Although it's not especially well-known, The Saga of Gosta Berling is an exceptional novel which tells the of the eponymous Gösta Berling. Berling is a defrocked priest (a person who has been stripped of the privileges associated with being a priest), who is one day saved from death by the Mistress of Ekeby. After he is saved, Berling becomes one of Ekeby's indentured servants. Eventually Berling and the rest of Ekeby's servants become upset with the lack of power they have and start a plan to rebel against her. They eventually rebel - but not before a number of twists and turns occur in the story.
The Saga of Gosta Berling was adapted in 1924 into a film of the same name. Later, in 1986, it was adapted into six-part miniseries. Interestingly, it was also adapted into an opera and into music, indicating that Lagerlof's book is culturally important, but not especially well-known.
