Burial Rites

Agnes is condemned to death in Iceland. Until she is to be put to death by the state, she is assigned to live with a family in a remote part of the country and she is given a pastor to provoke feelings of remorse. The family and the pastor, though initially reluctant to even speak to this condemned murderess, gradually come to know Agnes and to hear the story of her difficult life.

I'd seen much press about this book, and I'm glad to share that the story lives up to the press. It is based on a true story and you can see that the author invested in much research about this woman and the family and the country before writing this book.

You will, I think, find yourself growing more and more compassionate for the plight of people with difficult lives as you read this story. And that is a good thing.