Burial Rites - Hannah Kent Q&A

Thank you for the book, it is not my usual style of reading as I found the title 'Burial Rites' offputting it hinted to me of horror and macabre. BUT it is a thrilling read and the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" is very apt. I am halfway through and cannot put it down......I will comment more on completion

Goodness, I feel as if I have to get a move on! My book arrived while I was away this week and I haven't started it yet. Like Spidergran, it's not my usual style, but I think the best aspect of the book club is getting us to read something outside our comfort zone. Thank you for the opportunity, GN.

I finished this fabulous book today and it has made a lasting impression on me. The bleak cold and dark of the Icelandic winter climate and the boring diet were described so cleverly and linked in with the barbaric treatment Agnes received, virtually throughout her life. I hoped against hope, right until the final chapter that she would be spared her fate.

I would like to ask Hannah if she intends to write more books featuring Iceland and also if she favours historical time frames?

I`ve just finished the book, it was a very dark story, but impressively and movingly written, I had tears in my eyes on the last two pages. Will be interesting to see what subject Hannah Kent chooses for her next book.

Hi Hannah, you have set this book in Iceland - do you have connections with the country or have you visited it? I fell in love with it when I went there! I was so pleased to get my copy the other day and am looking forward to reading it.

I too have been engrossed in "Burial Rights" and, having finished it, immediately passed it on to DD. I agree with other comments about it being atmospheric and dark - in more senses than one. It tried to tell a human story and I almost felt as though I was actually observing events myself. I see that there are plans for it to be filmed and am very curious as to whether a film would have the same effect on me. It did make me remember two books that I read nearly fifty years ago when I was a teenager, "Avalon" by Anya Seaton and "An Old Captivity" by Nevil Shute. Parts of both books, as I remember (I no longer have copies), were set in much earlier times in Iceland (and Greenland in Avalon's case.) Some of the hardships and details of everyday life certainly resonated with those described in "Burial Rights."

I would certainly look out for another novel by Hannah Kent, does she intend writing more? She has spent many years researching and writing this book, does she think she will use her knowledge of Iceland to set further books there or will she use her talent for research to explore entirely different topics for future books? Thank you to Hannah!

If made into a film, I hope they stick to the actual book, and not try to embellish it in any way, that usually spoils films from books for me.

Thank you so much for the Burial Rites. I have now finished the book I was reading so can make a start and I'm looking forward to it.

Still reading this and wish I had more time to finish it. Really enjoying it though; such a different world.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and atmospheric story. At times the description was so vivid that I almost fancied I could feel the cold of the harsh Icelandic winter seeping into my bones. As I read through the book I admired the quiet stoicism of Agnes in the face of lifelong ill-treatment,and I loved the way in which those around her began to feel themselves affected by her presence-the lady of the house starting to form an almost- friendship with her , and the young Reverend struggling with his desire to bring redemption to someone who felt no need of it. I found the end to be emotionally affecting..as events moved towards their inexorable close I wanted things to be different ,but the die had been cast...

Nearly finished this book, most surprising, not my normal choice but have found it very gripping, in fact I cant put it down, beautifully written. Can't wait to finish.

It took a while to get into this book and the names to start with were off putting but I stuck with it and so glad I did I really enjoyed it and was gripped by the final chapters thank you I would recommend

Isn`t it amazing how a certain book can take you right away from the genre that you`re used to, AND that you enjoy the experience as well?

Thank you so much for the book. I recently traced relatives on my mothers side of the family in Iceland and they have become great friends. I visited Iceland last year and look forward to reading the book

Loved the book, beautifully written. There is a lot of talk about dreams in the
story. Do Icelanders put a lot of store by dreams or was this Hannah's way of adding to the story.

This was such a powerful bok. The desolate landscape and bleak weather side by side with the despair and hoplessness of Agnes's circumstance was so well depicted.
It seemed as if I that I knew all the main characters and could almost feel Agnes's pain and utter despair when she first arrived at the farm.
I was so happy that the family all softened towards her and she become almost part of the household by the end.
I think Toti was a bit in love with her and was heart broken when the order for the execution came through.
I wonder if Hannah was weighed down by the sadness of this story and how she felt at the end of it. I, myself, felt angry and almost grief stricken.

Thank you for a beautifully written book.

I really enjoyed the novel and am totally in awe of all the research that it must have involved. Like Spidergran, I feel the title did not do justice to the genre and initially, because of the title, I felt it might not be to my taste. How wrong I was! I was engrossed by the bringing to life of another culture in another century. I also think that it was the right decision to leave until the end of the book, the information that the plot was loosely based on a true story. For me that gave an added dimension to the novel which was better assimilated after having read the very sad conclusion. Thank you so much for the book.

Received a copy of Burial Rites but haven't quite finished it yet. The bleakness of Iceland is beautifully described (reminds me of a week spent up on the Shetlands - beautiful but cold and wild). It's a country I'd love to visit and assume Hannah spent some time here getting to know the people and landscape.

Thank you very much for my copy am saving it for my hols!

Only about a third of the way through the book due to other demands, but finding it a really good read so far. Thank you for the opportunity to be transported to a different country!

Thank you so much for my copy of Burial rites. As yet I haven't started to read it, but I look forward to starting it soon. I was so surprised to receive a parcel and it was a lovely surprise

Loved this book it held me from the first page. It also awakened an interest in Iceland which is not somewhere I had any intention of visiting before. Hannah did not just write about Agnes, she became her with vivid insight into her feelings and emotions with such strength and clarity that I also felt I became Agnes which is how a good book should grip the reader. I felt sad and missed her when I had finished reading the book as though a part of me had also ended when she lost her life.
I would like to ask Hannah how long after finishing the novel did she feel she had left Agnes behind of does she still feel entwined with her somehow?

Just finished reading this. Thank you very much Gransnet.
Enjoyed the writing and the descriptive passages really set the scenes in Iceland. I could almost smell the snow and feel the cold.

My question to Hannah would be: How did you choose the title?

I hope I haven't missed the reason in my haste to find out what happened in the book!

I received my copy yesterday and very much look forward to reading it. Thank you so much!

I don't know if I would watch the film, I have never yet seen a film of a book that matched upto my expectations and always came away with a disappointed sinking feeling that something special had now been ruined. A prime example was Reacher. After being gripped by Lee Child's series of books about Jack Reacher who was a rugged, 6'5" 250lb dirty blonde hero and to then see a film where he was played by Tom Cruise a boy-next-door
5'7" with black hair was a disappointment beyond belief! Losing nearly a foot in height is stretching the boundaries of imagination in most people's book. It just could not be taken serious and no wonder the farce of a film was a flop. If your story's essential element revolves around a main character's physical appearance and in more than one book, then to remove it will cause it all to collapse like a pack of cards.....it was bad enough to think about requesting my cinema ticket refunded....