Burial Rites.
by Kent, Hannah
- Used
- Paperback
- Condition
- See description
- ISBN 10
- 1742612822
- ISBN 13
- 9781742612829
- Seller
-
Annandale, New South Wales, Australia
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Sydney: Picador / Pan Macmillan Australia, 2013. Reprint ed.. Paperback octavo, very good condition, minor edgewear, pages faintly toned. 338 pp. This novel by Australian writer Hannah Kent is based on a true story about Agnes Magnusdottir, who in 1829, in Iceland, was condemned to death for her part in the brutal murder of two men. Iceland's formidable landscape, where it is a daily battle to survive is well described by the author, who went to Iceland as a teenager on a Rotary exchange program, and learnt about the story of Agnes.
Reviews
On Nov 17 2013, CloggieDownunder said:
Burial Rites is the first novel by Australian author, Hannah Kent. In 2003, during an exchange year in Iceland, Hannah Kent became interested with events leading up to the last execution to occur in that country. Thus began ten years of research into Agnes Magnusdottir, beheaded by axe in 1829 for her role in the murder of two sleeping men. Eventually Kent produced a novel in which she aimed to show another side to this condemned woman. This novel won the Writing Australia Unpublished Manuscript Award, and deservedly so. Kent takes the many facts she has uncovered in her extensive research and, along with fictional likelihoods,weaves them into a fascinating tale of love, cruelty, passion and betrayal. Kent fills out the real and fictional characters, giving them a depth that cannot be gleaned from recorded data. A great wealth of interesting facts about early 19th century Iceland is incorporated into the story, giving it a wonderful authenticity. With sparkling prose, Kent evokes both the feel of northern Iceland and emotions of her characters. Gems like “I staggered in the light of the world and took deep gulps of fresh sea air. It was late in the day: the wet mouth of the afternoon was full on my face. My soul blossomed in that brief moment….” and “I had no friends. I didn’t understand the landscape. Only the outlying tongues of rock scarred the perfect kiss of sea and sky – there was no one and nothing else. There was nowhere else to go.” abound. Kent’s mentor for this masterpiece was, very appropriately, Geraldine Brooks: this genre is right up her alley. This is a powerful and moving first novel, and readers will eagerly await Hannah Kent’s next work.
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Bookhome Sydney (AU)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 29002
- Title
- Burial Rites.
- Author
- Kent, Hannah
- Book Condition
- Used
- Edition
- Reprint ed.
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10
- 1742612822
- ISBN 13
- 9781742612829
- Publisher
- Picador / Pan Macmillan Australia
- Place of Publication
- Sydney
- Date Published
- 2013
- Keywords
- australian fiction, crime fiction, historical fiction, europe, iceland
Terms of Sale
Bookhome Sydney
Parcels posted within Australia by Australia Post. Overseas parcels from Australia posted by Air Mail with full tracking (about 10 to 30 days delivery, but delays in post possible). Expertly wrapped. Genuine guarantee. We request extra postage for heavy books.
About the Seller
Bookhome Sydney
Biblio member since 2004
Annandale, New South Wales
About Bookhome Sydney
Friendly family-owned internet bookshop located in Sydney's inner west. Selling books since 1998 (online since 2000). A broad range of quality secondhand and antiquarian books, particularly Australian history and society (Australiana), psychology, health, animals/pets, environment, science, religion, books for children. Mostly nonfiction.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes: