THEAUSTRALIAN

HannahKent'sdebutnovelBurialRitesiswrittenin
coldblood
STEPHENROMEI THEAUSTRALIAN APRIL20,201312:00AM

InBurialRites,HannahKentreimaginesthelifeanddeathofAgnesMagnusdottir,thelastwomantobeexecutedinIceland.
Picture:KellyBarnesSource:TheAustralian

ITallstartedbecauseshewasagirlwhohadneverseensnow.Thatlack,commonplace
enoughinanAustralianchildhood,tookHannahKenttoadesolatehillsideinIceland
where,morethan170yearsearlier,onewoman'slifecametoabrutalend.
Itwas2003,Kentwas17and,thoughshecouldnothaveknownitatthetime,themoment
markedthebeginningofherownlifeasanauthor.
Adecadelater,KentisabouttopublishthemosttalkedaboutAustraliandebutnovelinyears.
BurialRitesreimaginesthelifeanddeathofAgnesMagnusdottir,thelastwomantobeexecuted
inIceland.Sentencedtodeathforherpartinthegorymurderoftwomen,shewasbeheadedby
axeonJanuary12,1830,aged33.
Whileawaitingexecution,Agnesisheldattheruralhomeofamiddlerankingofficial,Jon
Jonsson,where,inKent'stelling,sheslowlybecomespartofthehousehold,bondingespecially
withJonsson'swife,Margret.Sheisvisitedbyajuniorpriest,anearboychargedwithsecuring
herspiritualsalvationbeforesheisputtodeath.
Todate,muchofthechatteraboutBurialRiteshasbeenofmoney,andunderstandablyso.After
Kent'sdraftnovelwontheinauguralWritingAustraliaUnpublishedManuscriptAward,which
includedamentorshipwithPulitzerPrizewinningUSbasedAustraliannovelistGeraldine
Brooks,therewasheadybiddingforthebookbetweenpublishersinAustraliaandoverseas.

IntheendKentsecuredaninternationaltwobookdealworthmorethan$1million,anunheard
ofresultforafirsttimeAustralianwriter.BurialRiteswillbepublishedinAustralianextmonth,
BritaininAugustandtheUSinSeptember.
"IdorecogniseI'minaveryprivilegedposition,"Kentsays."Ihavenoideawhyithappened,
butI'mgratefulthatitdid."
AtthesametimeKent,asmartandselfpossessed27yearold,saysshedoesn'tfeelunderany
extrapressurebecauseoftheeyepoppingadvance.
"WhenIwrite,IwriteformyselfandIhavehighexpectations...soI'mjusttryingtomeetthose.
I'mnotgoingtodistractmyselfwithotherpeople'sexpectations."
Havingsaidthat,shehopespeoplewillrememberBurialRitesisafirstbook."Idowonderthat
peoplemightnotreaditasadebutnovel,thattheymighthaveelevatedexpectations.I'mnot
deluded,Idon'tthinkeveryonewilllikeit,butitisafirstbookandI'mstilllearningandthisis
verymuchmyapprenticeshipasawriter."
Inthesamespirit,Kent,whoisalsodeputyeditorofthenewishliteraryjournalKillYour
Darlings,declaresherselfunconcernedaboutthereviews:"I'mlookingforwardtothem.I'm
hopingthey'lltellmethingsIhaven'trecognisedmyselfyet,soIcanincorporatethemas
constructivefeedback."
WearetalkingoverlunchatacafeintheAdelaideHills,whereKentgrewupandhasspentmost
ofherlife.Herfatherisasuperfundmanager("Butnotatypicalaccountant,"shesays),her
motherisaprimaryschoolprincipalandhersisterBrionyisabuddingactorwhohadasmall
roleintherecentAustralianfilmBeautifulKate.
Shedescribesanidyllicchildhood:"Ispenttheweekendsrunningaroundinpaddocks,building
cubbies,playingunderoaktrees.Itwaswonderful,magical.
"Iwasaveryimaginativechildandmyparentswereveryencouragingofthat.MysisterandI
wouldputonplaysIwouldwritemyownstories.Iwasthetypicallynerdy,bookishkidyou
wouldprobablyimaginesomeonewhowantedtobeawriterwouldbeatthatage."
Kentiswarmandvivacious,easytotalkto.Shetellsastoryaboutwritingherfirstworkof
fictionatagesix,aboutafishwho,shockedwhenfamilymembersstartdisappearingtosupplya
newfishandchipshop,devisesacunningplantosavethepiscinecommunity.WhenIsuggest
it'saredemptivestory,Kentrejoins:"Yes,buttragicaswell."Whileshelikesomanycuther
readingteethonEnidBlyton(TheMagicFarawayTreeandTheNaughtiestGirlintheSchool
beingfavourites),asanolderreadershegravitatedtowards"anythingthatwasabitgrim:allthe
Russians,Hardy,JudetheObscure,thatsortofstuff".
Grimcanbehardtoshake,andKentsaysBrooks'smostimportantcontributiontoBurialRites
wastoencourageherto"letalittlelightin"."Shehelpedmetakeahugestepbackandlookat
thebroaderthemesinthenovel,"shesays."Wereworkedtheending,whichisstillextremely
grimbutwasevenmoresobackthen."
Brooksagrees,sayingwhenshefirstreceivedthemanuscript,"Ifeltslightlyfraudulent"."Itwas
anaccomplished,sophisticatedandutterlyengagingpieceofwork.Myonlysignificantinput
perhapswastoencourageHannahtofreeherselftoletalittlemorelightandwarmthintothe
northernchill.
"TheversionIsawimpliedthepowerofloveandconnectionisaseasonoflossanddespair,but

didnotfullyopenuptothisnarrativeimpulse."
AndsowecirclebacktoAgnesMagnusdottir.KentmadethatfirsttriptoIcelandonaRotary
exchange,havingdecidedtotakeayearoffafterfinishinghighschool.
"IhadaninterestinScandinaviancountriesbecauseI'dneverseensnow.WhenIwasdoingthe
interviewswiththeRotarypeople,IthinkIwastheonlypersonwhowasenthusiasticaboutthe
prospectofsnowandcoldand24hourdarkness...andthat'showIfoundmyselfleavinga40
plusdegreesAdelaidesummerandlandingsmackbanginthemiddleofanIcelandicwinter."
Kentsayssheimmediatelyfellinlovewiththebarrenlandscape.Indeed,morethanthat:"The
closestIcanbegintodescribethegripithadonmeisthatitfeltlikeahomecomingwhenIsaw
it.Istilldon'tknowwhyexactlybutIdothinkpeoplecanhaveaspiritualconnectionto
landscape,andIcertainlydidinIceland."
Kent'saffinityforthelandscaperesoundsoneverypageofBurialRites:itisnotbackdropor
scenerybutacharacterofitsown,demandingyetindifferent,thedominantinfluenceonthelives
ofeveryoneinthestory.Hereisabriefexample,amomentfromAgnes'slastdayonearth:
Nowcomesthedarkeningskyandacoldwindthatpassesrightthroughyou,asthoughyouwere
notthere,itpassesthroughyouasthoughitdoesnotcarewhetheryouarealiveordead,foryou
willbegoneandthewindwillstillbethere,lickingthegrassflatupontheground,notcaring
whetherthesoilisatfreezeorthaw,foritwillfreezeandthawagain,andsoonyourbones,now
hotwithbloodandthickjuicywithmarrow,willbedryandbrittleandflakeandfreezeandthaw
withtheweightofthedirtuponyou,andthelastmoistureofyourbodywillbedrawnuptothe
surfacebythegrass,andthewindwillcomeandknockitdownandpushyoubackagainstthe
rocks,oritwillscrapeyouupunderitsnailsandtakeyououttoseainawildscreamingofsnow.
"Landscapeisdestiny,"Kentsays,quotingRonRash,theAmericanwriteroftheAppalachians.
"Thesecharactersareasmuchformedbythelandscapeandtheyarebythesocialmoresoftheir
time."
AnditisherethattheAustraliansensibilitycomestothefore,theunderstandingofalandthat
canproducebeautyandterror."Ithinkanypeoplewholiveinacountrythatcanbebeautifuland
hostileatthesametimehaveaparticularawarenessofthatanditcomesthroughwhenwewrite
aboutit,"Kentsays.
"Wepayhomagetohowgorgeousitis,butwealsorespecthowdangerousitis."
Kentsaysthe"bestfictionshouldbeuniversal"andlaughsatthementionoftheMilesFranklin
LiteraryAward,withitsstipulationthateligiblebooksmustreflect"Australianlifeinanyofits
phases"."Oh,Idon'tthinkI'llhaveanyluckthere,"shesays.
ForBrooks,though,it'snolaughingmatter."ThisbusinessofbooksbyAussieshaving'nothing
oralmostnothingtodowithAustralia'isanarrowandblockheadedidea,"shesays.
"HannahandIarefortunateenoughtohavegrownupinandbeeneducatedinacountrythatis
turnedoutto,andfascinatedby,thewideworld.
"Australianness,especiallytherichmulticulturalstewofordinarysuburbanlife,empowersusto
feelastakeindiverseculturesandhistories.Ithinkallofmynovels,whatevertheirsetting,are
profoundlyAustralianbooks,andIthinkHannah'sis,too."

WHILEIcelandwasloveatfirstsightfortheteenageKent,shestruggledinherfirstmonthsin
thecountry.Boardedwithanoldercouplewholefthertoherowndevices,shyandunableto
speakthelanguage,shefelthomesickandawkwardlyalien."I'dbewalkingtoschoolinthesnow
andcarswouldslowdownandeveryonewouldhaveagoodlookoutthewindowsatthe
exchangestudent,butnoonewouldspeaktome,"sherecalls.
Kenteventuallymovedtoanotherhostfamily,onewithfouryoungchildren.This"resembled
mylifeinAustraliaalittlebitmore"andalsohelpedherlearnthelanguage.Shejoinedalocal
theatregroupand,sixmonthsintoheryearlongstay,startedtofeelathome.
YetitwasduringthosebereftfirstmonthsthatshefirstheardAgnes'sstory,andithadadeep
impact.Sheandherhostshappenedtodrivepasttheexecutionsiteoneday.
"TheytoldmeitwasawomanIdon'tevenknowifIheardhernameatthatstagewhohad
beenbeheadedforthemurderoftwomen,"Kentsays.
"BesidesthenaturalcuriosityIthinkeveryonehasaboutexecutionsandmurders,therewas
somethingabouttheideaofthiswomanwhowasinasmallcommunity,isolatedyetvery
conspicuous,thatresonatedwithmyownintensefeelingsatthetime."
Kentcontinueswithalaugh:"Notthatyoucancompareoursituations,Iknow!Oneisalonely
exchangestudentandtheotherisawomancondemnedtodeath...buttherewassomethingthere,
apersonalconnection,thatmademewanttolearnmoreaboutherstory."
ThatcuriositybecameaprojectwhenKent,backinAdelaideanddoingacreativewritingdegree
atFlindersUniversity,hadtowriteasectionofanovelaspartofherhonoursthesis."Bythat
stageIknewIwantedtowriteaboutIceland,becauseithadsuchaprofoundimpactonmeandI
hadsomanyquestionsaboutthiswomanthatIwantedtoexplore,"shesays.
ShereceivedthegreenlightfromhersupervisorsandstartedtoresearchAgnes'slife.Shewas
immediatelystruckbythestereotypicalportrayalofheras"thisscheming,scornedwoman,a
witchweavingawebofdeceit"."It'stheideaofwomenaseithermonstersorangels,withno
middleground,"shesays.
SoKentsetaboutturningAgnesintoahumanbeing.
There'sanobviousparallelherewithHilaryMantel'sblockbusterTudorEnglandtrilogyWolf
Hall,BringuptheBodiesandtheworkinprogress,TheMirrorandtheLightinwhicha
characterlargelycaricaturedbyhistory,ThomasCromwell,isbroughttolifeasamanof
extraordinaryintensityandcomplexity.AndMantel'sbooksdofeaturequiteabitofbeheading.
Kentreadwidelyabout19thcenturyIceland"everythingfromdryacademicarticlesonsheep
grazingtostatisticalaccountsoninfantmortalitytoworksontheimplicationsofillegitimacy"
tobuildapictureofthetimeinwhichAgneslived.ShereturnedtoIcelandtostudythepublic
records,includingofficialaccountsofthecrimeanditsaftermath.Shemakesgooduseofsuch
documentsthroughoutthenovel,suchasaDanishofficial'sletterinstructingtheaxebereturned
toCopenhagenaftertheexecutionshadbeencarriedout(IcelandwasthenpartoftheKingdom
ofDenmark).
Buthistoricalresearchwilltakeafictionwriteronlysofar.HowdidKent,whoshiftsinthe
novelbetweenAgnes'sfirstpersonaccountandathirdpersonnarrative,findherprotagonist's
voice,tapheremotionallife?
"Ithinkalotoffictionwriting,alotofcharacterisation,isjustempathy,andthat'showshecame

about,"shesays."Itwastheresultofhavingthoughtabouthermoreorlessconstantlyfor10
yearsobsessedisthewordmyfamilyuseandaskingmyselfwhatitwouldbeliketobeinher
position."
WeknowhowAgnes'sstorymustend,soKentlookselsewheretocreatesuspense,gradually
buildingagrippingstoryofwhatmighthavehappenedonthenightofMarch13,1828,when
NatanKetilssonandPeturJonssonwerestabbedandbludgeonedtodeath.
"IwasmoreconcernedwiththestoryofAgnes'slifethaninherexecutionoreventhemurders,"
Kentsays."SoIforgotabouttheexecutionwhenIwaswritingitandIhopethereaderdoestoo."
Agnesemergesasastrongwomaninabookfullofthem,Margretespecially.ButKentsays
everyoneinIcelandatthattimehadtobestrongtosurvive."It'snotlikeIsetouttowritea
feministnovel.Ijustwantedtowriteanovelwherethecharacters'strengthwasadirectresultof
theirnecessarystoicisminthefaceofsomuchhostility."
WhenIaskifshelikesAgnes,Kentreplies:"Ido,but'like'seemsastrangewaytoputit.I'm
intenselyinterestedinthiswoman.Ithinkit'sherambiguitythatdrawsmemorethananything.
Sheexemplifieshowweareallcapableoflovingandhatinganddoingbadanddoinggood...
withoutbeingbadorgoodpeople."

MantelhasspokenwistfullyofthefactsheandCromwellwillhavetopartcompanyattheendof
hernextbook,whenhewillpartcompanywithhishead.
Kent,whoisatworkonanotherhistoricalnovel,sayssheis"readynottowriteaboutAgnes"but
"willalwayscarryher".
"Idon'tthinkIneedtoletgoofher,"shesays."She'ssomeonewhostillinterestsmeandyou
don'tansweryourownquestionsaboutsomethingsimplybywritingabookaboutit."
StephenRomeiisTheAustralian'sliteraryeditor.
HannahKentwillbeaguestoftheSydneyWritersFestival,May2026.www.swf.org.au
(http://www.swf.org.au)

BurialRitesispublishedbyPicadoronMay1.

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