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just_one_more_paige 's review for:
Burial Rites
by Hannah Kent
This review originally appeared on the book review blog: justonemorepaige.wordpress.com.
The description of this novel is definitely what drew me to it - it sounded like one of those stories that makes you think about how sometimes real life is so much more interesting than fiction. Plus, within the last few years I have had so many friends visit Iceland and heard nothing but positive things. So though this is, obviously, nothing that would let me experience Iceland today, I was interested in learning more about a place I know almost nothing about.
This book is an example of that special type of historical fiction novel, one that is an intriguing mix of fiction and nonfiction. And it's an incredibly well done example of that subgenre. Of course the dialogue and inner thoughts of the characters, plus some of the smaller events and interactions, are invented. But everything else that happens, each main event, is based on research, local history, and primary documents. And you can definitely tell that the author put a lot of time and effort into her research.
Burial Rites tells the story of Agnes, a young woman accused of a brutal murder, in the early 1800s in Iceland. In fact, Agnes is a bit famous for being the last case of capital punishment, by beheading, carried out in Iceland. This glimpse into Agnes' last days as she awaits her execution, spent living with a farming family in rural Iceland, is beautifully told. Kent takes an already compelling story and turns it into a a beautiful and very poignantly told tale. As we read, we learn both the sensationalized story of the murder and, along with the horrified family and the priest Agnes has chosen to be a guide through her last days, start to see the same details from Agnes' point of view.
I enjoyed the story itself very much - it's a story unlike any I've ever read, and that much more interesting for being based on a true story. Additionally, I loved learning about an area of the world, and a time within in, that I really don't know much about. From learning about the farm systems and religious basis of society to reading the afterwards, and learning how literate Iceland has always been, it was all completely fascinating. I also loved the portrayal of Agnes as both a victim and a jealous woman who could actually pull off such aggression. It was a realistic, very well imagined and flushed out, depiction of a real woman. And though we learn more about Agnes' life, circumstances, and decisions as the story progresses, I was very happy that in the end it was not a typical tale of "redemption." It was, purely, an exploration of a character, almost a study of who, exactly, Agnes was.
As a final, though incredibly important, note: it was so impressive to me that the author was able to write and create a story worth reading, one that makes you want to really see more and watch the characters develop together, even though the ending is a foregone conclusion. Just, very nicely done.
The description of this novel is definitely what drew me to it - it sounded like one of those stories that makes you think about how sometimes real life is so much more interesting than fiction. Plus, within the last few years I have had so many friends visit Iceland and heard nothing but positive things. So though this is, obviously, nothing that would let me experience Iceland today, I was interested in learning more about a place I know almost nothing about.
This book is an example of that special type of historical fiction novel, one that is an intriguing mix of fiction and nonfiction. And it's an incredibly well done example of that subgenre. Of course the dialogue and inner thoughts of the characters, plus some of the smaller events and interactions, are invented. But everything else that happens, each main event, is based on research, local history, and primary documents. And you can definitely tell that the author put a lot of time and effort into her research.
Burial Rites tells the story of Agnes, a young woman accused of a brutal murder, in the early 1800s in Iceland. In fact, Agnes is a bit famous for being the last case of capital punishment, by beheading, carried out in Iceland. This glimpse into Agnes' last days as she awaits her execution, spent living with a farming family in rural Iceland, is beautifully told. Kent takes an already compelling story and turns it into a a beautiful and very poignantly told tale. As we read, we learn both the sensationalized story of the murder and, along with the horrified family and the priest Agnes has chosen to be a guide through her last days, start to see the same details from Agnes' point of view.
I enjoyed the story itself very much - it's a story unlike any I've ever read, and that much more interesting for being based on a true story. Additionally, I loved learning about an area of the world, and a time within in, that I really don't know much about. From learning about the farm systems and religious basis of society to reading the afterwards, and learning how literate Iceland has always been, it was all completely fascinating. I also loved the portrayal of Agnes as both a victim and a jealous woman who could actually pull off such aggression. It was a realistic, very well imagined and flushed out, depiction of a real woman. And though we learn more about Agnes' life, circumstances, and decisions as the story progresses, I was very happy that in the end it was not a typical tale of "redemption." It was, purely, an exploration of a character, almost a study of who, exactly, Agnes was.
As a final, though incredibly important, note: it was so impressive to me that the author was able to write and create a story worth reading, one that makes you want to really see more and watch the characters develop together, even though the ending is a foregone conclusion. Just, very nicely done.