Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

33 reviews

lilybarna's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book takes focus to finish but I found it very worth it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

caitlingf90's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is really quite slow, it took a long time to get into and I personally didn’t like the letters and poetry scattered throughout, they just didn’t work that well for me. The characters are hard to empathise with though this improves as you read more. It did ultimately feel too long. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

erikajoy's review against another edition

dark reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

atalea's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

I really didn't like this book. It was extremely slow, barely anything happened, the doctor gave me the creeps, the writing style was awful and this book could have been 200 pages shorter if Grace didn't have to detail every little task she did all day, everyday around the house. When we reached the murder I hoped things would pick up but I was sorely mistaken. This book was unfortunately a waste of my time. 

I read this book immediately after finishing Burial Rites which is also based on true events, about a maid convicted of murder, and whereas I loved that book and started this one in need of similar stories, this book was a huge disappointment. Read Burial Rites, not this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Abortion, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

elg1105's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Sexual content, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Child death, and Domestic abuse

emequalsme's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Really enjoyed this one. The narratives of the different characters flow well and have distinct voices/personalities. At 560 pages, I think it could’ve been edited down a bit, and there were a few small plot points left unresolved. The last section felt more like an epilogue and didn’t match the style/tone of the rest of the book as well as it could have; I guess you could say it felt rushed and untidy. All in all though, it was an engaging page turner; it posed some thoughtful paradoxes about how women were viewed and treated in mid-19th century North America. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Violence

gvstyris's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Alias Grace is the most ‘Handmaid’s-coded’ Atwood novel I’ve read in a while, and man, I missed it. Lots of research to do now, though 😅 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Abortion, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Sexism

georgiahb's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault

laurendeen's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Abortion, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death of parent

charlottemarston's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"Simon accepts a cup of tea. He doesn't much like tea, but considers it a social duty to drink it in this country"- love this quote. Honestly loved the whole thing, it was so gripping and just wanted to keep reading. I liked the ending. Enjoyed reading the afterword as well

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Abortion, Murder, and Sexual harassment