Burial Rites

How did Toti’s approach to Agnes’s salvation differ from that of his superiors? Why do you think the other priests in the area seemed threatened by his unconventional methods?

Agnes’s host family was deeply affected by her stay with them. Describe how each of the four members of the family was changed by her time with them. How is her time with them likely to affect their family unit now that she is gone?

What are the primary similarities between the Icelandic justice system of the time, and the one we have now? What are the differences? Do you believe the justice system has advanced since then, or do we have many of the same problems?

The conflict between Natan and Fridrik escalated quickly due to both men’s hot tempers and unwillingness to back down. Based on what was seen of the conflict, do you think both men bear responsibility, or was one more at fault in their feud?

Margret was the person who spent the most time with Agnes. Why do you think Margret bonded with her so fiercely and seemed to view her as a third daughter? What did these two women have in common?

The murders of Natan and Petur scandalized Iceland and Agnes became the subject of gossip and rumor. This, in part, made the possibility of an appeal more difficult for her. Discuss a modern day parallel to Agnes’s case, in which a person’s guilt or innocence was determined by speculation and rumor, rather than in a court of law. Why might this be a problem and what can be done about it? How does the novel address this issue?

Sigga and Steina are both portrayed as young, pretty but naive women who were protected by other people. Is this a fair assessment of the two women? Consider how Sigga’s youth, beauty and naivety affect her sentencing and what this suggests about how women were perceived in 19th century Iceland?

Discuss the role that historical and official documents, real or fictionalized, play in the novel. How to they add to, or detract from, our understanding of Agnes’s case and its significance in Icelandic history? What is the novel’s relationship to “official” history?