Burial Rites by Hannah Kent: The Story Behind the Story

In this episode of Between the Covers with Danielle, we explore Burial Rites by Australian author Hannah Kent — the internationally acclaimed historical fiction novel inspired by the real-life case of Agnes Magnúsdóttir.Set in northern Iceland in 1829, the novel reconstructs the final months of Agnes’s life after she is convicted of participating in the murder of two men and sentenced to execution. With no prisons available in the region, Agnes is sent to live on a remote farm while awaiting her fate, where a reluctant household and a young assistant reverend attempt to understand the woman history has already condemned. But Burial Rites is far more than a historical crime story.In this conversation, we examine the novel as a work of literary historical fiction, exploring how Kent reconstructs the emotional and psychological life behind a historical record that once reduced Agnes to a single act. We discuss themes of crime and punishment, power and powerlessness, storytelling, faith, and the fragile line between justice and judgement — all set against the stark Icelandic landscape that shapes the lives of everyone within the novel. This episode looks closely at:• the real historical case behind the Illugastaðir murders• the literary craft that makes Burial Rites such a powerful debut novel• the question at the heart of the book: who controls the stories history remembers?If you enjoy thoughtful literary discussions, historical fiction analysis, and deep dives into the books that stay with us long after the final page, you’re in the right place.