CanadianContent discussion

Thanks for voting! Alias Grace is our September/Back to School read. What great timing for this book since it is going to be a mini series in the fall.

Here is a preview : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034007/

Due to other reading commitments, I won't have time to "read" this book so I decided to check out my options in audio. I very nearly used one my Audible credits to buy it when I noticed it was only 6 hours long (pretty short for an audiobook). Lo and behold, Audible only offers an abridged version! I bought it outright from iTunes instead. Don't let Audible fool you!

I've started early on this one and I am in awe of the similarities between this book and Burial Rites, which I read a couple of years ago and absolutely loved. Obviously, Alias Grace came first so I can't help but wonder if Hannah Kent was inspired by Alias Grace in writing her debut novel.

Both books are inspired by the true story of a convicted murderess and have correspondence between officials sprinkled throughout. There are many other similarities in the plot and how it is written as well. Has anyone else read Burial Rites and come to a similar conclusion?

I am anxiously awaiting the Canadian publication of Kent's second novel in September.

I just finished Burial Rites and it was excellent. I'm looking forward to her new book as well.

Who knew that Margaret Atwood has no qualms about eating bugs? 5 interesting facts about her: https://www.google.ca/search?q=facts+...

Here is a link to Margaret Atwood's own website. it is interesting to read that she has a section on her own "green policies" which is awesome!! http://margaretatwood.ca

Anyone able to attend the TIFF showing of Alias Grace? http://www.tiff.net/tiff/alias-grace/...

I'm almost finished. A personal issue slowed my reading down a bit, but even when I wasn't making any physical progress, I couldn't get the story out of my head. Now I'm in that strange but beloved limbo between wanting to finish and not wanting the story to end. I look forward to your discussion. I may even chime in. :)

I hope it's okay if I join in here. I've read this book so many times and I've never been a part of a discussion group about it.

Susan, thank you for that link. I think I read an adaptation was forthcoming and this looks excellent. Everything from cast to writer even to the music seems perfectly chosen to the book.

I had the book waiting on hold for me at the library, but got sick and missed the pick up deadline! Drat - back to the queue for me.

That is unfortunate Emmkay - I am about a third of the way through and enjoying it! i hope you are feeling better!

I have read Alias Grace and enjoyed it even if it wasn't my favorite Atwood novel. I am kind of in awe of Margaret Atwood. She is pretty badass and writes what she pleases. Some I love and some I don't but I really respect her. I didn't know Alias Grace had similarities with Burial Rites. I have it in my to-read bookcase so maybe I gravitate toward novels about murderesses?!

I've been following this group over the summer, and with the September routine back underway was excited to see Alias Grace show up as the latest read. I'm currently rereading it after several years, in anticipation of the series (and after enjoying seeing The Handmaids Tale come to the screen last year). Thoroughly enjoying it all over again, and I have to admit that I'd forgotten how much of the early book focusses on the mutual 'assessing' between Grace and the Dr. It's a treat when a book that you've read and loved, can be surprising all over again with the benefit of enough time (and failing memory). Looking forward to following this thread and enjoying the book along with other readers.

I can't find an electronic version but if anyone has access to the October Canadian Living there is an article about Alias Grace and some background on the making of the mini series.

I'd love to hear if you changed your mind throughout the book with respect to Grace's innocence or guilt. What was your final conclusion?

This one took me a long time to finish since September is a busy month in my house. again I am awed by Margaret Atwood's creativity and how each book is unique. This was a great novel and @ Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ I kept changing my mind throughout the book and now that I have closed the book and still pondering on her innocence or guilt to be honest.

I loved the historic nature of the book and it makes me want to keep on reading more Margaret Atwood! I am looking forward to the mini-series!!

I am rereading this book after many years and thoroughly enjoying it. I look forward to everyone's opinions!

Interesting background on the writing of Alias Grace: http://www.cbc.ca/books/6-things-that...

The month is almost over and we haven't had much discussion about this book, but I'm going to vent a little bit! I was love, love, loving it right up to the scene with the hypnosis. What was that about?! I was really hoping that Grace and Jeremiah were faking the whole thing, but it was never made clear one way or the other. I still ended up liking the book on the whole, but I hate when authors use clichés like split personality, amnesia, etc. Since it's Atwood and all, I gave her the benefit of the doubt!

When I read it last year, I didn't think Grace was all that likeable. She was sometimes naive but also secretive and I never really trusted her altogether.

@Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ I liked the duplicity of Jeremiah in the story but the story is still making me ponder Grace's involvement. What do other think??

I liked Jeremiah and his many faces as well.

I finished Alias Grace and I was sorry to put it down. I read it when it first came out in 1996, but as I recall, that was a crazy year for me with work and kids and moving to a new home, so I didn't remember it very clearly. I enjoyed it much more this time.

I agree the hypnosis scene was a trifle odd, but I guess there was no other way to introduce the concept of a split personality. That explained so much -- why various people like her lawyer, Jamie Walsh, and others, held such different opinions about her, since they had apparently interacted with "Mary" rather than Grace.

I thought the split personality was more believable than the idea that Grace could have faked such a thing during her hypnosis, nor would even have occurred to her, since it was an unknown condition at the time.

I was struck with two things -- Atwood's imagination and lyrical descriptions; and the wealth of historical details that left a powerful impression of time and place. I prefer this type of book to her dystopian stories.

I wondered if it really was not a split personality but a fraud between Jeremiah (who had transformed himself from his role as a peddler) and Grace. It seemed that the supernatural had more of an impact in that time frame and that mental illness was not as well studied but like that we all can have different thoughts on the outcome... certainly makes us think!!

Me too @❀ Susan. The split personality storyline seems too unoriginal for Atwood.

Interesting nyt article: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/25/ar...

Alias Grace hitting the airwaves in the UK also: https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...