Plot Summary

Giants in the Earth

Ole Edvard Rölvaag
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Giants in the Earth

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1924

Book Brief

Ole Edvard Rölvaag

Giants in the Earth

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1924
Book Details
Pages

531

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Dakota Territory • 1870s

Publication Year

1924

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Giants in the Earth by Ole Edvard Rölvaag follows Per Hansa and his family as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of establishing a life as Norwegian immigrants in the Dakota Territories, dealing with natural threats, cultural conflicts, and personal struggles while building their community. Topics include mental health struggles and bereavement over a child's passing.

Challenging

Melancholic

Bittersweet

Nostalgic

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Rölvaag's Giants in the Earth is lauded for its poignant depiction of Norwegian pioneers settling in America, capturing the immigrant experience with vivid prose and emotional depth. However, some readers find its pacing slow and characters occasionally one-dimensional. Overall, it remains a compelling, though sometimes challenging, read for those interested in historical fiction.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Giants in the Earth?

A reader who enjoys epic tales of pioneer life and the immigrant experience will revel in Ole Edvard Rölvaag's Giants in the Earth. Fans of Willa Cather's My Ántonia and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie will appreciate Rölvaag's richly detailed narrative and exploration of the hardships and triumphs faced by settlers in the American Midwest.

Book Details
Pages

531

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Dakota Territory • 1870s

Publication Year

1924

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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