Burial Rites

Agnes’s guilt or innocence, and her exact role in Natan’s death, remains ambivalent for most of the novel. Based on what is revealed about the night of the murders, do you believe she should have been found guilty or innocence?

How did Toti’s approach to Agnes’s salvation differ from that of his superiors? Why do you think the other priests in the area seemed threatened by his unconventional methods?

Agnes’s host family was deeply affected by her stay with them. Describe how each of the four members of the family was changed by her time with them. How is her time with them likely to affect their family unit now that she is gone?