Alias Grace: A Novel Summary and Reviews

Alias Grace: A Novel
by Margaret Atwood

Alias Grace: A Novel
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Book Summary Information

Author: Margaret Atwood
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-10-13
ISBN: 0385490445
Number of pages: 480
Publisher: Anchor

Book Reviews of Alias Grace: A Novel

Book Review: "Alias Grace" is a mesmerizing tour de force.
Summary: 5 Stars

"Alias Grace" is a stunning novel and a remarkable literary achievement by Margaret Atwood. It is the fictionalized account of Grace Marks, a woman who was tried and convicted for the murder of her employer and a fellow servant in Canada during the 1800's. Atwood depicts the life of Grace Marks poignantly. Grace is born into a very poor family and tragically loses her mother at a young age during a horrible sea voyage from Ireland to Canada. After reaching Canada, Grace is hired out as a domestic in various households. Eventually, she winds up working in the Kinnear household where the murders occur. A large and fascinating portion of the book is devoted to Grace's recollections as told to Simon Jordan, a medical doctor who specializes in diseases of the mind. "Alias Grace" is populated with a large cast of Dickensian characters who are vividly described. The book is filled with delicious sardonic humor. In addition, "Alias Grace" is a social commentary, since Atwood indicts the cruel treatment of the "lower classes" in the 1800's. The detailed descriptions of Grace's endless duties as a servant while the masters of the household live a life of indolence are particularly powerful. Atwood uses clever literary devices to add texture to the novel. She quotes songs and other true life accounts of Grace's "crime," and there is even a drawing of Grace and her "accomplice". Atwood shifts points of view, so that we get the story from different angles. Atwood's style of storytelling is so engrossing that I was completely drawn into this world. Don't miss this excellent novel!

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