Customer Reviews

Loving Soren

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I just finished reading Caroline Coleman O'Neill's account of Regina Olsen's version of "Loving Soren" Kierkegaard and I actually hated the thought of finishing the book because I just didn't want it to end. If you are a fan of Jane Austen's writing, then you will absolutely love the mind of Ms. O'Neill. I am amazed at the vision, the implementation of that vision and the sheer romance of her mind. She is a vivid, energetic, poetic storyteller which completely draws you into the time and space of the actual events. I found myself identifying completely with Regina (yet knowing that I could not possibly be more the antithesis). You can tell from this book how much Ms. O'Neill loves life, how much she appreciates people and how much she loves the Lord. It was thrilling, easy reading, romantic and challenging all at the same time. She didn't write this book assuming her readers ignorance, she wrote it celebrating her readers intelligence. I loved her descriptions of both the surroundings and the minds of the characters depicted in her book. Clearly, she took great care and time to give us as close to an authentic account as possible and we are ALL the better for having had the pleasure of sharing such an intimate account of Kierkegaard's life, Regina's heart and Ms. O'Neill's mind. My only disappointment was that I wanted to know more about what happened to Regina -- perhaps that will come.

The story of the uncertain, unstable and ultimately broken engagement between philosopher Soren Kierkegaard and his young fiancee is explored in this recent novel.

It is preferable that the reader have some familiarity with Kierkegaard's work and aesthetic; if not, this book may not be the most enjoyable. However, it does not delve overly much into the philosophical aspects (somewhat disappointing to me); the main focus is the longing and emotions of an impressionable young woman regarding her first real love, a reflective but mercurial man of philosophy.

The story is told in third person but hinges almost wholly on the thoughts of Regine Olsen (aka Regina). Throughout much of the story she is quite young and thus is somewhat plaint and weak of character, which as a teenager is her prerogative; she does display a charming cleverness which brings her to the attention of Soren Kierkegaard. The down side of this is that because of her youth and inexperience there is much repetition of the adolescent anxiousness in the vein of, "Is he thinking about me now?" etc. Again, as she is still a girl with romantic notions some of this to be expected, but as it carries on it grows somewhat tiresome. Even the title (which comes off as somewhat sappy) has a sort of romance novel ring. I had hoped that as Regina matured over the course of the book she might evolve somewhat, but for the duration of the somewhat stormy engagement she still presents herself to her fiance as a victim waiting to be used. (I mean, "I'd even live in a cabinet if it meant I could be close to you"?!?)

Kierkegaard, for all his brilliance and introspection, comes off as manipulative and capricious, his actions fatal to their budding love. It is difficult to gain an objective view of Kierkegaard, as there is much about him that is unknown to Regina, and thus he remains an enigmatic figure (perhaps somewhat suited to a philosopher?) He does control her until the very end, and beyond; years after breaking off the engagement, he left to her the disposal of his finances, thus irrevocably entangling himself into the rest of her life, even though she had married elsewhere and had been so for many years. Again, the reasoning behind his need to bind her to him (or to his memory) definitely merited more examination, but with the point of view being solely Regina's, this wasn't very possible. As it was, he forced her ever after to regard him as (to put it callously) "the one that got away," initially by severing their romantic ties and later by dying.

It would have been more satisfying to have a broader analysis of the health-related aspects of his life as well; in reality his melancholia was one symptom (as was the hypergraphia) of a more encompassing condition, and it would have been interesting to have this explored more deeply as Regina came to understand him better.

Despite some pitfalls, the book was an enjoyable read, and quick (which I didn't expect for a book based around a philosopher); I would however supplement it with a sturdy biography of Kierkegaard and perhaps more examination of the historical evidence of Regine Olsen, as just a glimpse is given in the quotations at the start of each chapter.

a very well-written and interesting book. a bit sad of course, but also greatly insightful. except for the issues of romance and relationships, it also deals with depression. i found it mirrored many issues from modern day life and was thuswise actually wise.
i also learned a lot of things about the complex and genious personality of this philosopher, which i found really interesting. i'm glad i bought this book, i intend to read it again sometime, it deals with so many many issues.

O'Neill captures well the angst of Regine whose first love just happens to be Soren Kierkegaard, a wildly intelligent man who battles depression. Based on a true story, O'Neill does a stunning job of integrating a true sense of place and custom along with the tortuous, meandering thoughts of a girl in love with an impossible man. Even in that wrestling, there is hope. And another man who loves her through the pain. If you're looking for a well-written, beautifully crafted novel, this book will satisfy.

This is one of those books where after the first few chapters you just can't put it down! I can't imagine the number of dry biographies that must have been written on the subject -- O'Neill cuts through all that to produce a very human story. It says on the inside cover that this is her first book -- I look forward to seeing what she cooks up the next time around. . .

I couldn't wait to find out what happens to Soren and Regina. This book is a wonderful combination of a good story plus some edifying content. You can pick up on a little of Kirkegaard's philosophy as well, but the philosopy is not handed out in a heavy-handed manner. We read this in my book club, and the discussion that followed was one of the best we've had in 8 years of meeting. The book touches on self-sacrifice, religion, philosophy as well as some great characters. I highly recommend the book.

This is a wonderful book. It really brings to life the feelings and difficult decisions of the characters while giving insight into their backgrounds and the spirit of the age in which they lived. Absorbing and impossible to put down.

The idea behind "Loving Soren" is compelling: a story about a tormented genius who pursues and seduces a young woman he loves later to leave her. While O'Neill's research is much appreciated and the pacing of the novel is quite good, her writing lacks nuance. She would outright state exactly how Regina feels and thinks even when the scene is already set up so we know her reaction. The writing is very on-the-nose. It is clearly O'Neill's first novel and she painfully reiterates points over and over. If you think this is going to be a classic piece of fiction with poignant insights into the human psyche you will be disappointed.