Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood.

Pages: 552

Intended Audience: Adult

Genre: Historical / Murder Mystery

Notes for Parents: Contains some mature content. Recommended for older teens only.

The Back Cover

Grace Marks has been convicted for her involvement in the vicious murders of her employer, the wealthy Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery. Years later, Dr. Simon Jordan—an up-and-coming expert in the burgeoning field of mental illness—listens to Grace’s story, from her family’s difficult passage from Ireland to Canada, to her time as a maid in Thomas Kinnear’s household. As Grace relives her past, Jordan draws her closer to a dark maze of relationships and her lost memories of the day her life was shattered.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

From the Author’s Afterword: 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 1840s, having been convicted of murder at the age of sixteen. The Kinnear-Montgomery murders took place on July 23, 1843 and were extensively reported not only in Canadian newspapers but in those of the United States and Britain.

What’s good?

The author’s re-imagining of this true story was dark and fascinating. Grace Marks, the main character, was elusive. She seemed cold yet sincere. Her questionable credibility deepens the mystery of her story. The side story with the doctor and his landlady added a little humor and drama. Supporting characters were rich and interesting, especially Mary Whitney and Jeremiah the peddler. Excerpts at the beginning of every chapter were from actual documents, or quotes and poems from real people commenting on the real events. This added to the drama.

Best Part: Mary Whitney.

What isn’t good?

The author is wordy. She included descriptions of people and things that I felt were unnecessary, and sometimes even cruel. It took her over 550 pages to tell a story that could probably have been told just as well in about 350. Also, there was a paranormal element to the story that the author never really committed to. Is possession real? Does hypnosis really work?

Worst part: Nothing terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (3/5)

It’s difficult to deny Atwood’s ability to craft a story. She’s a lyrical writer with a gift for layering her stories, and mixing surface emotions with dark undertones in a way that creates a satisfying tension. Alias Grace, however, was a bit lackluster. The character of Grace was brilliantly drawn, but I found the story itself to be monotone. Having said that, I still enjoyed it and would probably recommend it to a select few that I know would appreciate the sophisticated vocabulary, creative metaphors, and meticulous detail. 

Atwood, Margaret. Alias Grace. Toronto: Seal Books, 1996.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Pages: 338

Intended Audience: Mature teens

Genre: Historical

Notes for Parents: Contains some very mature content about the mistreatment of human beings during World War II. Reader discretion is advised.

The Back Cover

In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates, and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge violently into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Her father is sentence to death in a prison camp.

Lina must fight for her life, fearless, vowing that is she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like hers, by documenting their experience in her art and writing. Only incredible strength, love, and hope can pull Lina and her family though each day.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

From the author’s notes: In 1939, the Soviet Union occupied the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Shortly thereafter, the Kremlin drafted lists of people considered anti-Soviet who would be murdered, sent to prison, or deported into slavery in Siberia. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, military servicemen, writers, business owners, musicians, artists, and even librarians were all considered anti-Soviet and were added to the growing list slated for wholesale extermination. The first deportations too place on June 14, 1941.

What’s good?
This is a well-paced and emotionally tense story that centers around a teen who is caught up in one of the inhumane events of World War II. The circumstances are dire, details disturbing, and the breadth of the horror is heartbreaking. Fifteen-year-old Lina is a relatable narrator – her fear, impatience, desperation, and shock, are palpable. Lina’s mother is a strong, remarkable character that embodies love and sacrifice. The supporting characters give meaning to the title “shades of grey” as we see good people do bad and bad people do good. Nothing is ever black and white.

Best Part: When the men sing the national anthem (pg. 61).

What isn’t good?

·        The flashbacks are distracting. While some of the vignettes about life before the deportation were helpful, some were unnecessarily sentimental and took away from the depth of the present tense. I was also very annoyed with Lina for not using people’s names even when she knew them – “man who wound his watch,” “bald man,” “repeater.” It made Lina seem distant and naïve.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

Between Shades of Gray reveals a little-known tragedy that affected entire nationalities. This story provides a small glimpse into what that experience might have looked like for one teenage girl. Many parts are disturbing, some are heartbreaking, and a few moments are downright shocking. However, the author’s writing and narrative style makes this hidden history accessible to teen audiences. It’s well-written and very interesting. Recommended.

Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Gray. New York: Scholastic, 2011.