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What Members Thought
This book earned its five stars from the sheer beauty of the writing, although don't read this book if you are looking for something uplifting because it is a tragically sad story of a woman condemned in nineteenth century Iceland. I listened to the audio, and the narrator and her pronunciation were exceptional. She made the place names and the names of the characters sound like music. The way the book unfolded and the story was revealed was magnificent yet subtle - this book certainly deserves
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Nov 11, 2015
Cora
rated it
it was amazing
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review of another edition
Shelves:
kindle,
historical-fiction,
mystery,
europe,
social-commentary,
19th-century,
crime,
debut,
murder,
prisoners
Set in 19th century Iceland, this novel is about the last woman to be sentenced to death in Iceland. Agnes is convicted, along with two accomplices, of killing her employer and his friend. She is sentenced to death and is sent to live on a farm while awaiting her execution. The author does an excellent job of making the farmer's family as well as the reader see Agnes as a real person rather than simply a murderess. Whether or not Agnes is guilty of the crime is not really important, although we
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Iceland in the 1820's. Cold- very cold- and harsh. People existing on farms and trying to get enough food together for the winter, living in badstofa ( I had to google that to see how they looked) with animal skins for windows, dung fires, and roofs of plant matter which fell down and left gaps. Like I said: cold. This is the background into which Kent has woven her story around the last weeks of the last person who received the death penalty in Iceland. Agnes was placed with a family while awai
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Jul 27, 2013
Kathy
marked it as to-read
Jul 30, 2013
Misty
marked it as to-read
Aug 03, 2013
Suzanne
marked it as to-read
Aug 29, 2013
Amanda A
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
overdrive,
read-in-2016
Sep 10, 2013
Tara
added it
Sep 11, 2013
Candace
marked it as to-read
Mar 01, 2014
Deedee
marked it as to-read
Apr 24, 2014
Heather
marked it as to-read
May 24, 2014
Mita
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
australian,
read-in-2014
Nov 01, 2014
Carrie
marked it as to-read
