ALIAS GRACE

Make room in your den for a Margaret Atwood novel.    From the Bestselling author of The Handmaid’s Tale we chose Alias Grace to co-incide with a Netflix adaptation - so we could read, watch & cheat, if necessary.   

 

Alias Grace is a dark but addictive murder story, based on a true mid nineteenth century Canadian scandal. Set in and around Toronto, Alias Grace revisits the murder scene of a housekeeper and her master and the suspects, one of them being a young house girl and servant, Grace Marks.    

 

The story is about the notorious Grace - did she or didn’t she?  Who is the real Grace Marks?  Atwood introduces a young doctor and ‘love interest’ to interview Grace, so we can re-examine the evidence - letters, court reports and newspaper articles and gossip.  We also get the chance to get inside Grace’s mind.  

 

The setting up of the story was hard work, but do persevere beyond 101 pages*. The scene setting is important.  Atwood clearly lays out the clues and you will want to keep going.  We all agree, Atwood is a superb talented writer.  Beautifully stitched together.  

 

Scored 8,9s and 10s.   

 

* 101 is our magic number.  Any novel worth its salt will deliver once you get beyond 100 pages.

 

 - for people who love books -

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