I really enjoyed this book. It was well written & the detail was not overbearing in its descriptions of "the olden days", like some books set way back when. Hannah Kent is quite a talented writer & I would be interested in reading some of her other works after completing this novel. This is a great book if you love historical fiction, as I do.

Burial Rites is a fictional story based on the events surrounding Agnes Magnusdottir. Agnes is a women accused of murder & arson during the 1800's in Iceland. She is awaiting her execution & is sent to the farm of the Jonsson Family, to wait out her life sentence. The family does not take to this obligated intrusion into their lives & at first treat Agnes poorly. It is the young Reverend, Toti, that finally brings about a change, when he is able to bring out the life story of the accused & an element of sympathy is ignited in the family members. Eventually the whole story unravels & it is not how I expected the story to go, not having known about the history surrounding the true story to start off with.

It will tug at your senses, I really recommend this one!!