Burial Rites

A Novel

De: Hannah Kent

Narrado por: Morven Christie

Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution.

Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution.

Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tv=ti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes's death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard.

Riveting and rich with lyricism, Burial Rites evokes a dramatic existence in a distant time and place, and asks the question, how can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others?

An escapist treat

If you loved Little House in the Big Woods or Girl with the Pearl Earring, stop reading and download right now, because you will loooove this. (I'm not kidding--you can thank me later.)
This is not to diminish the unraveling story or real-life plight of protagonist Agnes Magnusdottir-- --which is fascinating and mysterious on its own- but the details Kent provides about everyday life in early 19th C Iceland are, for history buffs, seriously delicious.
The writing is beautiful and the narration is top-notch--I'm guessing Morven Christie put in a considerable amount of time to get the scenes and pronunciation right, and it definitely shows. She's flawless!
This novel transports you to another time and place, while also connecting you to real events and persons.
What more could you want?

One of the absolutely Best Books

Would you consider the audio edition of Burial Rites to be better than the print version?

Can not answer that

Who was your favorite character and why?

Agnes is a individual who had me in gripping sadness. I realize life was much harder with weather and very few of the comforts we have now but the loss of a mother so young and the inability to have little rights of=r say on your future was reportedly heavy.
How could one go on for so may years with little appreciation for one's work and kindness and never feeling safe or secure in knowing you have home and food is thought provoking.

Any additional comments?

The author gave a balanced review of Agnes's life and left me with many nights thinking of Agnes and her grief. I could not get this character out of my thoughts. How she endured her life sentence and how she offered kindness and life saving tactics while waiting for that last day. There was so much passion in the story as well as care in presenting many actual happenings from here historical investigations.

Why does everyone love this book?

I want to love it, too, but I cannot get into it. I have tried time and again to get absorbed but it's just too quiet for me.

I loved ALIAS GRACE by Margaret Atwood, a book to which BURIAL RITES is compared favorably by many critics. Sigh, I will have to give it another try I suppose... but I just don't want to.

Probably better read than listened to.

Outstanding performance, marvelous book

Any additional comments?

A starkly beautiful recreation of the events following a real murder conviction in early 19th century Iceland. Kent's evocation of the land, climate, social structure and lives of her characters is remarkable -- it's a world I've never encountered before (though I have been to Iceland and would go back in a second!). I was particularly struck by the complexity of her main characters, by how frequently I found myself expecting them to do one thing only to see them doing something else. It starts off a bit slow and quiet, but stay with it and let its power work you.

A VERY special shout out to Morven Christie's performance in reading the book. She is nothing less than amazing. I heard her once before, "Codename: Verity." I didn't know when I downloaded it that it was a YA novel, but it turned out to be quite good. I was so enthralled by Ms Christie's performance that I resolved to check out anything she does.

Excellent

I joined Audible and randomly picked some audio books including this one. It had me from the beginning. The characters were so alive in this book and I felt like I was sitting right there. Thank you Hannah for sharing this incredible story with us all. It will forever be etched in my mind.