Burial Rites in Aussie Readers

Dec 26, 2013 Mish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: australian-authors, favourite

Burial Rites is an astonishing novel. Atmospheric and haunting, by first time novelist Hannah Kent who weaves fact and with fiction to give her own interpretation of the last harrowing moments of Agnes Magnusdottir life.

It’s 1829, set against Iceland’s harsh landscape, which Hannah Kent describes so vividly. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Agnes found herself charged with the bloody murder of her employer and his friend, and sentenced to death by beheading. While awaiting her execution she's se Burial Rites is an astonishing novel. Atmospheric and haunting, by first time novelist Hannah Kent who weaves fact and with fiction to give her own interpretation of the last harrowing moments of Agnes Magnusdottir life.

It’s 1829, set against Iceland’s harsh landscape, which Hannah Kent describes so vividly. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Agnes found herself charged with the bloody murder of her employer and his friend, and sentenced to death by beheading. While awaiting her execution she's sent to live with a Christian family, the Jonsson, who are terrified by the prospect of housing a criminal; they ignore and avoid her as much as possible when she first arrives. She’s been given a spiritual guide, Assistant Reverent Thorvardur (Toti), who role is to prepare Agnes though prayer to lead her to Gods path when the time comes.

How do you prepare someone whose fate is to end so brutally and unjust?

Agnes lost her faith some time ago, and prayer is not something that gives her comfort. To understand Agnes, Toti needs to hear her story from the beginning. For first time, in the close proximity of the Jonsson household, Agnes reveals a deeply felt story; a story of abandonment and survival, of love and betrayal. Toti and the Jonsson realized they’ve just heard a different story to what they have been told.

It is evident when you read Burial Rites that it’s well research, incorporating into her novel public and official document at beginning of each chapter gives it an authentic feel. While reading Burial Rites you get a strong sense of place and time; the confined space in which they slept felt suffocating, and the hardship they face working the land is so tough. The atmosphere and treacherous weather conditions felt like a character in it own right, playing a major role in the Icelanders survival. They work very hard but even so it felt like they were only just getting by. I loved the voice that Hannah Kent gave Agnes. A voice of deep sadness and loneliness that spoke from the heart, which made this novel, and the last few months of Agnes life so difficult to forget.

Beautiful and heartfelt novel. I like to believe (and hope) there was someone there for the real Agnes, holding her hands before her final moments.
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Aug 02, 2014 Kate Forsyth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, biography, australian, aww2014

I finally had a chance to read this brilliant historical novel by debut author Hannah Kent. Burial Rites been a critical and a commercial success, and deservedly so. The writing is so precise and vivid, and the story so compelling. I found myself stopping to read certain sentences again, just for the pleasure of the words: ‘it is as though the winter has set up home in my marrow.’ Burial Rites is set in Iceland in 1830, the last year in the life of a woman condemned to be executed for murder. Th ...more

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Oct 14, 2014 Melinda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I dont give 5 stars very often - but this novel was definitely worthy of it.

This was a haunting, atmospheric, beautifully written novel. Apparently researched and based on a true story, it never felt like a history lesson, rather, the facts were beautifully woven into a compelling tale of loss, murder, tragedy and hardships. No happy, feel-good read here, but so well-done you will be thinking about the story long after you have closed the covers.

The language of this novel was delightful, the ch ...more

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May 21, 2018 Kim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

This is such a well told story. Lovely writing and great pace! Prose that really flowed. It was like the pages turned themselves, I've had some slower reads recently and I couldn't believe I was going through it so quickly. It might be worth a re-read to linger over a bit longer in the future.
A very impressive debut novel. ...more

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Nov 06, 2013 Kira rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, tragedy, aussie-author, historical, library, religious, drama

Hannah Kent has written a gritty and rather unpleasant, at times, account of what it was like for the lower levels of society. These people aren't the middle classes. They are poor and looking for a way to better their own lives. They are used by the upper classes for their own political, financial, or personal gain. It is in this setting that Agnes, condemned to die for her conviction in the role of the deaths of two men, is first moved from squalid conditions in a rich mans estate (chained, un ...more

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