Rating: 
Summary: dog ears a plenty...
Review: ...that's what you will see when inspecting my copy of Atwood's Alias Grace. (It was stop and go all the way through). Seeing that this book actually won some prizes, I was definitely expecting something more than a boring period-piece. Page after page is filled with smells, tastes, sounds, sensations, and contrived imaginings. Now while this sensory appeal worked with Atwood's "Cat's Eye" to great poetic effect due to the fact that these recollections were in a large part based on the author's personal experiences, in this book, it seems all too orchestrated in the hopes of constructing some sort of realism.Another technique that hopes to achieve the same end is Atwood's preoccupation with propriety - sure, this is a Victorian Era tale, but at some point, enough is enough woman - stop dwelling. Atwood is so overly wrapped up in focusing on propriety, taboos, and social standards that it makes you want to sit her down and say, "Ok, we're not in the middle ages!" or "There's more to a story than who snubs who and why!" or "Stop being so prim!" Atwood writes in the hopes of being subtly profound, but only succeeds in hemming and hawing her way through an endless and excitement-lacking series of events. She attempts subtlety through a tiring stream of run-on sentences that produce one comma after another, neverending, neverending, and oh yes, neverending. Extremely indirect writing. Lastly, the lack of actual dialogue set in "quotations" is rather annoying as well. This is due to the fact that much of the story is being told in first person by a female character to a male doctor. Thus, the only way to tell when Grace's speech includes quotations from other parties is when Atwood capitalizes the first letter of the quote, like this: ...and Nancy told me, He doesn't like dirty shirts, and so I washed it. Just the fact that there aren't any visible quotation marks to break up her speech makes the reading even that much more tedious and indistinguishable. How is it that everything Atwood has written after "The Edible Woman" pales in comparison? I don't know, but that book will forever be my favourite, and the gold standard against which I will judge all her other efforts. I just wish she didn't happen to slip into this sludgy style of writing that lacks her previous bite. All in all, this book isn't bad - it'll just test your nerve and patience a little. You'll also be treated to a less-than-spectacular ending, as seems to be her usual style of conclusion these days. The one thing that I did miss was the implication of some greater meaning, some larger idea that would hold the story together, as I found there was in The Edible Woman, The Handmaid's Tale, and not so much in Cat's Eye. If you like Atwood, this is one to consider, but definitely not one of my favourites.
Rating: 
Summary: Based on a true story
Review: This is a book about a young woman accused of being a "murderess". She is imprisoned for nearly 20 years before being pardoned. Since this is based on a true story, the author carefully crafts the story in such a way as to not give a definitive answer on her true guilt or innocense. Although a great period piece for Canada in the 1800s, I didn't find myself turning the pages ravenously or wanting to return to the book at the end of the day. But it is well-written and I don't think that I will forget the life of Grace very soon. The author has a gift of pulling you into the time period.
Rating: 
Summary: A fantastic book
Review: Atwood here is at her best. This is the tale tale of the supposed murderess Grace, a servant in 19th century Canada who was accused of taking part in the murder of her master and his housekeeper. While throughout the book Grace professes her innocence, you will spend almost all of your reading wondering if her claims are true, or if you, the reader, are just the next in a long line of people Grace has fooled. Rather than being an annoyance, this is one of the most enjoyable features of the whole experience. This story is based on fact, and Atwood has done an admirable job of bringing together what is known and material that is her own invention. Much of this book reminds me of A S Byatt's 'Possession', especially in the use of poetry and other written sources to frame the story. What is most enjoyable in this novel is Atwood's description of familiar things - she has an amazing ability to write about clothing and furniture. You get a feeling that this is a woman that has a love of inanimate objects, or attractive ones anyway! As with other Atwood works, there is a strong undercurrent of sex - not just the act itself, but how it effects our behaviour and our attitudes to others. There is a strong feeling that Grace is a seductress, conciously or not. I think that Atwood also makes some very astute judgements in regards to sex and socieites views of women in this book. If you have enjoyed this book, i can almost guarantee that you will enjoy 'the Blind Assassin', also by Margaret Atwood.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: "Alias Grace" is, without a doubt, Maragret Atwood's masterpiece. Although set in the early to mid-19th century, Alias Grace contains themes that are the mainstay of modern literature, ncluding dysfunctional families, poverty, lust, greed, the supernatural, and murder. The novel is set in what is now Canada in the early 1800s. In the first couple of chapters we are introduced to Grace Marks, a former servant imprisoned for the double murder of her employer and his mistress, which occurred when she was only sixteen. Although more than a decade has passed since Grace was convicted of the crime, she remains the object of much speculation - is she guilty? Innocent? Insane? An American psychiatrist named Dr. Jordan arrives to interview Grace, and slowly she begins to reveal her past to him. The novel delves back into time as Grace vividly describes her childhood in Ireland, working as a servant in Canada, and finally, the double murder of Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery. Meanwhile, the psychiatrist is becoming infatuated with the mysterious Grace Marks. One aspect of the novel that I particularly enjoyed was the accurate portrayal of 19th century life. Atwood perfectly captures the wholesome, old timey feel of antique furniture, bland food and housework, while maintaining a dark atmosphere that is essential to the story. It is also interesting to see life in 19th century Canada through the eyes of a working class Irish immigrant, namely, Grace Marks. Don't expect a neat, gift-wrapped ending. Since "Alias Grace" is based on events which actually happened, Atwood tries not to stray far from the facts of the real-life crime. The crime was never really solved, so Atwood chose not to invent a decisive ending, and some readers may be disappointed. However, the conclusion is
not intended to be a dramatic finale, since the real pleasure is the character and plot development that occurs steadily throughout the book. The novel is heavy on symbolism, so I recommend that you take your time and pay attention to detail in order to truly enjoy this book. It is quite long, but I thoroughly enjoyed every page. I strongly recommend "Alias Grace."
Rating:
Summary: True Crime Tale From A Literary Master
Review: If you like mysteries, but are bored to tears with the insipid redundancies of "K is for Kill-Me-Now-Before-She-Publishes-Again!" mentality of the 'bestselling' mystery writers of the major retailers, Alias Grace is definitely for you. Margaret Atwood is one of those writers who can captivate you with a storyline as simple as 'young misfit becomes famous artist but still can't get over pained youth' (Cat's Eye), or as complex as an examination of a post-apocalyptic world where fertile women are forced to birth offspring for politicians (The Handmaid's Tale). Alias Grace takes on the incredible task of telling a story based on a true, unsolved crime of late-19th Century Canada. A young servant girl, Grace, is accused of being an accomplice in the murder of her master and his mistress (also the head female servant of the house). Grace's brilliant lawyer convinces the court that his client was not of sound mind and should therefore be spared the death penalty. But was she really? or was he so captivated by her charms that he made the convincing argument that allowed her to be a free woman thirty years later? A young psychologist takes it upon himself to investigate the case and also falls prey to Grace's charms, which cloud his judgement and cause him to nearly suffer a nervous breakdown himself. Alias Grace brings to light the troubles of the early use of psychiatry in investigating murders. Those of you who have read The Alienist, by Caleb Carr, will find Alias Grace a suitable follow-up on the subject. Margaret Atwood is an incredible storyteller. Knowing that this novel is based on a true story makes it an even more enthralling read.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: This is a book that I probably would not have picked up on my own; it was a selection from my book club. I was immediately [stunk] into the story--I could not put it down. The story of Grace Marks is so compelling, and Atwood is a master storyteller. This book has become not only my favorite of the books my book club has read, but one of my favorite books, period. Since then, I have read more of Atwood's work and enjoyed everything, but this is her best work that I have read.
Rating:
Summary: Best Atwood Book so far
Review: This is by far the best Atwood book I've ever read. I've also read her latest, THE BLIND ASSASSIN, and it's not as good. She's wonderful at bulding up her characters slowly so that you can empathize with them. You can't know from this novel what her true intentions are, yet you can form a quick opinion quickly and change it just as fast. I don't need to explain what this book is about, because you can just read it in the editorial review section. This book will leave you sleepless ~
Rating:
Summary: Crime and Punishment, Alias Punishment Without Crime?
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Well written, but not addicting
Review: Margareth Atwood has written 1 book that I think of as a complete masterwork ('The handmaid's tale'), so I keep reading her other books in search of the same kind of experience, which is why I also bought 'Alias Grace'.
I'm afraid the book didn't really live up to my expectations though. The keen observations on human kind and the constant change in perspective (Simon Jordan - Grace Marks) kept me reading and made me rate the book 3 stars BUT the story in itself, however well thought of and well documented/researched just didn't do it for me. This could have been a compulsive read, a thriller that makes you curl up and read around the clock, but it was too much of a documentary for that. I guess Atwood wanted to keep this story as close to the truth as possible, which is of course admirable, but it slowed up the story and I just couldn't keep on reading it for more than 1 hour.
Rating:
Summary: Very, Very Good
Review: "Alias Grace" is Margaret Atwood's finest novel after "Cat's Eye." Stylistically, through its elegant parodies, it is a love letter to classic nineteenth-century fiction. If you enjoy Dickens, Scott, Thackeray, Melville, or Twain, for example, you'll love this novel. If you never heard of, much less read, any of those other authors, you may still love this novel. Yet philosophically, "Alias Grace" is thoroughly post-modern. Experience, Atwood tells us, is compartmentalized, like the mind, like quilts; truth is whatever enables us to live life. Household servant Grace Marks was captured, tried, convicted, and jailed for her part in the 1843 murder, in what is now Ontario, of her master, bachelor Thomas Kinnear. Kinnear had been romantically involved with his housekeeper, also murdered. That much is fact, and the historical event, with its issues of class, gender, and frontier justice, has preoccupied Atwood for decades. She wrote a teleplay about it, which she now disavows, in the 1970s. In this fictional treatment, Atwood posits a group of bourgeois reformers/mystics who seek Grace's release from prison, after many years, through the development of a more probing account of what actually happened on the day of the murders. They engage Dr. Simon Jordan, a Harvard-educated physician and early proponent of notions of the subconscious that Charcot and Freud would later develop. Obtaining her confidence, Jordan meets regularly with Grace, who chronologically tells her story. Ironically, as the tale progresses, Grace -- ostensibly the docile servant, the passive patient -- becomes increasingly percipient, controlling, and heroic, while Jordan -- ostensibly the pre-Freudian analyst -- becomes increasingly clueless, controlled by his subsconscious, and comic. At a key moment, a hypnotist (or perhaps a charlatan) intervenes, and the story takes a final, dramatic twist. "Alias Grace" is satisfying on every level. Its plot development, poetic descriptions and dream sequences, literary references, historical and intellectual backdrop, and notions about what we know and what we live for are all very, very good.
|
