RED RIDING HOOD

by Hannah Kent

Even though this book is a fiction, it is based on true events.

Agnes Magnúsdóttir is the last person executed on Iceland, accused of participating in the murder of Nathan Ketilsson and Peter Jonsson on the night between 13 and 14 March 1828 in Illugastadir, on the Vatnsnes peninsula in northern Iceland.

The story about her confessions live in the nowadays Iceland. Her tomb is present at Tjorn, northern Iceland where she is buried together with her partner in crime.

The authow wrote her view on life and way of thinking of Agnes. She first heard this ghost story when she was an exchange student in Iceland.

The author is beautifully describing the then Iceland in 19th century, its political and  religious values and relations with the king in Kopenhagen.

The tradition, beliefs, hard life under terrible meteo conditions of this northern country are very well described as well, the people’s survival through agriculture and livestock breeding etc.

As a feminist, I saw this book in the following way: this book gives a different view into a life of a woman who was an orphan, strong enough mentally to survive, but weak enough to fall in love. Sadly, the society sentenced her to death for witchcrafting… just one more in the row.