islishmd's review against another edition
Found it very boring, just people talking about feelings.
laura_the_reader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
thadzic's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nostalgicspaceling's review against another edition
5.0
I didn't read this book for the longest time because I don't like books about female killers, but the plot is richer, and not at all that simple. Like all of Margaret Atwood's books, this is a great read!
lindsayrudd's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
laurenjpegler's review against another edition
5.0
I watched the Netflix series of this last November and loved it. Honestly, I couldn't stop thinking about it for days after, and so I purchased this a couple of months later.
..let me tell you. IT WAS JUST AS GOOD AS THE SHOW.
What I love the most is that the show is the book. Looking back on it, I do not notice anything the producers changed or omitted. The show was my first introduction to Alias Grace and to Margaret Atwood, and so it was great to see that the book was exactly the same as the show. I wasn't disappointed by the book, which tends to happen when I watch adaptations first.
If you don't know what Alias Grace is about then all you need to know is that it follows Grace Marks, a sixteen year old girl who has been convicted of a murder she cannot remember – that of her employer and his housekeeper. An up-and-coming expert in the field of mental illness is engaged by a group of reformers and spiritualists who seek to pardon Grace. What will he find in attempting to unlock her memories?
I loved the characterisation of Grace. She had so many layers to her. Due to the nature of the story - Grace is recounting her life story to a doctor, and thus to us - I was able to unpick her with every new page. She had a lot of depth to her, and I think she's a very likeable character. Whether she did the murder or not, the narrative allows you to connect to her on a personal level. You end up sympathising with her, and hoping for best for her.
I also loved the portrayal of mental health. This is set in the mid-1800s, when science was beginning to pave the way for a new line of thinking. There was a battle between religion and science at play in the novel, and this was best demonstrated though mental health. Was Grace possessed by a devil or was she genuinely struggling with a mental illness? Why couldn't she remember these murders? What I really appreciated was the portrayal of Grace's mental health. It was ambiguous, but when spoken of it wasn't painted negatively. She wasn't depicted as a demon - Atwood, instead, humanised Grace (something that should be standard, even in the 1800s).
I think Alias Grace was a sensitive reimagining of a horrific event. The novel is a work of fiction, but is based on reality. The murders of Mr Kinnear and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, did actually happen. Grace and McDermott were convicted of the murders. McDermott was hanged. Grace was sentenced to life, but was released after 29 years. Atwood researched thoroughly into this case, and tried to stick to the facts. The ambiguous and unknown facts were the ones she fictionalised, and, even then, she decided the most possible outcome (as she mentions in her afterword).
This was just brilliant. A new favourite, and a read I would definitely recommend.
..let me tell you. IT WAS JUST AS GOOD AS THE SHOW.
What I love the most is that the show is the book. Looking back on it, I do not notice anything the producers changed or omitted. The show was my first introduction to Alias Grace and to Margaret Atwood, and so it was great to see that the book was exactly the same as the show. I wasn't disappointed by the book, which tends to happen when I watch adaptations first.
If you don't know what Alias Grace is about then all you need to know is that it follows Grace Marks, a sixteen year old girl who has been convicted of a murder she cannot remember – that of her employer and his housekeeper. An up-and-coming expert in the field of mental illness is engaged by a group of reformers and spiritualists who seek to pardon Grace. What will he find in attempting to unlock her memories?
I loved the characterisation of Grace. She had so many layers to her. Due to the nature of the story - Grace is recounting her life story to a doctor, and thus to us - I was able to unpick her with every new page. She had a lot of depth to her, and I think she's a very likeable character. Whether she did the murder or not, the narrative allows you to connect to her on a personal level. You end up sympathising with her, and hoping for best for her.
I also loved the portrayal of mental health. This is set in the mid-1800s, when science was beginning to pave the way for a new line of thinking. There was a battle between religion and science at play in the novel, and this was best demonstrated though mental health. Was Grace possessed by a devil or was she genuinely struggling with a mental illness? Why couldn't she remember these murders? What I really appreciated was the portrayal of Grace's mental health. It was ambiguous, but when spoken of it wasn't painted negatively. She wasn't depicted as a demon - Atwood, instead, humanised Grace (something that should be standard, even in the 1800s).
I think Alias Grace was a sensitive reimagining of a horrific event. The novel is a work of fiction, but is based on reality. The murders of Mr Kinnear and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, did actually happen. Grace and McDermott were convicted of the murders. McDermott was hanged. Grace was sentenced to life, but was released after 29 years. Atwood researched thoroughly into this case, and tried to stick to the facts. The ambiguous and unknown facts were the ones she fictionalised, and, even then, she decided the most possible outcome (as she mentions in her afterword).
This was just brilliant. A new favourite, and a read I would definitely recommend.
dorothy_gale's review against another edition
4.0
BASED ON A TRUE STORY AND HAD ME GUESSING RIGHT TO THE END! At 468 pages, this could've been shorter to earn a 5th star. This story could have very well taken place in modern times, but the lack of modernity was refreshing. Atwood did a fantastic job of expounding on the few facts of the case that were available and filling in the gaps with literary genius. I have at least 3 more of her books on my to-read list. At the time I read Alias, it was her 8th most popular book with a 4.03-star average by 117,817 readers.