Sometimes (usually) with the Nook, library books that I want aren't readily available, I have to put holds on them because they only have 1 or 2 electronic copies. So I will search for ebooks that are available. That's how I came upon this Margaret Atwood novel that I never read, and I am really glad I did.
Atwood bases her novel on the very real Grace Marks, a 16-year-old servant girl convicted of murder in Canada in 1843 and sentenced to life in prison. It was a sensational story at the time, and Grace served nearly 30 years before being released from prison. Atwood turns Grace from a picture in an old newspaper to a living person, with all the complications most of us have (and some that are just strange enough that they could be true). She uses her formidable talent to create a character who is both sympathetic and untrustworthy, and altogether likeable.
Atwood also uses the novel as a commentary on the plight of women in the 19th century, and on the penal/asylum/service establishments they were often victimized by.
This was a really great read - as always, Atwood drew me in and kept me turning pages until the very end.
Alias Grace
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