspense, violence, honor and duty, this volume takes a turn and focuses on Olav watching the world - his children, grow up and looks at settling them down. He is just on this side of his fifty but already world worn and sunken cheeks.

Olav lived a life of misery, lost love, duty, and regrets. But there is dignity and honor. There is a legacy left behind. The conclusion marks end of an era, of the Master of Hestviken estate.

<i>Thanks to University Of Minnesota Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The fourth and final novel in Sigrid Undset’s masterpiece of historical fiction, Olav Audunsson IV: Winter (translated by Tiina Nunnally) has recently been released. I really can’t praise this quartet enough. Please read the series in sequence — I: Vows, II: Providence; III: Crossroads, and finally, IV: Winter. This new translation manages to be both spare and beautiful.

The novels are set in 13th-14th century Norway, a generation before Undset’s Nobel Prize-winning Kristin Lavransdatter.

The story follows the life of Olav Audunsson from childhood until death. He is a God-fearing man. He inherits property and eventually becomes a wealthy, respected member of his community. And his whole life is centered (for good and bad, mostly bad) around his undying love for his childhood friend, Ingunn Steinfinnsdatter. Everything happens that one might expect: death of parents, unwise premarital sex, exile, war, murder, unfaithfulness, reconciliation, marriage, birth of children, death of children, estrangements, and religious agony and ecstasy. Even so, it is in many ways a quiet book, with more happening internally than externally.

The tragedy of Olav’s life rivals that of any Greek tragedy. The cascading misfortunes that follow youthful errors haunt him his entire life. His sins are visited upon his children. He is unhappy throughout his life and his actions cause others misery as well. And yet, for all my frustration with him, I also had enormous empathy for him. This medieval man truly lives and breathes on these pages.

In this fourth, and final, volume in the Olav Audunsson series by Sigrid Undset, Winter, Olav's life is wrapped up as the man, now in his twilight years, looks on at his life and guilt over some of his actions (as detailed in the previous three books) overwhelms him and he wants to set things right with what time he has left. Watching his son, Eirik make mistakes, may be the most difficult thing for Olav to see as he reflects on his own poor choices. Forgiveness might be impossible, but he might be able to clear his conscience with some effort.

It's difficult to say whether or not this would have the same impact on a reader if this were the only volume of the series to be read. There is some reflection on past deeds, but to not have read of the events definitely would prove to be a disadvantage - this is the end of a long life and things are slower, more reflective. The excitement happens in the previous three volumes.

But this is an important look at not only Olav's life, but a look at the end of an era (though the death of anyone elderly ends an era). Just as Tevya learned to adapt to new ways in Fiddler on the Roof, Olav learns to adapt. Olav expects that one of his final tasks will be to find husbands for his daughters, yet he's willing to go back on his word to one man in order to allow his daughter to marry the man she loves rather than the man he's selected. This is not the Olav of the earlier books!

Some of the beauty of this book, and the series, is the writing (Sigrid Undset) and/or translation (Tiina Nunnally). Often through my reading I would remind myself that this is not a translation of an ancient, Medieval text - the landscape of this era is so well defined her by Undset. Nor is this a 'modern' day writer writing about this age - the driving concerns of Olav and his contemporaries is every bit as 'modern' as we find today.

And this is one of my takeaways here ... mankind hasn't changed much over the centuries. Technology has changed, but what drives us as humans hasn't.

The challenges that face Olav, even now in his winter years, are reflected in what's happening with his country as well. From war with the Swedes to trying to find a religion (or a way to talk with God), we see how we face a constant need to reinvent ourselves, how everything we do affects those around us. But making amends or setting things right doesn't come easily - even once the attempt is made.

He had never imagined that something like this would happen - that when he was finally prepared to throw down his weapons and surrender, no one would be there to receive them. And he sensed that the deathlike calm he'd been feeling was actually the utmost apprehension, for he was now shivering with cold and despair because he would be forced to take this leap one more time.
I can't help but wonder if the similarities to Olav and Christ are intentional. In addition to the act of allowing a child to have free will (to chose her own spouse), we have Eirik say, near the end:

God's ways are hidden. But never will I believe that it happened because Father's sin was worse than that of most other men. Maybe it happened in order to present an example - the rest of us go about our lives untroubled by our misdeeds. God chose Father to pay the full price, because He knew Father's heart was stronger and more steadfast - not like those of us who are incapable of swallowing even a single drop of the Lord's righteousness.
It's a powerful book and a very appropriate end to the series. I'm not sure I could recommend this as a standalone, but this is definitely four books you should read.

Looking for a good book? Olav Audunsson: Winter, by Sigrid Undset is the fourth book in a series and the end of journey for a man, Olav Audunsson, living in medieval Norway. It's a great end to a great series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I loved reading this story and did not have problems understanding it as I did not read the previous books in the series. Winter is beautifully written, and the characters - flawed or not - are irresistible as they question their purpose in life, their actions, and what their ending will be. At the same time they pray for God they still believe in magic and earthly powers. A powerful story about medieval times in Norway.

I enjoyed the entire series. This is the fourth book of the series also known as The Master of Hestviken. The tragedy that unfolds throughout the books finds a satisfactory conclusion. Once again Sigrid Undset transports you into old Norway and follows the life of a character from childhood through challenges in a brilliantly conceived setting.

While I had enjoyed the first book in this series, books two and three hadn't gripped me quite so much, but luckily the final book, Olav Audunsson IV: Winter, recaptured my interest once more. I thought this was a great finale to the work as a whole and everything felt well wrapped up by the end. I would still say that I prefer Undset's other major work, Kristin Lavransdatter, but Olav Audunsson is, nevertheless, an enjoyable read if you are looking for medieval period historical fiction. The characters and story are memorable and the prose easy reading and yet descriptive. It gets 4 stars from me.

Tina Nunnaly has provided yet another great translation of a seminal work from the vastly underappreciated Sigrid Undset. These volumes will be the go-to translations for years to come....and it is just a compelling story that rivals even the brilliant Kristin Lavransdatter.

I have found the Olav Audunssøn tetralogy to be delightfully entertaining and immersive (telling, as it does, the tale of one nobleman’s dramatic life story in Medieval Norway), and Winter ties it all up nicely. As the fourth and final volume in this series, the entire thing had the feeling of a denouement or epilogue — everything truly exciting happens in the earlier volumes; this would probably not much satisfy as a standalone read — and I had to keep reminding myself to put it in the larger context; and when I did, I had to admit that author Sigrid Undset ended her epic exquisitely. I am so delighted to have taken a chance on this new English translation (by Tiina Nunnally) of the 1926 classic and can only hope it’s discovered by more modern day readers.