Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood: A Review

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

Having really enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale, I was very excited to read Alias Grace and to see that it is a new series on Netflix.  I really enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale but I have to say that I actually liked Alias Grace more.  It might have been because it was based on a true story but the story was fascinating to me. 

Grace Marks is a prisoner, having been found guilty of the grisly murder of her employer and his housekeeper.  She is said to have committed the murders of Nancy Montgomery and Thomas Kinnear with her coworker, James McDermott, who is a surly and jealous man.  While she was initially sentenced to hang like McDermott, she is saved by her lawyer, who pleads with the court to consider her youth, and her sentence is commuted to a life term.  Soon after she is imprisoned, she is committed to an asylum on account of fits and her amnesia surrounding anything to do with the crime.  While she is treated with the worst of the time's psychiatric treatments, she still does not remember anything about the time when Montgomery and Kinnear are murdered.  Years later, a young psychiatrist is brought in by a group trying to prove her innocence to try to help her remember more about the crime.

My favorite part of this book would have to be the characters that Atwood has created, Nancy being one of my favorites.  She is the perfect narcissist.  She is jealous, manipulative and overly sensitive.  One never knows where they stand with her as she can love you or hate you from day to day and minute to minute.  Grace, herself, is actually quite likeable.  She comes off as very intelligent in a very street smart way.  I also think that she could be a very relatable character for many of us in that she is but a product of her past.  While I didn't feel that Dr. Jordan's story added very much to the overall feel of the book, Grace's story was sad but very interesting.  I was left wanting to know more.  The writing style is sophisticated but still very easily readable.  I really enjoyed this book and I believe that anyone who enjoys historical fiction, true crime or medical mysteries will enjoy this book, too.

The series on Netflix compares very nicely with the book.  I didn't think too many liberties were taken with the story.  The overwhelming feeling that I got, both when I read the book and when I watched the TV show, was how sad this story was no matter whether or not Grace Marks did anything.  Grace had such a sad life up until she was 16 and the crimes took place and then ended up in a place where more sadness and depression were heaped onto her.  Some of the phenomena that occurred to her seem to mimic what we would diagnose as psychological disorders today.  While the story took place during the Civil War, this story, with its portrayal of cruelty and the aftermath of a tragic childhood, still ring true today.  I believe this story should be just as popular as Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and sends just as powerful a message.

My rating:
★★★★★

Reviews of books like this one:
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen
The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian


This book is currently available and can be purchased from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Read more reviews on this book on Goodreads.

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Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen: A Review

Not all quacks are snake oil salesmen.  Of course, some of them are and in Quackery you will learn about them.  Some quacks are not out to make a quick buck but legitimately believe in their own ineffective or harmful treatments.  Lydia Kang, a physician, and Nate Pedersen, a journalist, will fascinate you with stories of how doctors used to use substances like cocaine, opium and tobacco to cure disease and did not recognize the dangers associated with them. Tapeworms were used as a diet aid and people thought radiation would cure just about anything that ails. 

I really enjoyed this book and the only fault that I could find with it was that it did not include any current forms of quackery.  Especially with the Internet, misinformation and improper treatments for disease are rampant.  Patients still turn to ineffective treatments and promote them with religious zeal today.

Other than not including current quackery, I really enjoyed learning about all of the unnecessary treatments that desperate patients used to put themselves through.  The information was fascinating and the images really enhanced the stories that went along with them.  I recommend this book to anyone that is interested in interesting medical treatments and history.  The book is written in such a way that most readers will be interested in having a look at this one.

Watch an interview with one of the authors here:

Reviews of books like this one:
Best Intentions by Erika Raskin
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
The Happiness Effect by Donna Freitas

This book is currently available and can be purchased from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Read more reviews on this book on Goodreads.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in order to review it but that did not have an effect on my review of the book.  This is my honest opinion of this book.  I am a participant in the Amazon Affiliates program.  By clicking on the Amazon link and purchasing this product, I receive a small fee.  I am not associated with Goodreads or Barnes and Noble in any way and the links provided are available strictly for your convenience and not to imply a relationship of any kind.

Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave: A Review

Sunshine seems to have the perfect career and marriage.  She is the star of a cooking channel on YouTube and is about to launch a Food Network show and her own cookbook.  Everything seems to be going according to plan until an unknown hacker reveals that Sunshine is not who she says she is.  She is far from the down home cook who has a farmer for a father.  Instead, she is from Montauk and the most elaborate recipe she has created was a really good grilled cheese sandwich.  She is going to have to start over, which involves reuniting with her sister and niece. 

This was a quick read but it really didn't appeal to me the way that some other novels have.  It was a little bit syrupy and just didn't hit the spot for me.  The author touches on themes of dishonesty on social media but those who are not interested in social media in the first place will not see this as an important piece of literary fiction.  Without that theme, we are left with the inauthentic relationship between Sunshine and her sister, Rain, and Rain's genius daughter.  There were some parts that I enjoyed in this book but it was not my favorite book of this year.  I would recommend it to those who enjoy women's literature but it misses the mark for an important piece of literary fiction. 

My rating:
★★☆☆☆

More books like this one:
Still Here: A Novel by Lara Vapnyar
Tell Me How This Ends Well  by David Samuel Levinson
Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson

This book is currently available and can be purchased from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Read more reviews on this book on Goodreads.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in order to review it but that did not have an effect on my review of the book.  This is my honest opinion of this book.  I am a participant in the Amazon Affiliates program.  By clicking on the Amazon link and purchasing this product, I receive a small fee.  I am not associated with Goodreads or Barnes and Noble in any way and the links provided are available strictly for your convenience and not to imply a relationship of any kind.

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old by Hendrik Groen: A Review

According to Hendrik Groen, "Old is in".  It seems as if he is right.  Many books and movies that have recently been released have older protagonists.  Groen's diary is very reminiscent of A Man Called Ove but Groen is likeable from the very first page.  He and a few of his fellow "inmates" have decided to start the Old-But-Not-Dead Club.  Each member of the group take turns planning an outing that helps the others experience life a little more fully.  The group begins to form a close friendship and stick together as their members encounter health problems and lack the comfort that they could receive from loved ones.

This was such a sweet book and some of the parts were more funny than any of the other books I have read this year.  When Mr. Groen is pulled over for driving his mobility scooter too fast, I just about spit out my tea!  The author has a delightful attitude even with his sad past.  Speaking of this sad past, it is not a huge part of this story.  Readers of this book will experience more ups than downs, even though the story does take place in an assisted living facility for older Dutch citizens. 

The characters are a breath of fresh air.  I liked Hendrik but I loved Evert.  Evert tells it like it is and the book is more fun for it.  I really loved reading about the relationships that were built and strengthened over the duration of the book.  This is a great book if you like reading about characters that are rarely written about.  Anyone who enjoys stories about relationships will enjoy this book.  I do wish that there had been more information on the protagonists life prior to being in the assisted living facility but I still loved this book.

View the book trailer here:

My rating:
★★★★★

Reviews of books like this one:
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

This book is currently available and can be purchased from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Read more reviews on this book on Goodreads.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in order to review it but that did not have an effect on my review of the book.  This is my honest opinion of this book.  I am a participant in the Amazon Affiliates program.  By clicking on the Amazon link and purchasing this product, I receive a small fee.  I am not associated with Goodreads or Barnes and Noble in any way and the links provided are available strictly for your convenience and not to imply a relationship of any kind.

If The Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss

In a small town in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, a newcomer with a mysterious past comes to educate the youth of the town and ends up learning many new things, herself.  Kate is a teacher who was terminated from her previous position but travels to Baines Creek to work as the town teacher.  Sadie Blue is a young woman who becomes pregnant to a man who is cruel and controlling of her.  Roy and Billie were abused as youngsters and take out their frustration on Sadie and other women.  Eli Perkins is a preacher who wants the best for his community but his sister, Prudence, is as mean as Eli is kind.  Weiss tells each character's story in a fair and impartial way.  She leaves no stone unturned and lets readers know that there are often untold reasons for crimes as heinous as spousal abuse and murder.  Oftentimes, that reason is simply poverty and a hopelessness that one will never escape it. 

I really enjoyed this book for its brave honesty and Weiss' refusal to allow fear or discomfort prevent her from telling hard truths about life.  The characters are perfect.  It is easy for the reader to see the story from all sides when reading If the Creek Don't Rise.  The stories were often hard to stomach.  These are painful accounts from a world that many live in but few in society wants to admit really exists.  When I was reading it, I felt as if I was reading a story set in the mid-1800s but soon realized that I was reading an almost-modern tale of a town who has yet to become modern.  I learned a lot about Appalachian culture from reading this book and I think anyone who enjoys southern fiction or women's fiction will love this book. 

My Rating:
★★★★☆

Reviews of books like this one:
The Education of Dixie Dupree by Donna Everhart
June by Miranda Beverly Whittemore
New Boy by Tracy Chevalier

This book is currently available and can be purchased from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Read more reviews on this book on Goodreads.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in order to review it but that did not have an effect on my review of the book.  This is my honest opinion of this book.  I am a participant in the Amazon Affiliates program.  By clicking on the Amazon link and purchasing this product, I receive a small fee.  I am not associated with Goodreads or Barnes and Noble in any way and the links provided are available strictly for your convenience and not to imply a relationship of any kind.

I Need a Lifeguard Everywhere But the Pool by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella

I read my first Lisa Scottoline novel in April of this year.  This book is so much different from One Perfect Lie.  This book is more of a comedic memoir than a mystery or thriller.  Scottoline and her daughter, Francesca Serritella, write about their funny lives in a series of essays.  Serritella writes about her hiatus from men and the insanity of forcing guests to make wedding dresses from toilet paper at bridal showers.  Scottoline writes about her disabled dog that is in a wheelchair and how she only wears a bra when she absolutely has to.  Both women write about their daily lives in a way that is both self-deprecating but also empowering to women.

There were definitely some very funny parts in this book but I wouldn't say that it was the funniest thing that I have read.  I have read a lot of comedic essay books by authors like Jen Lancaster who have me laughing from the first page to the last.  What I did really like about this book was the very endearing relationship that Scottoline and Serritella display in their work.  They seem to really love what they do (writing) and love each other.  I really enjoyed reading that.  The writing style is very easy to read and I was able to finish the book very quickly.  This is a great book to read when you need something light and entertaining.

My rating:
★★★★☆

Reviews of Books Like This One:
Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
I Have Everyone, Except You by Clinton Kelly
Hungry Heart: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing by Jennifer Weiner

This book is currently available and can be purchased from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Read more reviews on this book on Goodreads.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in order to review it but that did not have an effect on my review of the book.  This is my honest opinion of this book.  I am a participant in the Amazon Affiliates program.  By clicking on the Amazon link and purchasing this product, I receive a small fee.  I am not associated with Goodreads or Barnes and Noble in any way and the links provided are available strictly for your convenience and not to imply a relationship of any kind.

Still Here: A Novel by Lara Vapnyar: A Review

Sergey has been living, and struggling, in the United States for awhile.  His wife, Vica, is perpetually angry at him because he can't seem to keep a job, despite his PhD earned in Russia and his MBA earned in the US.  Vica is frustrated because she gave up medical school in Russia so that she could follow Sergey to the US and now she works in a cancer hospital, where she can't seem to fit in.  Sergey has an idea for an app which will keep a person's online persona alive once a person has died.  Vica desperately wants Sergey to develop and pitch the app so that she can be a rich man's wife like her friend, Regina.

Regina is married to Bob, a wealthy American who develops web applications.  She used to be a respected translator but has since become depressed since losing her mother to cancer.  She spends her days watching TV and eating foods that an app recommends to her based on her viewing habits.  Her mother's best friend, Masha, wants her to adopt a child but Regina is unsure whether or not she could manager with such a task.

Vadik is a programmer that can't seem to find his place in the world.  He loves his job but he can't find a woman that he loves or a city that he feels at home in.  He moves from place to place and dates multiple women, sometimes at the same time, that he meets on social media.  The story follows the group of friends and their relationships.

One of the first reviews that I read about this book was that it was "Friends with a heavy Russian accent."  I was under the impression that this was a comedic novel of sorts.  While there are some funny parts in it, I wouldn't say that the book is completely dedicated to being a comedy.  That doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it, though.  There were some very current, interesting themes in the book.  The book touched on themes of our obsession with social media and family.

While it is an immigrant story, it is a completely different immigrant story than we currently read.  The characters are upper-middle class immigrants that try very hard to assimilate into American culture.  I thought that was very refreshing to be able to see an immigration story that wasn't cliched and stereotypical.  The story may be literary fiction but the writing style is very easy going and feel's almost like chick lit when reading it.  Overall, I really liked this book and I think it would be great for anyone looking for a book about immigrants that is different from others.  Those that like novels based on current themes will really like this book.

My rating:
★★★★☆

More reviews of books like this one:
The Guest Room by Christ Bohjalian
The Heirs by Susan Rieger
Tell Me How This Ends Well by David Samuel Levinson

This book is currently available and can be purchased from major booksellers.  Read more reviews on this book on Goodreads.  Visit the publisher, Penguin Random House, for booksellers and information about the book.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.  This is my honest opinion of this book.  I am not associated with Goodreads in any way and the links provided are available strictly for your convenience and not to imply a relationship of any kind. 

I do not track activity of visitors beyond that which blogger already does.  If you click on an outside link, those websites may track your activity but I do not actively share any information with third-party websites.