Burial Rites

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Iceland, 1829. Convicted of the brutal murder of two men, Agnes Magnusdottir is sent to an isolated farm to await the day of her execution. The inhabitants of the farm, Jon and Margret and their daughters, are horrified at having to house a murderess - and do their best to keep a distance from her. As the days pass, Agnes stoically goes about her chores at the farm - her chosen spiritual guide, Toti, the only person who makes an effort to draw her out. Her host family is unwillingly drawn to the tale that she narrates to her confessor, Toti, but will their realization that Agnes might not be guilty be enough to save her from a gruesome death?

"They said I must die. They said that I stole the breath from men, and now they must steal mine". From the very first sentence, Hannah Kent sets the tone for this haunting novel. And although the end is never in question - "Burial Rites" is based on the true story of the last woman to be publicly beheaded in Iceland - the author maintains the tension throughout. The Agnes in this book is a constant surprise - reviled as a cold-blooded killer, she still fiercely holds on to what little dignity that is left to her. She doesn't ask for sympathy or pity, and is determined to hold on to the only things that cannot be stolen from her - her words, her poems, her sagas. Google couldn't tell me if the real Agnes was guilty or not - but I was certainly hoping for a miraculous reprieve for the author's Agnes!!

The author writes beautifully about the life of the peasants at the farm. Icelandic customs, the food, the formidable winters - even the dust and mold from the turf croft - I was literally transported to Kornsa, watching Agnes and Margret going about their daily tasks. The descriptions are quite visceral - chalking it up to the author telling it like it was back then - but seriously, I could have done with a little less of the mucus and other bodily emissions. Agnes' monologues capture her quiet desperation, her acceptance that a woman has no chance in a world where her stories are told by others. And Margret is the perfect foil - they recognize a kindred spirit in each other, and the arc of their relationship is intriguing.

This is no doubt a very serious novel - there are really no light moments at all. The very grimness, however, is so utterly striking. I was fascinated by Agnes' story, wanting to know everything quickly - and yet, the prose is so evocative, every word needs to be savored!! The seasons and landscapes of Iceland, the routines of the life at the farm, Agnes' journey are not easily forgotten - this is a novel to get lost in, a novel that grabs your attention and holds on, a novel that will stay with you long after you've finished reading. A must-read, for sure!