I think I am the last person to read this book. It is justifiably well-regarded and has won 9 literary awards and been shortlisted for as many again.TOF and I listened to most of the audio-book borrowed from Libraries ACT on a recent journey and I finished it yesterday.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book - it is a "speculative biography" of the last woman executed in Iceland. Firmly based on historical research, the book reproduces a number of translated documents of the period, which appealed to me as an archivist.
Another appealing factor - the historical detail of women's work, in particular their textile work. Knitting, spinning and weaving are inherent elements of the text and I thrilled at each mention. I could imagine a pattern book based on traditional Icelandic patterns for socks and mittens based on this book, just as we have seen other "inspired" pattern books.
The book is a satisfying, fresh, feminist reading of a moment of Icelandic history and you don't need to be a knitter to enjoy it.
If this wasn't enough to make me just a little bit in love with Hannah Kent, this quotation from a recent blog post sealed our relationship.
"If you can't afford new books, buy second-hand books. If you can't afford second-hand books, get a library card. Get a library card anyway." Hannah Kent's Rules for Writing, blogged 26 November 2014
SOURCE: Libraries ACT
SOURCE: Libraries ACT
