Status
Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
Stockholm : Bonnier, 1931
Description
A tale of courageous, persisten women, and their encounter with the potent ring of the title, which brings suffering and violent death in its wake.
User reviews
LibraryThing member GingerbreadMan
In 1909 Selma Lagerlöf was the first woman ever to receive the Nobel Prize for literature (back in the days when the Academy wasn’t shy about awarding it’s own members), but in most of the world I suppose she’s considered obscure at best. Here in Sweden, however, she’s very much a part of
It’s easy to see why. Lagerlöf’s writing is a link between popular storytelling traditions (like fairytales, ballads and ghost stories), gothic sentiments and early psychological realism. It’s old fashioned in a way, for it’s times too, but very readable and likeable.
This book, the first in a trilogy, is a very straight ghost story that seems made to be told in front of a big old open fire. From the opening, where a farming couple go to a country graveyard at night to make sure nobody steals the demi-godlike general Löwensköld’s precious ring from his family grave (re-opened to bury a dead child in it) – and then almost to their surprise stealing it themselves, this story hooks you. What follows is a tale straight as an arrow, about a curse, a ghost and injustices suffered, which perhaps isn’t that unique. But it’s effective, it’s gripping and there are enough tension and unexpected twists to keep me eagerly turning pages. And the final, bitter turn of events prompts me towards the following parts.
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the living canon. Everybody reads at least a few of her works in school, she’s featured on our 20 kronor bill and a writer like John Ajvide Lindqvist mentions her as a big influence.It’s easy to see why. Lagerlöf’s writing is a link between popular storytelling traditions (like fairytales, ballads and ghost stories), gothic sentiments and early psychological realism. It’s old fashioned in a way, for it’s times too, but very readable and likeable.
This book, the first in a trilogy, is a very straight ghost story that seems made to be told in front of a big old open fire. From the opening, where a farming couple go to a country graveyard at night to make sure nobody steals the demi-godlike general Löwensköld’s precious ring from his family grave (re-opened to bury a dead child in it) – and then almost to their surprise stealing it themselves, this story hooks you. What follows is a tale straight as an arrow, about a curse, a ghost and injustices suffered, which perhaps isn’t that unique. But it’s effective, it’s gripping and there are enough tension and unexpected twists to keep me eagerly turning pages. And the final, bitter turn of events prompts me towards the following parts.
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LibraryThing member dallenbaugh
I think this book would have been more interesting as an audio book, as I couldn't quite make myself believe in this ghost story. The right reader might have more easily convinced me.
The consequences for the country folk who handled the ring were in almost all instances tragic. If there was a moral
The consequences for the country folk who handled the ring were in almost all instances tragic. If there was a moral
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to the story it was hard to discern since all the characters in the story suffered in one way or another even when it appeared they were trying to do the honorable thing. Maybe this is where the true horror of the story occurred; the ring would leave no one untouched. Show Less
LibraryThing member janeajones
Selma Lagerlof's The Lowenskold Ring is a ghost story of death and revenge following the theft of a ring from the coffin of General Lowenskold -- brief, but intriguing.
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1925