Burial rites attract tourists

The small county of Húnavatn vestra in north Iceland has become increasingly popular with tourists. Chairman of the city council, Unnur Valborg Hilmarsdóttir believes that this increase is partly due to the Icelandic seal centre located in Hvammstangi, and to the fact that it's the setting of best-selling novel Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. "Even though summer is not quite here yet, and the weather is still cold, we're seeing 80 percent more tourists here than last year," she says to today's issue of Morgunblaðið. She adds that although the beautiful nature in the county is obviously an attraction, the novel must have a lot to do with this increase in visitors. "It's going to be a good summer for the travel industry in the area." Burial Rites, by Australian author Hannah Kent, tells the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, who was the last woman to be condemned to death in Iceland.

Burial Rites tells the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, who was the last woman to be condemned to death in Iceland.