Challenge Corner discussion

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?

Captivating and disturbing, Alias Grace showcases best-selling, Booker Prize-winning author Margaret Atwood at the peak of her powers.

28% (pg. 160 in my edition)

(view spoiler)[The pacing on this book is very odd to me. Not a lot has happened so far, but it doesn't feel slow? I think I've just gotten absorbed in the way Grace speaks. Maybe that's the point, rather than any actual plot stuff. Either way, I am enjoying it. I particularly like the letters between the doctor and his mother/colleagues. It really shows how much he's lying to Grace, and how all his goodwill is false.

The one thing I would say is that I'd love a more straightforward explanation of what, exactly, Grace is supposed to have done. The little poem intro that described the crime itself confused me a little. Too many characters and relationships all introduced at once. I hope those details will be revealed more clearly as Grace gets closer to actually telling the story from her perspective. (hide spoiler)]

49% (pg. 278 in my edition)

(view spoiler)[ There's something so lovely to me about books like this that spend a lot of time on mundane activities. It's slow, in a way, but I fall into the rhythm of the characters lives and it makes me much more invested than books that are really fast paced. I'm loving all the servants' politics, especially the weird energy that Nancy has going with Mr. Kinnear. The details about how she dresses and how she changes her tune when he's in the room versus out of it are really telling - I love how Atwood is building a strong sense of foreboding without bringing in any overly dramatic events. And I'm way more fond of James McDermott than I probably should be at this point. I know he's (supposedly) the mastermind behind the murder, but his apology to Grace seemed pretty heartfelt, and I always love a man who dances. I'm hoping there will be some twist along the way and he'll turn out to be innocent somehow. (hide spoiler)]

69% (pg. 392 in my edition)

(view spoiler)[Ok, scratch what I said about liking McDermott. He's just an asshole. I'm suspicious of Jeremiah though - maybe he shows up at the house during the time that Grace can't remember, and her selective amnesia is protecting him as much as herself? He seems too good. No male character in this book could possibly be so unselfish and well put-together. Though the reveal of him as the doctor was really good. A well-earned twist, since he talked earlier about conning people into thinking he was a Mesmerist.

Anyway, I know I've been talking about pacing a lot, but I still love how this is unfolding. It manages to feel urgent without feeling fast. I'm tearing through the big page count a lot faster than I expected to, which is nice. Some long books tend to drag but this one is really flowing for me, (hide spoiler)]

Finished!

(view spoiler)[Ha! Fuck you, Simon. You got what was coming to you. Love the letters from his mother to Mrs. Humphrey - so much passive aggression and salt. Peak.

I can't say I was really surprised by anything in this ending, but I enjoyed it all the same. Felt like a slow drift to a natural conclusion, if one that's a little too neat. The one thing I really loved was how we never actually learn what happened. Grace's missing memory remains missing and her guilt remains ambiguous. I was worried that Atwood would make up some BS to totally exonerate her, but this rings better. It fits the ominous, bittersweet energy of the whole story. All in all a pretty good book, but not a favorite of mine. (hide spoiler)]