Victoria

by Knut Hamsun

I read this short story a moment ago. It is a story about a miller's son, Johannes who falls in love with a girl of the upper class, Victoria when they were children. And all throughout life they struggle with their love for each other and having to deal with the reality of their lives being so different. Johannes grows up to be a successful writer and Victoria was to to be married to a rich lieutenant. After his, Johannes finally was also engaged to a girl he who he has saved her life when she was younger called Camilla. And after all these occurrences, Johannes and Victoria still loved each other.

This is a good light book to read, the words are simple but deep in meaning. Its take of human emotion and logic (or lack of it) behind the character's actions are interesting and very believable. Hamsun captures the irrationality of the human condition perfectly. It is a compact book and is worth a read, and a re-read. That said, it is a very sad book so you may wish to allow some space in between reads because the emotions evoked would not be dampened by knowing how this book ends, as is the sign of any good book. Perhaps it would even compound emotions by hearing a story familiar that one has forgotten and remembered again, like the embers of a long forgotten love.