Burial Rites

In northern Iceland, 1829, Agnes Magnusdottir is condemned to death for her part in the brutal murder of two men. Agnes is sent to wait out the time leading to her execution on the farm of District Officer Jon Jonsson, his wife and their two daughters. Horrified to have a convicted murderess in their midst, the family avoids speaking with Agnes. Only Toti, the young assistant reverend appointed as Agnes' spiritual guardian, is compelled to try to understand her, as he attempts to salvage her soul. As the summer months fall away to winter and the hardships of rural life force the household to work side by side, Agnes' ill-fated tale of longing and betrayal begins to emerge. And as the days to her execution draw closer, the question burns: did she or didn't she? Based on a true story, Burial Rites is a deeply moving novel about personal freedom: who we are seen to be versus who we believe ourselves to be, and the ways in which we will risk everything for love. In beautiful, cut-glass prose, Hannah Kent portrays Iceland's formidable landscape, where every day is a battle for survival, and asks, how can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others? Amazon.com Review Photos from Hannah Kent, Author of Burial Rites * "Little Forest" in Saudarkrokur, North Iceland * Traditional turf homes, North Iceland * Glumbaer, North Iceland * Horses in Vatnsdalur, North Iceland From Publishers Weekly Kent's debut delves deep into Scandinavian history, not to mention matters of storytelling, guilt, and silence. Based on the true story of Agnes Magn?sd?ttir, the novel is set in rural Iceland in 1829. Agnes is awaiting execution for the murder of her former employer and his friend, not in a prison—there are none in the area—but at a local family's farm. J?n J?nsson, the father, grudgingly accepts this thankless task as part of his responsibility as a regional official, but his wife and daughters' reactions range from silent resentment to outright fear. After settling in to the household, Agnes requests the company of a young priest, to whom she confesses parts of her story, while narrating the full tale only to the reader, who, like the priest, provide her with a final audience to her life's lonely narrative. The multilayered story paints sympathetic and complex portraits of Agnes, the J?nssons, and the young priest, whose motives for helping the convict are complicated. Kent smoothly incorporates her impressive research— for example, she opens many of the chapters with documents that come directly from archival sources—while giving life to these historical figures and suspense to their tales. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (Sept.) The multi-award winning debut bestseller from the author of The Good People , with new novel Devotion out now. In northern Iceland, 1829, Agnes Magnusdottir is condemned to death for her part in the brutal murder of two men. Agnes is sent to wait on the farm of District Officer Jon Jonsson and his family, who are horrified and avoid Agnes. Only Toti, the young assistant reverend appointed as Agnes's spiritual guardian, is compelled to try to understand her. As the summer months fall away to winter, Agnes's story begins to emerge. And as the days to her execution draw closer, the question burns: did she or didn't she? Based on a true story, Burial Rites is a deeply moving novel about freedom and the ways we will risk everything for love. In beautiful, cut-glass prose, Hannah Kent portrays Iceland's formidable landscape, and asks: how can one woman endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others? WINNER FOR INDIE AWARDS 2014 WINNER FOR VICTORIAN PREMIER'S LITERARY AWARD PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD 2014 WINNER FOR FAW CHRISTINA STEAD AWARD 2014 WINNER ABA NIELSEN BOOKDATA BOOKSELLERS' CHOICE AWARD 2014 WINNER FOR ABIA LITERARY FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014 WINNER FOR SMH BEST YOUNG AUSTRALIAN NOVELIST 2014 WINNER FOR ABIA/BOOKTOPIA PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD 2014 WINNER FOR DAVITT AWARDS DEBUT FICTION 2014 WINNER FOR DAVITT AWARDS READER'S CHOICE 2014 SHORTLISTED FOR THE GUARDIAN FIRST BOOK AWARD 2013 SHORTLISTED FOR NIB WAVERLEY AWARD FOR LITERATURE 2013 SHORTLISTED FOR THE STELLA PRIZE 2014 SHORTLISTED FOR BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2014 SHORTLISTED FOR VICTORIAN PREMIER'S LITERARY AWARD FOR FICTION 2014 SHORTLISTED FOR ALS GOLD MEDAL 2014 SHORTLISTED FOR VOSS LITERARY AWARD 2014 SHORTLISTED FOR NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS 2014 Praise for Burial Rites 'A story of swirling sagas, poetry ... Holds an exhilaration that borders on the sublime' Sunday Telegraph 'a wonderfully strange and haunting story' The Times 'a debut of rare sophistication and beauty' Observer 'beautiful and compelling' The Guardian 'A gripping tale.' New York Times 'The most talked about Australian debut novel in years.' Australian In Northern Iceland, 1829, Agnes Magnusdottir Is Condemned To Death For Her Part In The Brutal Murder Of Two Men.agnes Is Sent To Wait Out The Time Leading To Her Execution On The Farm Of District Officer Jon Jonsson, His Wife And Their Two Daughters. Horrified To Have A Convicted Murderess In Their Midst, The Family Avoids Speaking With Agnes. Only Toti, The Young Assistant Reverend Appointed As Agnes's Spiritual Guardian, Is Compelled To Try To Understand Her, As He Attempts To Salvage Her Soul. As The Summer Months Fall Away To Winter And The Hardships Of Rural Life Force The Household To Work Side By Side, Agnes's Ill-fated Tale Of Longing And Betrayal Begins To Emerge. And As The Days To Her Execution Draw Closer, The Question Burns: Did She Or Didn't She? Based On A True Story, Burial Rites Is A Deeply Moving Novel About Personal Freedom: Who We Are Seen To Be Versus Who We Believe Ourselves To Be, And The Ways In Which We Will Risk Everything For Love. In Beautiful, Cut-glass Prose, Hannah Kent Portrays Iceland's Formidable Landscape, Where Every Day Is A Battle For Survival, And Asks, How Can One Woman Hope To Endure When Her Life Depends Upon The Stories Told By Others?winner Of The Indie Awards Debut Fiction Of The Year 2014 Winner Of The Victorian Premier's Literary Award People's Choice Award 2014winner Of The Faw Christina Stead Award 2014winner Of The Aba Nielsen Bookdata Booksellers' Choice Award 2014winner Of The Abia Literary Fiction Book Of The Year 2014winner Of The Smh Best Young Australian Novelist 2014winner Of The Booktopia People's Choice Award 2014shortlisted For The Impac Dublin Literary Award 2015shortlisted For The Stella Prize 2014shortlisted For The Baileys Women's Prize For Fiction 2014shortlisted For The Victorian Premier's Literary Award For Fiction 2014shortlisted For The Als Gold Medal 2014shortlisted For The Guardian First Book Award 2013shortlisted For The Nib Waverley Award For Literature 2013 Shortlisted For The Stella Prize And The Baileys Women's Prize For Fiction 2014 Burial Rites Is Beautiful And Compelling . . . It's The Announcement Of A Writer To Watch. Guardian A Gripping Tale. New York Times In Northern Iceland, 1829, Agnes Magnusdottir Is Condemned To Death For Her Part In The Brutal Murder Of Two Men. Agnes Is Sent To Wait On The Farm Of District Officer Jon Jonsson And His Family, Who Are Horrified And Avoid Agnes. Only Toti, The Young Assistant Reverend Appointed As Agnes's Spiritual Guardian, Is Compelled To Try To Understand Her. As The Summer Months Fall Away To Winter, Agnes's Story Begins To Emerge. And As The Days To Her Execution Draw Closer, The Question Burns: Did She Or Didn't She? Based On A True Story, Burial Rites Is A Deeply Moving Novel About Freedom And The Ways We Will Risk Everything For Love. In Beautiful, Cut-glass Prose, Hannah Kent Portrays Iceland's Formidable Landscape, And Asks: How Can One Woman Endure When Her Life Depends Upon The Stories Told By Others? Fans Of Anna Funder's All That I Am And Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist Will Love Burial Rites. Praise For Hannah Kent An Outstandingly Good Debut . . . I Found Myself Spellbound . . . Kent Has Done A Great Deal Of Research And Transformed Its Results Into A Work Of Art. Literary Review 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 Tóti, 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. "A magical exercise in artful literary fiction... With language flickering, sparkling and flashing like the northern lights... Beautiful are Kent's descriptions of the interminable summer light, the ever-present snow and ice and cold of winter's gloomy darkness, the mountains, sea and valleys where sustenance is blood-rung from sheep." - Kirkus ReviewsRiveting 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? Contemporary fiction. SA Author. In northern Iceland, 1829, Agnes Magnusdottir is condemned to death for her part in the brutal murder of two men. Agnes is sent to wait out the time leading to her execution on the farm of District Officer Jon Jonsson, his wife and their two daughters. Horrified to have a convicted murderess in their midst, the family avoids speaking with Agnes. Only Toti, the young assistant reverend appointed as Agnes's spiritual guardian, is compelled to try to understand her, as he attempts to salvage her soul. As the summer months fall away to winter and the hardships of rural life force the household to work side by side, Agnes's ill-fated tale of longing and betrayal begins to emerge. And as the days to her execution draw closer, the question burns: did she or didn't she? Based on a true story, Burial Rites is a deeply moving novel about personal freedom: who we are seen to be versus who we believe ourselves to be, and the ways in which we will risk everything for love. In beautiful, cut-glass prose, Hannah Kent portrays Iceland's formidable landscape, where every day is a battle for survival, and asks, how can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others? A brilliant literary debut, inspired by a true story: the final days of a young woman accused of murder in Iceland in 1829. 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 TOti, 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' Agnes is sent to wait out the time leading to her execution on the farm of District Officer Jon Jonssonm, his wife and their two daughters. Horrified to have a convicted murderess in their midst, the family avoids speaking with Agnes. Only Toti, the young assistant reverend appointed as Agnes's spiritual guardian, is compelled to try to understand her, as he attempts to salvage her soul. As the summer months fall away to winter and the hardships of rural life force the household to work side by side, Agnes's illfated tale of longing and betrayal begins to emerge. And as the days to her execution draw closer, the question burns: did she or didn't she? 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 Tóti, 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. ... BURIAL RITES evokes a dramatic existence in a distant time and place -- provided by publisher Northern Iceland, 1829. A woman is condemned to death for murdering her lover. A family forced to take her in. A priest tasked with absolving her. But all is not as they had assumed, and time is running out: winter is coming, and with it the execution date. Only she can know the truth. This is Agnes's story