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.