Burial Rites - Hannah Kent Q&A

Not my usual sort of read, but gripping in a macabre sort of way. I haven't been to Iceland in winter, but parts of it are very grim in summer.

Thank you so much for my copy of Burial rites. I found it a very well written book, full of characterisation, and detail on settings. It took a little getting into, but then I found that I couldn't put it down at all - fabulous when a book consumes you like that.
I'm very pleased to hear that this book is being made into a film, and Jennifer Lawrence is to take the lead role. Is Hannah doing any of the screenplay?

Bought Burial Rites for £2.99 yesterday with a voucher cut out from the Telegraph, looking forward to reading it after I have finished the book I am reading at the moment. I loved Alias Grace and have heard that this is similar.

A bit late - thanks for my copy, would probably not have discovered this great book without your offer. Fascinating, informative, excruciating - a very good read. Hoping to introduce it to a new book group i my area.

Thank you again for this book, not one I would have chosen myself as the title would have been rather off-putting. Once I started reading it I was certainly hooked. The research that must have gone into writing this book is quite amazing. I very much enjoyed the explanatory notes, which gave great insight into the reasons for adepting this haunting case for her first novel.

I loved this book, as others have said, it is not one I would have chosen, but am so glad to have read it. Made me think that we don't know just how lucky we are to live in today's world, well, most of us anyway.

I have found this book really interesting. It's certainly thought provoking to think generations of people have survived in such harsh conditions for centuries. The rough treatments were also a product of the conditions they lived in and Agnes' life was certainly controlled by the tough environment.

I loved the way Agnes' story was told - not everything is as it seems. She had turned everyone's opinion of her on it's head and it would be nice to think that's how it turned out. I think Hannah has done a really good job of putting flesh on the bones of documents and speculation.

Hannah's descriptive vocabulary of the environment, weather and Agnes' feelings is very good and I was right there in the little room with them, listening to Agnes' story.

Did Hannah's research stretch to putting her toes in a cow pat to see if it would keep them warm, I wonder. I feel the book has been really well researched.

Good job Hannah.

Thank you so much for the book. Have not read it yet but will be recommending it to my book club.

Really couldn't put it down--hoped till the end for a miracle but amazing that with such a dreary life she still wanted to live thanks a lotG

Thank you for my book. I had read reviews and found them intriguing. Now I am wondering whether you ever regretted this choice of subject for your novel, Hannah? It is a very dark tale, and even the weather at the time is cold and dark. Did you find that it got you down, living in your head in all this bleakness? You do try to lighten the view of Agnes and what happened to her. The reader is challenged to review major issues - women's place in society, capital punishment, the physical effect of geography and climate on justice systems. I would not be surprised to find it as a set book in future years.

It certainly made an uncomfortable read and made me think about what is 'enjoyment' in literature. Thank you, Hannah and Gransnet, for stimulating the 'Little Grey Cells'.

Thank you for the copy of Burial Rites,it had me hooked from the start,although not the sort of book I would usually choose.A gripping story told with sensitive detail and stunningly descriptive of the surroundings and weather.The tentative relationships between Agnes,the family and Toti are beautifully told and the ending is emotional,affecting all the characters,even Jon,in different ways.I think Toti had fallen a little bit in love with Agnes.
The contrast of the Epilogue,coldly stating the facts,adds a powerful and poignant conclusion.
Does Hannah Kent believe in the death penalty?
A brilliant book,all the more so for being Hannah's debut novel.Would definitely read more from Hannah.

Concentrate, Galen

Galen

Does the weather play any part in this novel?

The weather plays a very important part in this novel, has Hannah used her personal experience and feelings when describing it ? Was it difficult to "fill in" the unknown, ie away from the legal papers ?
Thank you for such an exciting novel.

The weather plays a very important part in this novel, has Hannah used her personal experience and feelings when describing it ? Was it difficult to "fill in" the unknown, ie away from the legal papers ?
Thank you for such an exciting novel.

The weather plays a very important part in this novel, has Hannah used her personal experience and feelings when describing it ? Was it difficult to "fill in" the unknown, ie away from the legal papers ?
Thank you for such an exciting novel.

The weather plays a very important part in this novel, has Hannah used her personal experience and feelings when describing it ? Was it difficult to "fill in" the unknown, ie away from the legal papers ?
Thank you for such an exciting novel.

The weather plays a very important part in this novel, has Hannah used her personal experience and feelings when describing it ? Was it difficult to "fill in" the unknown, ie away from the legal papers ?
Thank you for such an exciting novel.

The weather plays a very important part in this novel, has Hannah used her personal experience and feelings when describing it ? Was it difficult to "fill in" the unknown, ie away from the legal papers ?
Thank you for such an exciting novel.

The weather plays a very important part in this novel, has Hannah used her personal experience and feelings when describing it ? Was it difficult to "fill in" the unknown, ie away from the legal papers ?
Thank you for such an exciting novel.

The weather plays a very important part in this novel, has Hannah used her personal experience and feelings when describing it ? Was it difficult to "fill in" the unknown, ie away from the legal papers ?
Thank you for such an exciting novel.