Customer Reviews

Alias Grace

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Although I've been a fan of Margaret Atwood's for many years (as any good Canadian woman should be!), I usually enjoyed her actual writing--her poetic turn of a phrase, her quirky descriptions--more than the plots of her novels. Alias Grace shows her as a masterful storyteller. The first time I read it I could hardly put it down, so anxious was I to learn the ultimate fate of Grace Marks, but forced myself to read it more slowly to savour living in the Victorian times Atwood re-created in palpable detail. As soon as I finished, all I wanted to do was go back to the beginning and start over. For a month I resisted, and then re-read it slowly, studying her art of writing. A couple of years later now, I have re-read it for a third time, and am still in awe of the multiple layers of this story, the painstaking research into the life of Grace Marks, the simple language used by the uneducated Grace that yet reveals her very clever mind, the delightful overlay of quilting patterns, the details of domestic work in Victorian Canada, the emergent state of psychiatry, and the skillful unfolding of an unpredictable plot. The variety of forms of writing is also intriguing, the monologues of Grace and the correspondence between Dr. Jordan and his friends and family. Alias Grace is a true masterpiece, the most brilliant Canadian novel ever, I would say.

What will she do next? Surely other fans of Margaret Atwood find her books as wonderful and unpredictable as I do. Reading Atwood has made me laugh so hard I cried (Lady Oracle, Life Before Man); made me angry (The Handmaid's Tale); made me reflective and pensive (Cat's Eye); and made me wonder out loud (Alias Grace). If they give out awards for versitility in writing, Atwood should win hands down.

To me, "Alias Grace" reads like one of the more recent histories of Simon Schma which covered high crimes and misdemeanors in the 19th century. What really did happen to Grace Marks? Atwood presents the facts, you be the judge. The evidence concerning Grace Marks is conflicted. Was she a notorious killer or innocent victim? If Atwood is trying to shape the conclusion in the reader's mind, she is certainly subtle. I got the audiobook for my aunt, and she's still ticked off because Atwood didn't really spell out the verdict in a simple yes or no.

This is a tale of intrigue, mystery, history, and the supernatural--or is it. Grace hears voices or does she? Do they come from the spirit world or Grace's imagination? Does Grace control her soul or is she possessed or mad? I found the book absolutely spellbinding.

Alias Grace is a haunting and memorable novel. It is definately among one of the best I have ever read, and would be called my favorite if naming only one book in the whole world as such a thing were possible. This book was suprisingly unlike the best-selling novels I've been reading recently, as it was not only written to sell but to convey a message, and it possesses an integrity which is lacking in many books full of popular prose written in order to make money. I could not agree more with the blurb by Washington Post Book World which appears on the front cover of the edition I read: "Alias Grace has all the pacing of a commercial novel and all the resonance of a classic." Not only is this book meritable for its captivating and original plot, but also, more importantly, for its literary quality. The author, Margaret Atwood, has written the entire book in language ture to the time it takes place, and her skill for consistantly choosing lyrical and thought-provoking words is astounding.

Alias Grace is the story of a real-life character, Grace Marks, who at age fifteen was sentenced to death for her part in the murder of her murder of the man she worked for and his mistress. Her sentence was then changed to life imprisonment after her skillful lawyer and many important citizens pleaded her case. However, many thought she should have hanged with her co-conspirator and that was as guilty as he was. Thus, Grace Marks was made a "celebrated murderess" and an infamous enigma of the nineteenth century, and her story has been brought to us with the grace-ful writing of Margaret Atwood. This novel was written so well that it had me literally laughing out loud one minute and then literally crying real tears the next.

As a side comment, this novel is also important in a feminist viewpoint. I hesitate to comment on this as it may turn male readers away, and that is not my intention on mentioning it at all, for although the main character is a very young female and most events are told from her point of view, the way in which it is written makes it a capativating read for any one, regardless of age or sex. However, the harsh treatment of and opinions about women during this period in history were brought up in a way which would evoke sympathy and anger from anyone. Wide-spread opinions about the nature and duty of women are infrequently but impressionately brought up: "That woman has nerves like flint. She'd have made a good lawyer, if a man.", "Men, by nature and the decree of Providence, have a certain latitude allowed them; but fidelity to the marriage vow is surely the chief requirement in a woman", and the daily live as well as special circumstances of Grace Mark's story allow the reader to feel the injustices women suffered back then without the hope of making things better.

If there is one book out of the many great ones I have read this year that I recommend the general web-surfer who has stumbled upon this book review to read, it is most emphatically this one. Grace's character and story will grab you and you will be wondering about her guilt and innocence just as much as her peers in the nineteenth century were.

In Canada in the early 1800s, a young woman named Grace Marks is convicted and sentenced to life in prison for her presumed role in the murders of her employer, Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper (and mistress) Nancy Montgomery. This is a fact. Margaret Atwood has taken the life of this women and the facts surrounding the crime, her trial, and her imprisonment, and has woven a tale that is incredibly captivating. The book is rich with quotes from the time and supposed letters written by politicians, clergy and doctors, but the voice of the narrator, Grace herself is the most seductive and most powerful of the writing. The bulk of the book is written during Grace's life imprisonment and is spurred on by the sudden visits made to her by a Dr. Simon Jordan who is a young doctor studying mental illnesses. Grace claims to have no memory of the murders and once we are inside her head, and listening to her voice, we can understand why. The reader finds him/herself completely caught up in Grace's life and her misfortunes and rightly recognizes that so many complex issues feed into the perceptions by the public of this woman, and her perceptions of the "outside" world. This was an excellent read, a startling mystery, and a generally very satisfying tale written by an author whose prose is so far beyond what is generally offered up in mystery novels.

This book is based on fact: a many years old unsolved murder case, yet it reads like a first-class work of fiction. The characters, to Atwood's immense credit, are supremely believable and well-motivated, the plot is clean and credible, the setting superb and the ending satisfying. That we don't know the heroine's final lot in life matters little. Atwood grabs your interest on the first page and never loses it, building suspense from one paragraph to the next. It would have easy for a lesser author to let the story get out of hand, providing us with pat endings and easy answers, something Atwood never does. Alias Grace is a masterfully-told tale...a work of art woven from precious few facts and one extremely gifted writer's well-controlled imagination.

It is Canada in 1843 - Queen Victoria reigns; her insurrection prone North American colonists are diverted and then transfixed by a shocking murder trial.

Against this backdrop Margaret Atwood, who gave us The Robber Bride and The Handmaid's Tale, presents her ninth novel. Atwood's virtuosity is at its peak as she traces her feminist thesis in Alias Grace, which is based on the true story of a 16-year-old servant girl accused of double murder. With few facts known, the author has drawn a haunting portrait of what might have been, a profoundly mesmerizing combination of actuality and invention.

Grace Marks and her fellow worker, James McDermott, were tried and convicted for the brutal killing of their employer Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery. McDermott was hanged at the new gaol in Toronto, November 21, 1843. While Grace, due to her youth and "feminine weakness of mind," was sentenced to life in prison. She was also committed to a lunatic asylum following an emotional breakdown. Throughout both incarcerations Grace maintained that she had no memory of the murders or the victims.

Referring to the scandalous trial in her afterword Atwood writes: "The details were sensational: Grace Marks was uncommonly pretty and also extremely young; Kinnear's housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, had previously given birth to an illegitimate child and was Thomas Kinnear's mistress; at her autopsy she was found to be pregnant. Grace and her fellow-servant James McDermott had run away to the United States together and were assumed by the press to be lovers. The combination of sex, violence, and the deplorable insubordination of the lower classes was most attractive to the journalists of the day."

Grace's story is revealed through letters, verse, news accounts, but primarily through her voice and that of Dr. Simon Jordan.

An ambitious young doctor with an interest in the field of repressed memory, Jordan is retained by those who believe Grace innocent to help her remember. As Grace's memory is prodded, she weaves her tale. Is Jordan trying to exploit her for professional gain. Or, is it possible that she is manipulating him?

Was Grace a naive pawn or a venomous Circe who bewitched then goaded McDermott into committing this appalling crime? The climax is a stunner!

In the adroit hands of Margaret Atwood, shades of guilt, innocence and complicity as well as the complexities of the human mind continue to fascinate. Alias Grace, a laudatory fictionalization of actual events, is a shivery Victorian tale of obsession and murder.

Margaret Atwood's use of the quilt motif in Alias Grace serves not only a symbolic purpose, but also parallels lead character Grace Mark's revelation of her forgotten past and Atwood's structure of the novel.

In the beginning of the novel, the reader discovers that Grace has been convicted for involvement in the murders of her former employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper and mistress, Nancy Montgomery. Now serving a life sentence, Grace claims to have no recollection of the murders. Some people believe her innocent, while some people believe her evil or insane. However, as an up and coming expert in the field of Psychology, Dr. Simon Jordan is determined to uncover the truth. Throughout her sessions, Grace discusses various quilt patterns which Atwood uses as symbols. One pattern in particular Grace claims to be her favorite, "The Tree of Paradise". This quilt pattern serves as the symbol of her dreams and goals, for as long as she is a prisoner, she must only sew what she is told. Her perception of the quilt changes throughout the novel, however. Toward the beginning, Grace desires "the vine border", symbolic of the vine which grew out of Thomas Kinnear's grave, whom she secretly loved. Yet, toward the end of the novel, Grace borders the Tree of Paradise with snakes appearing as vines which represent the serpent in the Garden of Eden, much like her love for Kinnear that inspired her participation in the murders. Furthermore, as Grace serves as a dramatic character throughout the novel, her perception of good and evil is changed. To illustrate this revelation, Grace makes only one tree in the pattern, as she has now come to believe that in the Garden of Eden there were never two different trees, but only one that contained both the "Fruit of Life" and the "Fruit of Good and Evil". Therefore, this quilt pattern inspired many of the symbols implemented by Atwood throughout the novel.

In addition, Atwood uses Grace's quilt-making to parallel her remembrance of the murders and her journey toward freedom. As Jordan's sessions with the convicted murderer uncover lost memories, Grace continues to sew a quilt. In the beginning of the novel, the quilt is unfinished and after it is completed, it is to be given to the Governor's daughter. In a happy turn of events, Grace is able to sew a quilt of her own at the end of the novel. Thus, as the plot unfolds, Grace receives not only revelation of her past, paralleled by the progress of the Governor's daughter's quilt, but freedom, paralleled by her ability to sew her own quilt.

Furthermore, the quilt motif is implemented by Atwood to parallel the structure of the novel. As Grace discovers the truth behind the past, she must piece the facts together, much like the design of a quilt, in order to make something of it all. Fittingly, the titles of the chapters of the novel are named after real quilt patterns such as "Jagged Edge", "Secret Drawer", and "Pandora's Box". Thus, not only does the name of a chapter adequately describe its content, it also contributes to the quilt motif on a deeper level. These uses of the quilt motif allow both the structure of the plot and titles in the novel to parallel that of a quilt.

Just like a seamstress uses thread to create a beautiful, elaborate quilt, Atwood uses the quilt motif to symbolize the feelings of Grace and parallel her recollection in the structure of the story which comprises this beautiful, elaborate novel, Alias Grace.

This book is not a mover and a shaker. It's a slow swell and a walk through what life looked like in the later half of the 19th century. It's also a murder mystery based on a true story which is an intriguing one.

I did not hurry myself with this book as I do with many books I read, anxious to find out what happens next. I lavishly read and soaked up the day to day descriptions set forth by Grace Marks as she tells the tale of her life to a doctor who is sympathetic to her cause. Her cause being locked up for 30 years for a murder that her role in is murky at best.

Margaret Atwood brings to life an interesting character from history who's life in service led to murder. It's the service and the girls' past that really interested me when reading, not so much the murder, but it's fairly juicy too. I enjoyed this book very much. If you like Jane Eyre types of books with a touch of daily life mixed with intrique, you should warm up some tea and plan to spend a few nights with Grace Marks in Alias Grace.

Since taking up English Literature at college, I have become interested in actually reading books. Yeah, I know it sounds dumb - you got to read books if you take up the subject, but I never used to read at all, I was just good at the subject. I've since started to read books more and more, and my favourite has been Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale." I was enthralled with that novel and my exam took place on it in June - results mid-August. Around April I decided to buy another novel by Atwood, and I chose "Alias Grace." I had absolutely no idea what the novel was about, but I didn't care - I just wanted to read more of her work. I started reading the book in April and have only just finished it...

I must admit that the novel didn't really reel me in to begin with which is why it took me so long to read it, but after a while I really began to love the book! By the time I finished the book last week I didn't want it to end, and I straight away went out and bought another Atwood novel - "The Blind Assassin," which I am currently reading. After reading two Atwood novels so far to date, I can safely say she is a remarkable author and has a true talent for storytelling.

Alias Grace is a work of fiction, although it is based on reality. Its central figure, Grace Marks, was one of the most notorious Canadian women of the 1840's, having been convicted of murder at the age of 16.

Grace Marks allegedly murdered - along with a fellow-servant James McDermott - the man and woman she worked for: Mr. Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery. The headlines were sensational: The Kinnear-Montgomery murders took place on July 23rd 1843, and were extensively reported not only in Canadian newspapers but in those of the United States and Britain. Grace Marks was uncommonly pretty and also extremely young; Montgomery had previously given birth to an illegitimate child and was Thomas Kinnear's mistress; at her autopsy she was found to be pregnant. Grace and her fellow-servant James McDermott had run away to the United States together and were assumed by the press to be lovers. The combination of sex, violence and the deplorable insubordination of the lower classes was most attractive to the journalists of the day.

The trial was held in early November. Only the Kinnear murder was tried: since both of the accused were condemned to death, a trial for the Montgomery murder was considered unnecessary. McDermott was hanged in front of a huge crowd on November 21st: but opinion about Grace was divided from the start, and due to the efforts of her lawyer, her sentence was commuted to life, and she entered the Provincial Penitentiary in Kingston on November 19th, 1843.

And the rest is history, as they say: this is where the novel begins. The first 100 pages or so involve one of the novel's most memorable characters, Dr. Simon Jordan, and his attempts to decipher the mind of Grace Marks. His plans are to investigate her character and get her to open up to him and reveal the truth about the murders. Whether she did indeed commit the murders are still undecided and the true character of Grace Marks remained an enigma for years. After their introduction, Grace takes things all the way back to her childhood. In immense detail and shockingly stark precision, Atwood portrays a clear and sharp, gleaming image of Grace's personality and her life before she became an international sensation.

The language Atwood uses for her characters in this play is remarkable. Everything remains as views on society were seen at the time, portraying a stunning sense of authenticity - like a real documentation of the accounts. Views on sexuality, violence and the way women are supposed to behave in society are incredibly real:

"McDermott said much too close a friend, in his opinion: and I said what did he mean by that? And he said that Jeremiah had looked at me in a way he didn't like, and that no wife of his would be allowed to hobnob with any Jew peddlers, and gossip with them at the back door, and flirt in that way; and if she did, he would black her eyes, and knock her head about her shoulders for her."

Throughout the novel Atwood offers different perspectives from many different character, which can make it challenging to understand and keep up with, but ultimately finishing the novel is extremely rewarding. Atwood obviously sees Grace as innocent and not guilty of the crimes imposed upon her, but due to the enigma surrounding the real truth, we will never know - yet I would like to believe Atwood is correct.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

I'm not quite sure which novel I enjoyed the most out of Alias Grace and The Handmaid's Tale, but I'm definitely sure that I enjoyed reading them because Atwood tackles unique and enthralling stories. She isn't a 9-5 author and if you prefer this type, you probably will be disappointed with her works. However, if you'd like to lift off, I urge you to give her a go - you will surely not regret it.

A sizable part of _Alias Grace_ is based on Susana Moodie's mid-19th century book about Grace Marks, who was convicted along with fellow servant, James McDermott, for the murders of Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper and mistress, Nancy Montgomery. Moodie met Grace Marks while the former was visiting the insane asylum and then the penitentary where Marks was later incarcerated. McDermott was hanged for his part in the murders; Marks was also condemned to die in the same manner, but her sentence was commuted to life in prison through the efforts of her attorney and of private citizens' groups who believed in her innocence. Much of Grace Marks' story is told by her, through a series of post-conviction interviews with Dr. Simon Jordan, a medical doctor who was a pioneer in the enlightened treatment of the mentally ill. Dr. Jordan is sponsored by a Reverend Verringer, who heads one of these groups.

What makes Margaret Atwood's novel so compelling is that much of what happens in _Alias Grace_ is based on true accounts of Grace Marks' life, which is seamlessly and expertly adapted by Ms. Atwood. She readily admits in her afterword "where hints and outright gaps exist in the record, I felt free to invent." Ms. Atwood is a master storyteller. Her Grace Marks is very much a three-dimensional, flesh and blood 19th century woman. The public's beliefs about her parallel many of the widely held views of females of her time. While many imagined Marks to be weak and easily led astray by a stronger and more wiley older man (Marks was only 16 at the time of the murders), others saw Marks as an evil and jealous temptress who entrapped a gullible man into the killings. Atwood also sensitively reveals the plight of many young girls of the period who suddenly become motherless and due to their changed cicumstances take positions as servants to the wealthy, or worse yet, are forced into prostitution. The alternative was pennilessness and ultimate starvation. Then there are those young women who fell prey to a "gentleman's" amorous demands, some of whom promised marriage, only to later abandon them. A truly heartbreaking episode in the book concerns Mary Whitney, a co-worker and close friend of Grace Marks, who dies as a result of a shoddily performed abortion.

By the end of the book the reader is given no definitive answer as to whether Marks was directly involved in either of the two murders. Her complexity is further revealed in the section of the book where a doctor (of the jack-of-all-trades type) puts her under hypnosis and another aspect of her personality is revealed. Grace Marks is confirmed as a woman of many sides, capable of acts of goodness, compassion--but murder? Read the very highly recommended book and then decide for yourself.