Rating: 
Summary: expensive kindling
Review: In the great tradition of typical Canadian literature, Alias Grace is a depressing, boring, sexist stereotype spewing, well-written chunk of kindling.
After hearing good reviews about all of her books, I wasn't too apprehensive about being forced to read this novel for school. Too bad I expected at least one author to shun the typical style of Canadian writing.
It is apparent what kind of novel the author is trying to write several pages in, for example - a fun quote:"And on the kitchen floor
McDermott shot him through the heart
And he weltered in his gore" But wait! It gets better! I shall give you a brief introduction to the novel.
- Grace's depressing childhood - mid 19th century Ireland, drunken, abusive and potentially murderous father, poverty/too many siblings
- voyage to Canada - more depression in the form of poor living conditions (ex. Crowding, sickness), Grace's mother dies of some form of stomach tumour, they wrap her up in an old sheet and toss her overboard - Grace's insanity (symbolic imagery) begins
- Canada - can't hold steady jobs as a housemaid, sexually abusive employers
- Mrs. Alderman Parkinson's - Grace meets best friend Mary, Mary is impregnated by their employer's son - has an abortion that fails, she bleeds to death while writhing in agony during the night - Grace acquires split personality
ETC, ETC, ETC. And that's only the BEGINNING of the book folks! It continues on like this for FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY PAGES. This is high quality garbage people, and a favourite of book burners everywhere.
Rating: 
Summary: fascinating exploration of a real-life trial
Review: This novel is based on a true story. In the mid-1800s, Grace Marks, a young Canadian housemaid, was tried and jailed for the murder of her employer and another co-worker. However, it was never clear whether Grace took part in the murders or not -- she claimed to have no memory of the incident, and the only other witness was the other murderer. Atwood takes this story and adds her own touches. Atwood picks up the story many years later, as Grace is serving out her sentence. She adds a young psychiatrist who is attempting to break through Grace's amnesia. We see the world through Grace's eyes, as she interacts with this doctor and with the others in her life, as she remembers her life. Atwood never answers the question of whether Grace was actually a murderer. Although some find this disappointing, I think it is a fitting conclusion to the story.
Rating:
Summary: Like ratcheting to the top of a tunnel in a rollercoaster
Review: Yes, the subject is dark: the murder of two people by (?) a teenage girl and handyman. If you liked that Japanese movie where the same story is told by different viewpoints, you'll love this. But you'll never lose track of whose 'voice' it is, or whose story it is - it's Grace's. And it's yours. You'll feel like you're right beside her as she sprinkles water on the handkerchiefs of the family's laundry to bleach them in the sun, delighting in the snap of the fresh linen on the line on a bright day, or as she struggles to remember what happened on the day of the murders. Incredibly rich writing that puts you in Grace's skin, and that of her temporary psychoanalyst. You'll find yourself rereading passages for the delight of the prose or to savor the weaving of the story. Heartbreaking but an ordinary story - after all, a casual murder for pitiful profit isn't new. Heartbreaking in its reality and the feeling of being carried on the tide of Ms. Atwood's words, knowing you're headed out to the cold, isolated heart of the Atlantic.
Rating: 
Summary: Annoying
Review: I really thought I would enjoy this, I love atwood. But it just turned out to be a re-telling of this true story about fifteen times with nothing revealed at the end of it all. There is no signature feminist cry underlying the story. And the character of the psychologist helping Grace didn't go with the rest of the story at all. The worst thing was that Atwood didn't delve into Grace's character. All we knew about her was what everyone else did and a few banal inner thoughts she let us see. I was hoping she would at least speculate on what really happened. But I knew no more about the murder after reading than I did before.
Rating: 
Summary: psychological character study extraordinaire...
Review: 'Alias Grace' has long been recommended to me but I only just read it because the story, a piece of historical fiction of a 1840s Canadian murderess, didn't sound particularly appealing. Well my only regret is not having read the book sooner. The story itself, on face value, is rather ordinary. Teenage girl and apparent boyfriend both kill their employers. However the girl ('Grace') is enigmatic and, as such, her actual guilt is brought into question. All this is explained very early in the novel. But then Atwood does a wonderful job of going into the mind and soul of our poor Grace; we are intrigued, disgusted, and feel compassion for this strange creature. The author then deftly reveals, in minute stages, what the real Grace is all about. The results are unexpected. Oh, and Ms Atwood is a brilliant writer. Her prose is superb, to the point where you wonder if she can write a bad sentence. Bottom line: among Atwood's best. A must read.
Rating:
Summary: Atwood is a joy to read.
Review: I have read other Atwood novels, and this novel, Alias Grace, certainly is one of her finest. Set in the middle to late 1800's, the story centers around the life of Grace Marks, a convicted murderess. After reading the novel, I thought about the title more, and it's meaning, and it was one of the many things we had to discuss in the book club. Atwood's attention to detail is, of course, as good as it ever had been, and she also plants here and there some clues and answers to questions we might have, then stings us by making us think something else entirely different. Atwood, if you have never read her, has a style all her own, and certainly that style is more than prevalent in this novel.
Rating:
Summary: Grace, will seduce you
Review: I rated this Margaret Atwood's book with 5 stars because even the parts that disappoint are still so brilliantly written that they are a joy to read. I had a problem with what I must believe to be the author's own dilemma on how to relate to what was a true event, based on an actual person when the "truth" of the matter is unknown until this day. Ms. Atwood presents several possibilities as to why her protagonist acts out of character and is apparently involved in the murder of two people, either directly or by default, none of which I found very satisfactory. I think that this was due to the sympathetic if somewhat contrary and enigmatic personality that she clothed Grace in throughout. On reflection, I suppose she had little alternative if she was going to write a readable story. This is my second Margaret Atwood novel and like the first, The Blind Assassin, I find that her writing enchants and captivates one so completely that at the time the reader has no awareness of the enormous talent and technique involved in the seduction.
Rating:
Summary: Patchwork
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Good and Evil in Alias Grace
Review: Megan Grann Mrs. Hamilton English III-2 7 May 2001 Good and Evil in Alias Grace In the novel Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood uses similes and stream of conscience to prove her purpose that with all good, there is evil. Atwood's style is very artistic and poetic at times. "And He her bloodied hands will wash, and she'll be white as snow"(15). Here, the colors red and white, representing blood and snow, have the connotation of being evil versus pure. Atwood also uses similes and color to show death and corruption. When Grace talks about the sunrise, it is not calm, peaceful and beautiful, "but it was instead only a soiled yellowish white, like a dead fish floating in the harbour"(238). Instead of being a symbol of tranquility, the sunrise becomes a symbol of death. Through Grace's stream of conscience, Atwood achieves the same purpose of good versus evil. As Graces is making a quilt for someone, she thinks to herself what her quilt would be like. "Here is a Wild Goose Chase border, but mine would be an intertwined border, one light colour, one dark..."(98). By saying these colors are intertwined, Grace is proving Atwood's point that with all good, there is inevitably going to be evil mixed with it. Again, towards the end of the book, Grace is actually making her quilt and uses stream of conscience, going into more detail about her quilt. "On my Tree of Paradise, I intend to put a border of snakes entwined...as without a snake or two, the main part of the story would be missing"(459). Grace acknowledges that without a little bit of evil, her life would not have been what it was. Atwood shows the reader that he cannot escape evil and it is just a factor of life. However, there is also good and each must be recognized and handled accordingly if one expects to lead a balanced life.
Rating:
Summary: Sympathy For A Murderess
Review: Margaret Atwood cleverly employs many subtle motifs to create sympathy for the alleged murderess Grace Marks in this riveting account of the murders. Grace's former employer Thomas Kinnear and his housewife and mistress Nancy Montgomery were found brutally murdered. Another former servant, James McDermott, was accused and tried for the murders along with Grace. While he received the death penalty and was hanged, Grace's sentence was commuted to life in prison due to her attorney's claims of insanity. Atwood uses many colorful language devices throughout this intriguing novel. I especially liked one of Atwood's main motifs, a quilt, which is seen not only in the actual plot, but also in the structure of the novel. Atwood shrewdly uses excerpts from various poems and journals at the beginning of each chapter to add to the historical effect. Each chapter is also titled with the name of a different quilt pattern which is mentioned in the chapter; for example, some were titled "Jagged Edge", "Rocky Road", "Broken Dishes", and "Snake Fence". Grace, who is very skilled at sewing, takes up quilting to pass the time in jail. All her reminisces to her psychiatrist, Dr. Simon Jordan, involve quilts and certain patterns that are also seen in the same chapter. For example, in the chapter called "Broken Dishes", Grace compares her memory to a broken plate: "...like a plate that's been broken. There are always some pieces that would seem to belong to another plate altogether; and then there are the empty spaces, where you cannot fit anything in" (103). As an aspiring psychologist, I loved these vivid comparisons and the trains of thought of a supposed killer. In the final chapter, Grace thinks about sewing together a quilt of her own, and she remarks, "And so we will all be together"(460). Thus Atwood's purpose of the quilt motif is revealed: all of the pieces from literature and flashbacks must be put together to complete the whole story. Atwood, noted for her recurring theme of duplicity, once again successfully incorporates the hypocrisy of society. She uses a muslin veil as a symbol of everyone's dual lives: Dr. Jordan, Mr. Kinnear, the wealthy ladies, and Grace herself all have hidden secrets that they never reveal to anyone, sometimes not even to the reader. Another fabulous technique that Atwood uses is the multiple and broken points of view. Using this technique, Atwood portrays the same events from different perspectives and discloses the whole truth to the reader. I also loved Atwood's use of stream of consciousness. By divulging many private thoughts of Grace, the reader begins to empathize and pity her. Therefore Atwood's main purpose is completed, and the reader is left to answer the impossible question: "...was Grace a female fiend and temptress, the instigator of the crime and the real murderer of Nancy Montgomery, or was she an unwilling victim, forced to keep silent by McDermott's threats and fear for her own life?" (462). Atwood has successfully produced another skillfully written novel that keeps the reader page turning and creates sympathy for Grace Marks.
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