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I wrote a review for this book last year, however, I never got around to starting a blog and publishing it. Since this is one of my very favourite books I would like to share my review with you now.
“To know what a person has done, and to know who a person is, are very different things.”
Burial Rites–Hannah Kent
Based on a true story, Burial Rites is the story of Agnes Magnusdottir, the last person to be executed in Iceland in 1830. Convicted of the murder of two men, Agnes is imprisoned on a farm in Northern Iceland to await her execution. Surrounded by the family imprisoning her and the young priest she has chosen as her spiritual advisor, Agnes begins to make sense of the events which led up to her current situation as her life is drawing to a close.
Lush with meticulous research and detail, Burial Rites portrays Icelandic farm life in the 1800s, while giving the reader an eerie sense of foreboding.
Fleshing out characters and bringing the reader into the very soul of the heroine, Burial Rites is a hauntingly beautiful portrayal of one woman’s struggle for life and acceptance of her real self in a world that condemns her based solely on her actions.
This book is one of my favourite books—I could even say it’s my favourite historical fiction novel. I loved its heart wrenching prose and was captivated by Agnes’s story from the opening sentence to the final word. I held my breath, knowing her ending, yet wanting it to be different. At the end, I was left wanting to reread it all over again. This truly is a beautiful book!
Pictured with the book is Lisa Hanne’s Silverleaf Shawl. I knit it with Madelinetosh Pashmina Wool. It’s completed, though I need to block it more to make it bigger.
I read this earlier this year, in preparation for a planned holiday to Iceland which has sadly had to be cancelled because of the virus situation 😦 . Great book. Hoping to get to Iceland another time!
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Iceland is supposed to be beautiful! I loved how the book portrayed it. I hope you get to visit Iceland eventually!
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Thank you1 Hopefully next year ….
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I read The Good People by the same author and absolutely loved it so I really must read this one 🙂
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I haven’t read The Good People yet. Burial Rites is one of my favourites! I hope you enjoy it.
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