Alias Grace

by Margaret Eleanor Atwood | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0385475713 Global Overview for this book
Registered by kikimasu of Portland, Oregon USA on 5/7/2003
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10 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by kikimasu from Portland, Oregon USA on Wednesday, May 7, 2003
Atwood at her best. I LOVED this one.

Release planned for Sunday, May 25, 2003 at fellow BookCrosser in USPS, postal release USA.

Being released to a fellow bookcrosser.

Journal Entry 3 by schmetterling from Durham, North Carolina USA on Monday, May 26, 2003
I scored this in a swap with the lovely kikimasu after a breakfast of huevos rancheros and homefries. (Yum!) Goodbye, kikimasu, the Triangle will not be as cool without you!

Journal Entry 4 by Flashgirl from Minneapolis, Minnesota USA on Friday, September 5, 2003
Received today. Thanks, schmetterling!

Journal Entry 5 by Flashgirl from Minneapolis, Minnesota USA on Saturday, November 19, 2005
This was a fascinating tale based on a remarkable true story from Canada's history. While never revealing much about herself beneath the surface, Grace had a very appealing voice.

After reading 450+ pages, I really expected to know what actually happened down in the cellar (if not in real life, then in at least in Atwood’s version of the story). The first two-thirds of the narrative gradually built towards that moment, the climax of Grace’s life ... and then drifted onward. The clues elicited under hypnotism weren't presented as a definitive answer; in fact, they left me with more questions than answers. Was Grace was really possessed by the spirit of Mary Whitney, who certainly didn’t seem the murdering type? Maybe because she was bitter about her own untimely end? Or was Grace genuinely mentally ill, with perhaps a split-personality disorder? Or was she lying, scheming with Jeremiah in order to escape and marry him? Why would he even have come to see her in yet another assumed identity if not to help her escape and perhaps marry him?

In the end, I was fine with the mystery remaining so.

In addition to reading this, I listened to parts of it on audiobook. At times the details of domestic servitude seemed excessive, and when reading, I skimmed pages at a time. While listening to the audiobook stuck in traffic, I simply allowed the rhythmic cadences of the narrator’s voice to lull me into a semi-hypnotic trance. Part of me wondered why it hadn't been edited down by 100 pages or so, but I didn't mind.

Have offered to another BookCrosser who was wishing for it at www.cliff1976.com.

Journal Entry 6 by heartsong2 on Friday, December 30, 2005
Thank you so much! What a nice surprise! Look forward to reading it!

Journal Entry 7 by heartsong2 on Sunday, February 12, 2006
I really liked this book. I've read a few other Atwood's years ago, including Handmaid's Tale, and haven't ever liked them much. However, Alias Grace was on my Literature, Arts and Medicine list so I thought I'd give it a try, and I thought it was a great novel.

I liked the way Atwood tied the fictional story to what was evidenced to be true in history. Very good story. Thank you so much for sharing it with me!

I plan to either bookray this or RABCK it in honor of Flashgirl who RABCKed it to me. Since there've been some Atwood novels offered as rays lately, I'll check first to see if there's interest in one for this book.


Journal Entry 8 by heartsong2 on Thursday, February 16, 2006
Will be sending out as a short bookray in honor of Flashgirl!

2/18/06 shipped to Lpree!

Bookray order:
Lpree complete
dark-draco complete
jubby complete
lolamarie complete
Breeze144 complete
ariuca arrived!

Journal Entry 9 by Lpree from Omaha, Nebraska USA on Tuesday, February 21, 2006
This arrived in today's mail. I have a few other bookrings ahead of it, but will read it as soon as I can! I'm looking forward to reading it!

Journal Entry 10 by Lpree from Omaha, Nebraska USA on Sunday, March 12, 2006
I finished this today. Despite not being able to put it down, I'm really not sure what I think of it. Parts of it were hard to read - the lack of quotation marks, run-on sentences, etc. But then again, it is exactly those things that really make the voices in the story. I hadn't heard of the true story behind this novel, but I too was expecting a bit more of a conclusion as to what really happened. In the end, I was happy that it ended the way it did.

Thanks very much for sharing this book - I'll have it back out in the mail this week.

UPDATE - wubbaducky asked to be skipped.

Journal Entry 11 by wingdark-dracowing from Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom on Saturday, April 29, 2006
Received today. What a beautiful book - I hate to say it, but I do think that what a book looks like does enhance the reading of it - and this hardback is lovely. I'm in the middle of another book at the moment, but I'll put this next on my TBR's.


Journal Entry 12 by wingdark-dracowing from Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom on Friday, May 26, 2006
What a great story. I'm a huge fan of Atwood's fantasy/SF and have only just started to read her other books, but this has to be the best one so far. Excellent. I still have my doubts as whether she did it or not, or was aware of doing it, I should say, but that's a mark of a good story - still thinking about it when it's over.

Thank you for organising the ring. I'll pass on as soon as I can.

Released 17 yrs ago (6/3/2006 UTC) at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

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Sent on it's way to the next person on the list. Surface mail I'm afraid as it's a lovely, but heavy, book.

Journal Entry 14 by jubby from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, June 8, 2006
Received in the post today. Have a couple of other bookrings ahead of it though... I htink I may have to quit my job, so that I have enough time to read!

Journal Entry 15 by jubby from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, June 24, 2006
Firstly, let me apologise for taking so long to read this book.

And secondly, let me tell you how much I loved this book!!! Not only is a great read, but this edition is beautiful. I did consider contacting heartsong2 and begging her to keep it.

Part murder mystery, part bio-lit, this is an incredibly written story. Beautifully crafted, using all the orginal details, and weaving in historical details of Canada and domestic life during the 1840-1860s.

I was nearly panting towards the end. Did she do it, what happened, no, that can't be true!

Thank you so much for sharing this with me.

You can rest assured also heartsong2, I didn't filch your lovely hardcover copy either! But sadly, I did lose the little bookmark. I am sorry.

Journal Entry 16 by jubby at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, June 24, 2006

Released 17 yrs ago (6/24/2006 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Posted off to lolamarie.

Journal Entry 17 by lolamarie from Bozeman, Montana USA on Sunday, July 9, 2006
Received in the mail this week. I plan on reading this next...

Journal Entry 18 by lolamarie from Bozeman, Montana USA on Tuesday, July 18, 2006
I finished this over the weekend. As usual, I enjoy reading Atwood's novels. It didn't bother me that there were no definitive answers at the end. The author offers several possible explanations and leaves it up to the reader to decide.

I have PMed the next person in line and am just waiting for an address. Thanks heartsong2 for sharing!

Posted to Breeze144 7/24/06

Journal Entry 19 by Breeze144 from Ajax, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, August 1, 2006
Arrived here today! Thanks!

Sep 7 - Ekkk, has a month flown past already? Where did it go? Please don't worry, this book will be traveling soon!

Journal Entry 20 by Breeze144 from Ajax, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Finished this last night! I loved this book just like I've loved so much of Atwood's work! I live near Toronto, so Richmond Hill and Kingston are all familiar places to me, but it was interesting to read about them and the penitentary way back when. If you're interested, the penitentary is still there and it still houses 'infamous' criminals of recent times.

I have ariuca's address so I'll send it out on Oct 1 from Buffalo, NY.

Released 17 yrs ago (10/1/2006 UTC) at Bookring/ray in which I don't really trust, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases

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Sent off today from Buffalo, NY!

Journal Entry 22 by ariuca from Madrid, Madrid Spain on Sunday, November 12, 2006
Received last Friday. Thanks a lot for sharing and sending it!!

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