This month was just kind of average with the readings. 5 books. 1817 pages. I really only liked 2 of this month’s books. Which isn’t really good odds.
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (465 pages). Netflix turned this book into a really good limited run series. I’d suggest partaking in both (because Netflix did a remarkably good job of staying faithful to the book). This novel is based on a true story- that of Grace Marks, a notorious Irish-Canadian murderess in the 1840’s. She was accused, and subsequently convicted, of conspiring to murder her boss and his housekeeper when she was just 16 years old. Her coconspirator, James McDermott, was hanged. But Grace’s sentence was commuted to life in prison. After nearly 30 years, she was pardoned and sent to the States. And those are the only facts known about her. Atwood does a masterful job of creating a riveting backstory for Grace. You are left wondering if Grace did conspire with McDermott, or if she was an innocent victim, or if she was just insane. I found myself liking her a lot. And wanting her to be an innocent victim. But there’s a part of me that thinks she was just a brilliant mastermind of a murderess. I finished in 8 days.
Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (350 pages). I apparently bought this book for one pound when I lived in Cambridge. In 1997! Why had I not read it prior to now? I have no idea. Tess is an innocent farm girl whose mother didn’t warn her “there was danger in men-folk.” She loses her innocence to the dastardly Alec d’Urberville, but manages to find it again in the love of her life, Angel Clare. But innocence, once lost, is impossible to truly regain. It is a sad tale. I think I expected to really love this book. And I only merely liked it. I will say that the final phase of the book was by far my favorite phase. This book plays a pivotal role in the Fifty Shades of Grey books. Heartbreaking that Anastasia sees herself as Tess and Christian as her Alec. Shouldn’t she know that Alec is the villain of the book? I finished in 7 days.
Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella (412 pages). Dan and Sylvie have been together for a decade. Sylvie, the privileged only daughter of a wealthy family, sort of fell apart when her father was killed in a car accident. But Dan and Sylvie have gotten their lives back together. They have a seemingly perfect life, with their adorable twin daughters. But when a regular doctor’s visit reveals that they face 68 more years of marriage, they panic. So they come up with an idea- to give each other surprises. Sylvie uncovers a surprise that rocks her to her core. Can they make it through this life changing surprise? I finished in 3 days.
Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki (307 pages). Lady Daniels is separated from her husband and living in their home in the Hollywood Hills with their 2 year old son Devin and her 18 year old mute son Seth. She hires S to be Devin’s nanny. S is strange character. She’s actually an artist, working on a strange art project. Lady and S get very close, as both of them are struggling with who they truly are. And oddly enough, both of them have a strange relationship with art- Lady was one of the subjects in her sister-in-law’s book of photography. It was a very strange book. Not unenjoyably strange. But strange nonetheless. I finished in 6 days.
Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire (283 pages). The story begins in Bavaria in 1808. And that’s about all I truly understood! If you’ve ever seen The Nutcracker, you’ve seen Uncle Drosselmeier, he of the eye patch and maker of the Nutcracker he gifted to Clara. Well, this was his story. Dirk Drosselmeier was a foundling. He died in the Lost Forest, it was brought back to life and given a gift. Of a knife that held the spirit of Pan and helped him make beautiful wooden figures. There’s a lot more than goes into the story. But I literally do not know how to recap it. It. Was. Weird. I keep giving Maguire chance after chance. But I think I’m done with this author. I just don’t find him enjoyable. I finished in 6 days.
And this month’s favorite goes to......Alias Grace.
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