Five Great Books Set Outside the UK and USA

Let's face it: when you're from the UK or the USA, you're pretty lucky in how much fiction, and non-fiction, is set in  or  is about your country. It's not hard to find settings you can relate to on a personal, nostalgic level, as well as all the people who inhabit those familiar spaces.

One thing I really enjoy, however, is when I come across books that aren't set in these typical places, especially if they're set on a completely different continent. My reading habits still have a lot of broadening to do, I still find myself reading mainly books set in the UK or the USA written by white authors from the UK or the USA, but I'm constantly trying to read more books set in places that are completely foreign to me in all the best ways. So today I thought I'd share five books with you that aren't set in the UK or the USA and, if you haven't already, hopefully you'll want to read them, too! (I've also just realised that all five of these books are debut novels...)

Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

The novel I've read most recently from this selection, Adébáyọ̀'s debut was released earlier this year and was one of my most anticipated releases of 2017. I loved it. Set in Nigeria, where the author is from, the story follows a married couple desperate for a child whose relationship begins to unravel when a second wife is brought into the family. It's fantastic, so worth reading, and I'd recommend it for fans of Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You.

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Set in Amsterdam, this book was EVERYWHERE when it was released a few years ago. As much as I love historical fiction I was wary to pick this one up at first because I was worried it had been over-hyped, but when I read it I thoroughly enjoyed it. 17th century Amsterdam came to life for me in this book and Jessie Burton writes exquisitely. A three-part adaptation of The Miniaturist is coming to the BBC later this year, so now's a great time to read it if you haven't already!

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

This is such a good book to pick up during winter, Kent captures the barren yet beautiful Icelandic landscape wonderfully, but as this book is a novelisation of the final days of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last woman to be executed in Iceland in the 19th century, it'll probably make you cry. I'm actually going to Iceland in December, so I might have to give this one a re-read.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

If sci-fi retellings of fairy tales aren't something that interests you then I don't understand you these books aren't for you, but personally I love this series - it's so fun! One thing I also really love about it, though, is that none of the books are set in either the UK or the USA (the final book, Winter, is set on the moon!) with Cinder being set in a futuristic version of China, in New Beijing to be exact. I have lots of other books set in Asia on my TBR, and if you have any recommendations I'd love to hear them!

Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

If a month goes by where I haven't mentioned this book on my blog, assume I'm ill. I think you all know by now that this is one of my favourite novels and its originality is a huge part of that. Not only is this book set in Mexico City, but it focuses on witchcraft in the 1980s where our protagonist, Meche, learns to cast spells with her vinyl records. How can you not want to read that?

Have you read any of these? What are some of your favourite books set outside the UK and USA?

K is for Kent | Blogging from A to Z

Burial Rites
by Hannah Kent

Burial Rites was my first book of this year. I finished it while I was on the train from York to South Wales, a fairly long journey in which you need plenty of things to keep you occupied, after visiting a friend of mine for New Year. It was a fantastic New Year, probably one of the best I've ever had; York is a gorgeous city, and we brought in the New Year standing outside York Minster while the bells chimed. New Year's Day we spent the day inside where it was warm, snuggled in bed, ordered pizza and binge-watched the first three seasons of Parks + Rec. Like I said, it was a great New Year.

Burial Rites is a brilliant read for the winter time because of its setting in the harsh Icelandic countryside, although it's well worth reading any time of the year because of its content. It's based on the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last woman to be executed in Iceland after being accused of murdering her employer. This book is heartbreaking, and Kent's writing is just stunning. I ended up tearing up on the train and getting some very peculiar looks from people.

Whether you like historical fiction or not, give this beautiful debut novel a read.

Review | Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Burial Rites

by Hannah Kent

My Rating:
5 Stars

Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution. 

Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes's death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard. 

Hannah Kent's debut novel follows in the footsteps of Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace and Susan Fletcher's Corrag, breathing new life into the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last person to be executed in Iceland.

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction centered around the lives of real people who weren't royalty or part of the aristocracy, so Burial Rites is right up my alley. 

If you're a fan of slow, sad, character-driven novels then Burial Rites is for you; Kent writes shamelessly, with agonizing precision, and in doing so gives Agnes, and the people around her, vivid voices that won't soon be forgotten. Agnes is both easy to love and frustrating, but that only makes her all the more tangible; if you could only reach into the pages you might be able to touch her hair.

The other characters within the novel - particularly Margret and Tóti - also crept under my skin. The relationship that developed between Agnes and Margret was my favourite within the novel; at first I was worried that Kent might develop a romance between Agnes and Tóti, which for me would have added an artificiality to the story, but instead it was Agnes and Margret who developed one of the strongest bonds, and I loved that.

It's incredibly refreshing to read a book set in Iceland, and even more so to read a book set in 19th century Iceland. I loved the inclusion of the Icelandic names and phrases, and how beautifully Kent described the barren landscapes. I'm going to try and seek out more fiction set in this area of the world in future, because the majority of the historical fiction I read is set in Britain and so much of British history has already been written to death. As fun as they are, and as much as I love the period, do we really need another book set at the Tudor court?

Agnes's story is as unforgiving as the landscape around her, and although this certainly isn't a cheerful read it's enjoyable all the same; there's so much feeling behind the words that you can't help but be drawn in.

I adored this book, and highly recommend it.