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Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir

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Karitas Untitled Hardcover – March 1, 2022

by Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir (Author), Philip Roughton (Translator)

4.1 588 ratings

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A portrait of an artist trapped by convention and expectations but longing for the chaos that can set her free.

Growing up on a farm in early twentieth-century rural Iceland, Karitas Jónsdóttir, one of six siblings, yearns for a new life. An artist, Karitas has a powerful calling and is determined to never let go of her true being, one unsuited for the conventional. But she is powerless against the fateful turns of real life and all its expectations of women. Pulled back time and again by design and by chance to the Icelandic countryside―as dutiful daughter, loving mother, and fisherman’s wife―she struggles to thrive, to be what she was meant to be.

Spanning decades and set against a breathtaking historical canvas, Karitas Untitled, an award-winning classic of Icelandic literature, is a complex and immersive portrait of an artist’s conflict with love, family, nature, and a country unaccustomed to an untraditional woman―but most of all, with herself and the creative instincts she has no choice but to follow.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The true heart of the book belongs not to its eponymous heroine but the strong-willed women of Iceland generally. Life here is hard, death swift and ubiquitous. Through every loss and setback, the brutal winters, the months the men spend at sea with the fishing fleet, the women endure…A convincing portrayal of the lives of Icelandic women during an important period in the country’s history.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Karitas Untitled is a newly translated Icelandic novel peopled with unique, quirky, and well-defined characters. With the talent of a true artist, the author paints stunning descriptions…this is a rich novel that readers who enjoy international literature will appreciate.” ―Historical Novels Review

“Karitas Untitled is a sweeping tale as majestic and often as bleak and brutal as the Icelandic landscape and the seas that wash its shores. What really shines through is the faith Karitas and the women around her have in themselves and each other. Baldursdóttir has made a wonderful contribution to bringing Nordic literature to a wider audience.” ―Authorlink

“Although set in the twentieth century, Karitas’s story speaks to the trials of a modern woman as well―how to balance childcare and art, how to care for a home while your husband is absent, how to love a man who is bad for you but who says all the right things. No matter what time we live in, love and relationships and our calling in life are difficult, and her story reflects that of all women, past and present, Icelandic and beyond. It also reflects the female experience of bonding with other women in times of trouble to make it all work out, even if it means taking the long way around.” ―San Francisco Book Review

“Kristín Marja’s novel isn’t just a well-written story about the life of a female artist in the last century―it relates to today. Karitas Untitled is the story of a woman trapped in a tangible tug-of-war. And it’s powerfully told.” ―Melkorka Óskarsdóttir, Fréttablaðið newspaper, Iceland

“Karitas’s story is graced with precisely all the qualities you would expect to find in a great, award-winning book.” ―Kristianstadsbladet newspaper, Sweden

“A wonderful story that, like any great novel, grabs you for the duration of the story and then follows you long after the book, sadly, is over.” ―Kathrine Lilleør, Berlingske newspaper, Denmark

“Let it be said at once: Baldursdóttir’s novel about the fate of women at the beginning of the twentieth century is magnificent. One laps up the story as if it were the milk that is fundamental for survival in remote Iceland…Like the fat Icelandic herring that are salted into barrels, so the history of Icelandic women is set in layers―remembered, retold, sketched, and written by a dedicated descendant.” ―Tine Maria Winther, Politiken newspaper, Denmark

“Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir’s novel Karitas Untitled is not just the poignant story of a young woman but also a portrait of that transitional period in Icelandic history that led to modernization.” ―Fríða Björk Ingvarsdóttir, Morgunblaðið newspaper, Iceland

“A Brontë-ish saga about one family’s struggle against poverty, nature, and conventions.” ―Lilja Sigurðardóttir, author of the award-winning Reykjavik Noir Trilogy

About the Author

Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir is one of Iceland’s most acclaimed writers and the internationally bestselling author of numerous novels, including Karitas Untitled, a Nordic Council Literature Prize nominee; Street of the Mothers; Chaos on Canvas; and Seagull’s Laughter, which was adapted for the stage and also into an award-winning film. She received her degree in 1991 from the University of Iceland and has also worked as a teacher and a journalist. Among Kristín Marja’s many honors are the Knight’s Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon for her achievements in writing and her contributions to Icelandic literature, the Jónas Hallgrímsson Prize, and the Fjöruverðlaun Women’s Literature Prize. Kristín Marja lives in Reykjavík.

Philip Roughton is an award-winning translator of many of Iceland’s best-known authors, including Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness, Jón Kalman Stefánsson, Þórarinn Eldjárn, Bergsveinn Birgisson, and Steinunn Sigurðardóttir.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amazon Crossing; Reprint,Translation edition (March 1, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 447 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1542027071
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1542027076
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.14 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,359,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,379 in Cultural Heritage Fiction
- #5,824 in Mothers & Children Fiction
- #59,420 in Literary Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.1 588 ratings

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Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir

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Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir is one of Iceland’s most acclaimed writers and the internationally bestselling author of numerous novels, including Karitas Untitled, a Nordic Council Literature Prize nominee; Street of the Mothers; Chaos on Canvas; and Seagull’s Laughter, which was adapted for the stage and also into an award-winning film. She received her degree in 1991 from the University of Iceland and has also worked as a teacher and a journalist. Among Kristín Marja’s many honors are the Knight’s Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon for her achievements in writing and her contributions to Icelandic literature, the Jónas Hallgrímsson Prize, and the Fjöruverðlaun Women’s Literature Prize. Kristín Marja lives in Reykjavík.

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glm1128

Unforgettable.

Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2022

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This book has a feeling, a gravitas, to it. So much of the writing was excellent. It's the kind of book that stays and lingers days after you have finished reading it. Which is a surprise, given how much I hated that ending. But the writing really works when she doesn't have to worry about male/female matters.
I really appreciate this excellent novel, especially in retrospect.

2 people found this helpful

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ivbell

Interesting though overlong

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2023

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The story of a young artist in Iceland in the first half on the 20th century had much to recommend it. The characters are well-etched and the background and atmosphere well described.

My critiques are that it is over-long and could have been edited to tighten the plot and it doesn’t have the art illustrations to go with the story which is a shame. Lastly, I had trouble connecting the young, fearless Karitas with her older self. Perhaps that’s where the story goes next , but I kept expecting the plot to circle back and it never did.

It’s unfortunate that motherhood and a period of isolation took Karitas in a direction away from courage and strength and into bitterness that refused to relinquish its grip. Perhaps that’s where the arc of the story was going next. We’ll have to just imagine that part.

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YZPat

Tough but informative

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2022

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I have always wanted to visit and now I may have done just that. This plot is loosely organized but filled with information. The reader gets to experience the unique culture of Iceland as well as experience some of the interplay of various extended family members. The geography is stunning and the weather most interesting. The people are absolutely amazing in their communal kindness. The story revolves around the thirty years if the life of Marisa from her strange birth through her schooling in Denmark, her marriage, and the birth of her children as well as the death of one of them. Her character is amazing in that she is rarely happy. She is horrible to her husband and fiercely loyal to her mother and her friend. She, like the weather, has monumental character changes. I found her quite tiresome in that she was a classical trained artist of great talent but could never give herself to her art. I also was turned off by the food description. I am glad that I read this book the experience is fantastic.

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2022

The first thing that drew me to this book is the cover, it is phenomenal. The second was off course the synopsis. I love to read about other countries, and I have not read much about Iceland or its history. Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir has written poetry with this book. It is lyrical, descriptive, and you will be fully submersed into the Icelandic customs and life. The biting cold, the unsettled glaciers, and the way Baldursdóttir describes the beauty of the fjords will transport you to this land of fire and ice. The book is broken up into three sections, spanning from 1915 through 1939. It takes you along Karitas journey as she blossoms from a girl into a woman.

Karitas mother has one dream in life, to have all six of her children educated. This is quite an ambition in 1915. They must move to a larger town so they can have steady work and be closer to the schools. Karitas is head strong and a stellar negotiator. She can help her family in many astonishing ways, blazing the way for her older siblings to get an education. This dream of her mother's allows Karitas to have one of her own, to become an artist. Not to settle down and have a traditional life. To be able to get out and experience the world, the beauty, and the chaos. Will Karitas be able to escape the norms of society and live through her art? Or will she give in and settle down. Become a wife, with a brood of children nipping at her heels. Her art a fleeting memory?

It took me some time to really get into and appreciate this book. The characters are what elevates it to the next level. Each completely different, deeply layered, adding richness to this already detailed story. Her one sister is a brute, and you will want to smack her or lock her up. The detail of everyday life is completely fascinating. You will feel like you are in the kitchen making blood sausage, helping with the milking, trying to ink out a living in this at times desolate, lonely place. Thank you to Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir and TLC Book Tours for sending this mesmerizing read.

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Kez

A hidden gem

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2022

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‘Aren’t all fishermen’s wives in this country alone with their children and households?” The words “fishermen’s wives” got on her nerves. She was an artist.’

Growing up in early twentieth century Iceland as one of six children Karitas Jónsdóttir yearns to be set free from the life she leads, she wants to break free from convention, she’s wants chaos, she wants to be an artist. But being a dutiful daughter, then a mother and a fisherman’s wife she is continually held back by fate and by the expectations of her as a woman.

Karitas Untitled Spans decades and is breathtaking in complexity and scope. It is a story that is often as bleak and brutal as the Icelandic landscape. Something that’s emphasised by Karitas’ mothers description of her birth,

‘I was down at the beach gathering seaweed when the contractions began. From my previous experience, I knew how things would go, so I went behind a big rock where I would have sand beneath my feet, but as I was delivering, the tide began coming in, and it was only by the grace of God that the child wasn’t swept away.’

Bringing a child into this world is daunting but once it arrives raising it can be just as hard,

‘The town’s shortage of milk had become a matter of concern to thinking people, and women had begun to suckle their infants well into their second year to avoid having to stuff them with potatoes and salty food, which their sensitive digestive systems handled badly.’

Karitas Untitled is a brilliant portrayal of the role of women in Iceland in the early 1900’s, it’s a story about their struggles, dreams and the life decisions they have to make. These women shine through in Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir’s novel and the thing that strikes you most is their sense of togetherness, the faith they have in each other and themselves. Although these women offer Karitas support and protection, she comes to resent it at times, she feels trapped by it. Her attitude towards marriage and men don’t fit into what is expected of her either, Hildigunnur tells her ‘Women belong in a man’s arms; alone, they can never be happy for long.” Karitas replied, “What utter nonsense.’

When she eventually succumbs and does what is expected of her by marrying she finds her husband is away for months on end fishing for cod and herring, returning only to impregnate her and play with her emotions.

‘It irritated her that just when she’d considered herself free from the yoke of men’s insatiable amorous desires, which resulted only in hungry mouths to feed and sleepless nights, just when she’d felt safe between the sandy wastes and great rivers, she should be subject to attack from within.’

Karitas Untitled is a beautiful book. At times it reads like poetry. It is written in both first person and third person points of view. It’s a book full of well drawn strong characters, it’s a story of love, family, nature and art. It’s also a story full of life. It starts off so inconspicuously with a maid uttering the line “Take this child from me. I’m about to lose my wits,’ because she’s lost a knitting needle. In Karitas Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir has created one of my favourite characters in literature, she is up there with Tess of the d'Urbervilles as one of the strongest female literary characters. I have to admit I didn’t expect much from Karitas Untitled, I chose it because it was free as one of Amazon’s First Reads, it turned out to be a hidden gem.

4 people found this helpful

Vertiy

when you can’t sleep

Reviewed in Australia on August 12, 2022

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I have to say I was terribly disappointed with the writing and found it difficult to connect with or care about the characters. The unusual writing style jumped too much making it difficult to follow the train of thought. Perhaps this was the intention. One advantage was that it was the perfect book to help me fall asleep because of the lack of character connection and writing style.

Bibliophan

Beautiful writing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 31, 2024

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I read this book in a few days, despite its length - I purchased the audible so that I could listen while doing other things, and in order to be able to hear the Icelandic names pronounced correctly. It is beautifully written and translated, and a compelling story.

I did find it difficult to follow the geography of it, and the inclusion of a map would have helped a lot. I had to look on an external map (and inputting the names was not easy!) to get an idea of what the place names and journeys meant in terms of distance etc.

There were some lovely characters in the book but the lead character was not one of them - she seemed to me to be whiny, self-centred and unhappy almost all the time. So the ending, although unsatisfactory to this reader, was in character - it seemed she was pleasing herself rather than thinking of her children or husband. But that's sometimes necessary.

However it is very irritating when a book feels unfinished because it has been set up for a sequel - especially when the sequel is not yet available in English!

Closet Romantic

I am not sure what to make of Karitas - or the book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 17, 2022

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This book took me much longer to read than the page count indicated. I enjoyed the descriptions of Iceland which is one of the most fascinating countries I have visited for geology and stunning views. But Karitas? Maybe her chaos rubbed off on my reading; it's not a book I could say that I enjoyed despite the descriptions of the women's lives being interesting in their hardship and continuing of age old practices. And no real ending? If there's a follow up (I don't think there is) I shan't read it.

12 people found this helpful

Ninaminacat

Novel of authentic Icelandic life in often poetic prose

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 13, 2022

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Karitas Untitled is the best Amazon First book I have read since the superb 'West with Giraffes' about a year ago. It is not an action-packed blockbuster, but a more literary work, in which Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir creates pictures with words as surely as her protagonist does with her beloved paints. The book is a page turner in its own gentle way; I wanted more of the poetic descriptions of the landscape, as well as being keen to follow Karitas through her life with its opportunities and setbacks.

I have visited Iceland several times and know a little of its culture and traditional way of life, so I was delighted to be able to immerse myself inKaritas' daily routines - both their sometimes bitter hardships and their joys; love, friendship and painting. It all felt very authentic - which added to my enjoyment.

It's a book about emotions and relationships, whether familial, amorous or between friends and fellow workers. It's also about decision making and forging one's own way in the world - even if that involves following a path which others might not choose. I am not sure I liked Karitas very much, but I think I am going to miss being involved in her life. I urge you to try it. Just be aware it isn't a quick read. Quite apart from its length of just over 400 pages, the writing is dense and intense and the language in Karitas' introduction to each chapter too beautiful to gloss over. A clear 5 star novel.

One person found this helpful

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