Book Review: Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

"If we were all on trial for our thoughts, we would all be hanged"

I started reading the book a while ago, and it's the first one of Atwood that I've ever read, but it certainly won't be the last. The story she tells is based on true events.

Plot: 

It's 1843, and Grace Marks has been convicted for her involvement in the vicious murders of her employer and his housekeeper and mistress. Some believe Grace is innocent; others think her evil or insane. Now serving a life sentence, Grace claims to have no memory of the murders.

An up-and-coming expert in the burgeoning field of mental illness is engaged by a group of reformers and spiritualists who seek a pardon for Grace. He listens to her story while bringing her closer and closer to the day she cannot remember. What will he find in attempting to unlock her memories?*

Spoilers

As I said in my previous post I've already watched the Netflix TV series, and I couldn't escape picturing and most importantly hearing Sarah Godon's voice (the actress who plays Grace) in my head as if she was the one reading the story to me. I was surprised how well the series had presented the story and how perfect the casting was. It's very difficult for me to separate the series from the book. To me they complement each other perfectly. Actually, there are dialogues which are direct quote from the book. In terms of which one to consume first I don't have a definite opinion it depends entirely on you and what are your preferences in general.


The narrative masterfully jumps from Grace's point of view when she tells her story to a 3rd person narrator when we are presented with what is happening with Dr. Jordan. As with all narratives from the point of view of a character we can't be sure if what Grace is confessing is true or not. In some occasions we see that she conceals the truths, especially in the beginning. The reader must draw their own conclusion concerning whether she's guilty or not, as when she comes to this part of the story the narrative changes again and it's once again told from 3rd person.

Ultimately I recommend this book and the series as this is the first book in a long time that completely consumed my attention, and I found no fault in them. However, I must admit I didn't care for the passages regarding Dr. Jordan and the various letters, but in the end it all ties together. 

* The summary is copied from GoodReads