Alias Grace

In these blog posts, I share what I loved about my most recent read. I consider what engaged me as a reader and what interested me as a writer. These posts are not traditional book reviews. Case in point: no one needs me to say that Margaret Atwood is a brilliant writer. Instead, I will say, should anyone wish to become a great writer, Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (© 1996) is a master class. Although I could talk for pages and pages about this novel, I’ll touch on the basics, avoid spoilers, and, hopefully, tempt you to read this historical fiction.

In July of 1843, Thomas Kinnear, Esq. and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, were murdered in the Kinnear residence of Richmond Hill, Canada West (Ontario). Nancy was Mr. Kinnear’s mistress, and an autopsy revealed she had been pregnant at the time of her death. On November 21, 1843, James McDermott, a servant in the Kinnear house, was hanged for his employer’s murder. Sixteen-year-old Grace Marks, a servant in the same household, was sentenced to life imprisonment. Twenty-nine years later, she was pardoned and released. These are known facts. What remains unknown is the role of Grace Marks in these murders.

Surprisingly, the most shocking and sensational details of this story are not in the fiction but in the historical facts within this fiction. Excerpts from primary sources introduce each of the 15 parts of this novel. Atwood gives humanity to the known players in this drama, fleshing them out with idiosyncrasies and backstories, and adds some new, plausible characters to the cast. But she does not modify the facts. The author fills the gaps around what is known with what is likely or possible. Atwood’s storytelling twines seamlessly around the historical bits. I devoured this sizeable read. The story was compelling, and the history rattled me. The realities of Grace’s life, the ironies of 19th century society, and the puzzle of Grace’s part in the Kinnear-Montgomery murders have haunted my thought life since I returned this book to its shelf.

I loved the form of this novel. It’s thought provoking and relays the story through historical documents, newspaper articles, letters, poetry, and prose. There are original reports of the murder and trial; letters (real and invented); quotations from contemporary writers; a ballad; the fictional first-person narrative of Grace Marks; and the third-person narrative following Dr. Jordan. Was Grace an evil seductress who conceived the murders? Or was she innocent of evil intent, compelled by McDermott, and afraid for her own life? The reader must act as detective. He or she must weigh the evidence presented and become the final deliberator on the alleged crimes of Grace Marks.

Storytelling, both what we tell and how we tell it, is a central theme in this book. While Atwood tells Grace’s story, the reader becomes aware that there are different versions of this tale. And, each version has been tailored to fit its recipient. Who we’re telling and why we’re telling matter. All versions of a story may be true. They only seem distinct because they’ve been separated from each other. Furthermore, the duality of Grace’s story (innocent versus guilty) is mirrored by a duality within each of the characters. There’s conflict between what characters are and what they are expected to be, in conjunction with what they show people and what they hide. Of course, there is the obvious question of whether or not Grace is a reliable narrator. She chooses her words carefully. In Chapter 1, Grace says, “This is what I told Dr. Jordan, when we came to that part of the story.” She does not claim, “That is what happened.” It’s as though she’s assuring the reader, “I will not lie to you.” Whether or not she’s lied to anyone else….

Lastly, this novel could have won me over by its writing alone; the descriptions are so sensory and crisp. For instance, in Chapter 7, Dr. Jordan’s toast is described as cracking like slate between his teeth. Also, there are wonderful turns of phrase either borrowed from the time period or written in perfect camouflage. In Chapter 8, Grace comments, “…and little do they know that the servants carry away more out the back door with a spoon than the master can bring in the front door with a shovel.” Honestly, there are too many examples to quote here. Read the book. The writing is a feast for the senses.

This is not my first foray into the written works of Margaret Atwood. Much of my senior high school year was spent scouring the library shelves for anything Atwood. Until last month, this book, bought over a decade ago, remained unread on a shelf in my living room library. We all have books we’ve been meaning to read but regularly pass over nonetheless. Alias Grace was one of mine. Now that I’ve read this riveting historical fiction, I can’t imagine why anyone would pass it by. 

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Postscript: As I live in southern Ontario, not far from Toronto or Kingston, the history of those cities and this area was particularly interesting to me. The descriptions of everyday life, in addition to accounts of the Lunatic Asylum in Toronto and the Provincial Penitentiary in Kingston, were fascinating. If you are interested in reading more about this time period and Canada West, I enjoyed Sisters in the Wilderness: The Lives of Susanna Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill by Charlotte Gray (© 2008). Life in the Clearings versus the Bush by Susanna Moodie (© 1853) has been added to my “must read” list. Let’s hope, this time, I don’t wait 12 years.

This book review of Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood is based on the 1996 hardcover edition (© 1996 O.W. Toad Ltd.) published by McClelland & Stewart Inc. (Toronto, ON, Canada) and on the November 2017 unabridged audiobook edition (© 1996 O.W. Toad Ltd.; ℗ 2017 Audible Inc.) published by Audible Studios and narrated by Sarah Gadon and Margaret Atwood.