Burial Rites
the breathtaking historical Icelandic crime thriller
-
-
3.5 • 2 Ratings
-
-
- 5,99 €
Publisher Description
Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction
A BBC Between the Covers Book Club pick
Based on actual events, Burial Rites by Hannah Kent is a haunting work of historical fiction, following the final days of a young woman accused of murder in 19th-century Iceland.
'Outstanding' – Madeline Miller, author of Circe
'Gripping, intriguing and unique' – Kate Mosse, author of The Burning Chambers
Northern Iceland, 1829.
A woman condemned to death for murdering her lover.
A family forced to take her in.
A priest tasked with absolving her.
But all is not as it seems, and time is running out: winter is coming, and with it the execution date.
Only she can know the truth. This is Agnes's story . . .
'One of the best Scandinavian crime novels I've read' – Independent
'Remarkable' – Sunday Times
'A must-read' – Grazia
Shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award
Shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards
Part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.
** Read Hannah Kent's memoir about Iceland, Always Home, Always Homesick **
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Kent's debut delves deep into Scandinavian history, not to mention matters of storytelling, guilt, and silence. Based on the true story of Agnes Magn sd ttir, the novel is set in rural Iceland in 1829. Agnes is awaiting execution for the murder of her former employer and his friend, not in a prison there are none in the area but at a local family's farm. J n J nsson, the father, grudgingly accepts this thankless task as part of his responsibility as a regional official, but his wife and daughters' reactions range from silent resentment to outright fear. After settling in to the household, Agnes requests the company of a young priest, to whom she confesses parts of her story, while narrating the full tale only to the reader, who, like the priest, "provide her with a final audience to her life's lonely narrative." The multilayered story paints sympathetic and complex portraits of Agnes, the J nssons, and the young priest, whose motives for helping the convict are complicated. Kent smoothly incorporates her impressive research for example, she opens many of the chapters with documents that come directly from archival sources while giving life to these historical figures and suspense to their tales.
