Alias Grace
5 journalers for this copy...
Amazon.co.uk Review:
"In 1843, a 16-year-old Canadian housemaid named Grace Marks was tried for the murder of her employer and his mistress. The sensationalistic trial made headlines throughout the world, and the jury delivered a guilty verdict. Yet opinion remained fiercely divided about Marks- -was she a spurned woman who had taken out her rage on two innocent victims, or was she an unwilling victim herself, caught up in a crime she was too young to understand? Such doubts persuaded the judges to commute her sentence to life imprisonment, and Marks spent the next 30 years in an assortment of jails and asylums, where she was often exhibited as a star attraction. In Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood reconstructs Marks's story in fictional form. Her portraits of 19th-century prison and asylum life are chilling in their detail. The author also introduces Dr Simon Jordan, who listens to the prisoner's tale with a mixture of sympathy and disbelief. In his effort to uncover the truth, Jordan uses the tools of the then rudimentary science of psychology. But the last word belongs to the book's narrator--Grace herself."
This book came to me for registration, from the home of darkfluidity.
"In 1843, a 16-year-old Canadian housemaid named Grace Marks was tried for the murder of her employer and his mistress. The sensationalistic trial made headlines throughout the world, and the jury delivered a guilty verdict. Yet opinion remained fiercely divided about Marks- -was she a spurned woman who had taken out her rage on two innocent victims, or was she an unwilling victim herself, caught up in a crime she was too young to understand? Such doubts persuaded the judges to commute her sentence to life imprisonment, and Marks spent the next 30 years in an assortment of jails and asylums, where she was often exhibited as a star attraction. In Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood reconstructs Marks's story in fictional form. Her portraits of 19th-century prison and asylum life are chilling in their detail. The author also introduces Dr Simon Jordan, who listens to the prisoner's tale with a mixture of sympathy and disbelief. In his effort to uncover the truth, Jordan uses the tools of the then rudimentary science of psychology. But the last word belongs to the book's narrator--Grace herself."
This book came to me for registration, from the home of darkfluidity.
I have this bizarre love/hate relationship with Atwood's work. Some books are unputdownable, and others are a struggle but are compelling enough that I wade through to the end. This was more about wading than flying, but an interesting story. I'd love to know more about the original case.
Loved it. One of Atwood's most readable titles. (Wasn't Dr. Jordan a twat, though?) Of course, there were no true answers.
Journal Entry 4 by Fleebo at Post Office in Yankalilla, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, September 3, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (9/3/2006 UTC) at Post Office in Yankalilla, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
In the Aussie General Bookbag #3 bound for Queensland.
This was released nowhere near Yankalilla but I'm using the latest bookbag release notes to keep the entries together.
In the Aussie General Bookbag #3 bound for Queensland.
This was released nowhere near Yankalilla but I'm using the latest bookbag release notes to keep the entries together.
Released 14 yrs ago (4/10/2009 UTC) at
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
After a rather long pit stop, Alias Grace is continuing its journey...
After a rather long pit stop, Alias Grace is continuing its journey...
Received in a satchel of books :) Thanks so much for passing it my way - I have read this one so here is my very short cut-and-pasted review:
I really enjoyed this book. I found the characters fascinating - even if they were not Atwood's own - she still can weave a wonderful web. It's such a mysterious story - and I enjoyed the writing style with the letters, quotes and poems interspersed ... it gave it a great feel of the 1850s.
Thanks again for the big satchel of books - it was a great surprise to come home to after New Zealand. XD
I really enjoyed this book. I found the characters fascinating - even if they were not Atwood's own - she still can weave a wonderful web. It's such a mysterious story - and I enjoyed the writing style with the letters, quotes and poems interspersed ... it gave it a great feel of the 1850s.
Thanks again for the big satchel of books - it was a great surprise to come home to after New Zealand. XD
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Placed into juli2007's bookbag. :)
Placed into juli2007's bookbag. :)
I got this out of the bookbag.
Journal Entry 9 by bookworm76 at State Library of Queensland - OBCZ on Ground Floor in South Bank (South Brisbane), Queensland Australia on Friday, October 2, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (10/2/2009 UTC) at State Library of Queensland - OBCZ on Ground Floor in South Bank (South Brisbane), Queensland Australia
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
leaving at OBCZ
leaving at OBCZ