Iceland's bleak history stimulates incisive discussion

Hannah Kent's bleak but beautifully written Burial Rites fuelled much discussion on the plight of intelligent women who behaved in a manner beyond the norm throughout the ages. Agnes, the female protagonist, is targeted as trouble because she does not behave as society expects and pays the ultimate price while a young woman who utlises her feminine wiles to evoke sympathy appears to avoid the consequences of her actions due to public support. There was also much discussion about the harshness of life during winter in the farm houses of  Iceland in the 1800s. The landscape and setting play an important role in the novel. This novel raises so many issues........

Our readers enjoyed Hannah Kent's evocative style and the general consensus was that it was a worthy read and for one reader it was even better second time round.

Our book for our June meeting brings us back to an Australian small town setting where being different also causes its problems. We will be reading Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey.

This is how Goodreads summarises this novel which could also appeal to young adult readers.

Looking forward to hearing views on this book which focuses on young male protagonists for something a bit different to what we've read previously.

We meet at Mackay City Library at 6 pm on Thursday 5 June.

Happy reading!