Hannah Kent's meticulous research transports us to rural Iceland in the early 1800s, vividly recreating the harsh realities of farming life. Through her considerable writing talent, further research, and imaginative approach to speculative biography, Kent unveils the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, Iceland's last woman to be publicly executed for murder. Agnes's life has been one of unrelenting hardship. Despite her misfortunes, she is portrayed as a hardworking, intelligent woman, worthy of friendship. However, her status as a bastard child and a pauper leaves her largely isolated in a relentlessly unforgiving environment.