Burial Rites in Pick-a-Shelf

Oct 29, 2014 Mmars rated it it was amazing

Imagine living in a remote area of Iceland. The weather is harsh and changeable. And the landscape, while stunning is unforgiveable, treeless, overgrown with grass clumps and moss. It is 1829. Communication outside your home takes long by horseback and inside the community consists of gossip. Landowners scrape by, needing even poorer servants to survive.

Now imagine having no option but to take a murderess into your rough abode as she waits her execution while a proper sword to be acquired by th Imagine living in a remote area of Iceland. The weather is harsh and changeable. And the landscape, while stunning is unforgiveable, treeless, overgrown with grass clumps and moss. It is 1829. Communication outside your home takes long by horseback and inside the community consists of gossip. Landowners scrape by, needing even poorer servants to survive.

Now imagine having no option but to take a murderess into your rough abode as she waits her execution while a proper sword to be acquired by the authorities. Into your cramped quarters your family of four and two servants must allow another person, unwanted by society, to complicate an already difficult life.

Now add to this the young priest, not yet experienced in his field, coming on a near daily basis to provide service to Agnes, the murderess. Instead of fire and brimstone, he pulls Agnes’ life story out of her, unable to move out of earshot of the family.

This is a powerful tale, based on a real story of the last execution in Iceland. Agnes’ mother abandoned her when she was six, and the last woman to “mother” her died in childbirth. From there Agnes’ moved from farm to farm, always an outcast, always unwanted, always a servant. Her choices are few and lead up to living in an even more isolated location with an unpredictable man whom she loves and a teenage girl also with nowhere else to go.

One knows where this is all headed. It’s not the ending that compels the reader to keep turning the pages. It’s how Agnes got to where she is. It’s the telling of her life story that grips you. .And it’s how Agnes and the family are forced to live with each other and the growth of that story. And it’s the imagery. And, it’s the wary humanity of the priest and her keepers flickering around Agnes, unable to alight upon her, but unable to keep away.

A couple very minor quibbles (occasional unclear switches in narration and a bit overdone imagery) cause me to dock half a star, but I’ve rounded it up to 5. As debut fiction, it deserves nothing less.
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Feb 07, 2017 Nancy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

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 ...more

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May 24, 2014 Bea rated it liked it

It was good but not really enjoyable. I liked Agnes and the family she was put with, although I never really understood the antagonism of Lauga. I also found Toti's reactions strange and not really within my expectations. Finally, I really wanted a different ending. A bit of a bleak book, although some of the character studies were interesting. ...more

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Jan 31, 2014 Roseann rated it really liked it

I am usually a little hesitant to read books which have a huge 'buzz'. I am happy to say that all of the buzz for this riveting novel was well deserved. Not only are the characters interesting, but the story will hold onto you until you reach the final page. I highly recommend this sad and true story. ...more

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