Burial Rites

Novel by Hannah Kent

This article is about the novel. For other uses, see Funeral.

Burial Rites

First edition (Australia)

Author| Hannah Kent
Language| English
Genre| Novel
Publisher| Pan Macmillan (AUS)
Little, Brown (US)
Picador (UK)

Publication date

| 2013
Publication place| Australia
Media type| Print (Paperback)
Pages| 338
ISBN| 9781742612829

Burial Rites (2013) is a novel by Australian author Hannah Kent, based on a true story.

## Background

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Kent was inspired to write Burial Rites during her time as an exchange student in Iceland when she was 17, where she learnt the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir.[1] She then made it the topic of her honours degree thesis and PhD at Flinders University, with additional mentoring by Geraldine Brooks. After this, Kent was awarded the Writing Australia Unpublished Manuscript Award in 2011.[2][3]

## Plot summary

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Burial Rites tells the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, a servant in northern Iceland who was condemned to death after the murder of two men, one of whom was her employer, and became the last woman put to death in Iceland.[4]

## Notes

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* Burial Rites was included in the VCE text response texts from 2014.
* Dedication: For my Family
* Included in the QCAA prescribed text list in 2020.[5]

## Reviews

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* The Guardian[6]
* Sydney Review of Books[7]

## Interviews

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* The Australian \- "Hannah Kent's debut novel Burial Rites is written in cold blood" by Stephen Romei[8]

## Awards and nominations

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* 2011 inaugural winner Writing Australia Unpublished Manuscript Award
* 2013 shortlisted 'The Nib': CAL Waverley Library Award for Literature
* 2013 shortlisted Guardian First Book Award
* 2013 winner 'The Nib': CAL Waverley Library Award for Literature — The Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize
* 2014 shortlisted Victorian Premier's Literary Awards — Fiction
* 2014 winner Victorian Premier's Literary Awards — People's Choice Award
* 2014 winner Indie Awards — Debut Fiction[9]
* 2014 shortlisted Stella Prize
* 2014 shortlisted ASAL Awards — ALS Gold Medal
* 2014 shortlisted Women's Prize for Fiction (UK)
* 2014 winner Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) — Australian Literary Fiction Book of the Year
* 2014 winner Nielsen BookData Booksellers Choice Award — Australian Booksellers Association[10]
* 2014 winner Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) — Booktopia People's Choice Award
* 2014 shortlisted Davitt Award — Best Adult Crime Novel[11]
* 2014 winner Davitt Award — Best Debut Crime Novel[11]
* 2014 winner Davitt Award — Readers' Choice Award[11]
* 2014 shortlisted National Book Awards (UK) — International Author of the Year
* 2014 shortlisted Voss Literary Prize
* 2015 shortlisted International Dublin Literary Award

## Film

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In 2017, it was announced that Luca Guadagnino will direct a film adaptation starring Jennifer Lawrence.[12]

## References

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1. ^ Lanagan, Margo (2 May 2013). "Hannah Kent chats to Margo Lanagan". www.readings.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
2. ^ Morris, Linda (3 May 2013). "Interview: Hannah Kent". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
3. ^ "Grim murder history wins Hannah major writing prize". Flinders University. 30 November 2011. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
4. ^ Kent, Hannah 'Keep Calm and Carry On: An Unexpected Path to Publication', Kill Your Darlings, Issue 13 (April 2013)
5. ^ "Prescribed Text List" (PDF). Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. October 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
6. ^ Moss, Sarah (31 August 2013). "Burial Rites by Hannah Kent – review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 August 2013.
7. ^ Etherington, Ben (8 November 2013). "The Real Deal: Burial Rites by Hannah Kent". Sydney Review of Books. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013.
8. ^ Romei, Stephen (20 April 2013). "Hannah Kent's debut novel Burial Rites is written in cold blood". The Australian. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013.
9. ^ ""Indie Book Awards - Winners 2014"". Australian Independent Booksellers. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
10. ^ "The Nielsen BookData Booksellers' Choice Award - Australian Booksellers Association". www.booksellers.org.au. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
11. ^ a b c ""Whodunnit? The women killing it in crime writing"". The NewDaily. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
12. ^ Brent Lang (12 December 2017). "Jennifer Lawrence to Star in Luca Guadagnino's 'Burial Rites'". Variety.

## External links

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* Burial Rites, Official Publisher Site