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A review by nannahnannah
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
4.0
Ouch. This one will make you cry. Ugly cry, too--none of them single and clean down-the-cheek tears.
Burial Rites is based on the last arc of Agnes Magnúsdóttir's life, after she was charged with murder and sent to live with a reverend's family. It's part mystery (what really happened that night at her former master's house? Did she really kill him?) and part character drama, with slow-moving arcs that really make these historical people feel real.
Honestly, I wasn't too thrilled with this book until I hit the halfway point. I'm not altogether sure why. The writing was fine, the book was moving, it just didn't hook me. Then, about that time, I was caught and suddenly the writing was haunting, the passages gripped my heart, and I was in deep. Again, I can't explain this change. The notes I had around the beginning half consisted of "PoVs and dialogue sound stilted and awkward etc. etc. etc." and the second half, these notes changed to, "I love Agnes's PoV, everything is so lyrical and the writing is so haunting, etc. etc. etc." So I guess, if you feel less than enthralled during the first half, stick with it! It's worth the read, I promise you.
What I love most about this book is that it's one of those stories within a story. Much of the time, characters are explaining to others about things that happened before, but what they're saying is just as interesting as what's happening in the story's present time. And because of that, the plot consists of both the past events and the present.
There are also actual historical documents preceding each chapter, which reminds you that what you're reading more or less took place. Its frightening to read Agnes's PoV and then to see calm and indifferent (Real, by the way) people discussing her death in official papers or letters.
As much as I cried, and as much as I use the words "frightening" and stuff, I read this book into the night. It's beautiful.
Burial Rites is based on the last arc of Agnes Magnúsdóttir's life, after she was charged with murder and sent to live with a reverend's family. It's part mystery (what really happened that night at her former master's house? Did she really kill him?) and part character drama, with slow-moving arcs that really make these historical people feel real.
Honestly, I wasn't too thrilled with this book until I hit the halfway point. I'm not altogether sure why. The writing was fine, the book was moving, it just didn't hook me. Then, about that time, I was caught and suddenly the writing was haunting, the passages gripped my heart, and I was in deep. Again, I can't explain this change. The notes I had around the beginning half consisted of "PoVs and dialogue sound stilted and awkward etc. etc. etc." and the second half, these notes changed to, "I love Agnes's PoV, everything is so lyrical and the writing is so haunting, etc. etc. etc." So I guess, if you feel less than enthralled during the first half, stick with it! It's worth the read, I promise you.
What I love most about this book is that it's one of those stories within a story. Much of the time, characters are explaining to others about things that happened before, but what they're saying is just as interesting as what's happening in the story's present time. And because of that, the plot consists of both the past events and the present.
There are also actual historical documents preceding each chapter, which reminds you that what you're reading more or less took place. Its frightening to read Agnes's PoV and then to see calm and indifferent (Real, by the way) people discussing her death in official papers or letters.
As much as I cried, and as much as I use the words "frightening" and stuff, I read this book into the night. It's beautiful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse
also: cissexism