A review by kamrynharned
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Alias Grace was a book unlike any other I’ve read yet.  It’s a historical fiction, but it almost reads like a psychological thriller.  You are yourself put in the place of the Doctor hearing her case - do you trust Grace? Or believe her to be a psychopath? Is she simply a traumatized, manipulated young girl, or does she have an evil, twisted side?  Reading from Grace’s perspective, it was easy to take everything she said as truth, but the more you read from her perspective, the more you realize how many things aren’t adding up. She’s not a reliable narrator, but you WANT to believe her. She is likable and relatable. Dr. Jordan, on the other hand, has a character arc that is both frustrating and unlikable.  His life slowly unravels before our eyes, and his decision making becomes more and more flawed.  I felt the ending was perfect - enough answers to feel satisfied, but enough question marks to keep thinking about the book for long after it’s finished.