Alias Grace November 5, 2009

Title: Alias Grace

Author: Margaret Atwood

Reading Recommendation: Great for book clubs. Also great if you like to mull over an “unsolved mystery.”

My Reading Reflection:

I am simply itching to write a 20-page analysis of this book. I have the same intoxicated feeling I used to have when I got really excited while writing a long paper about a book I loved as an English major in college. Weird, I know, but I nearly have to restrain myself right now; my mind just keeps turning over new angles and arguments practically involuntarily.

This is a complex novel, and I like it most for its ambiguity. The plot revolves around a notorious 19^th Century Canadian murder. Grace Marks, only 15 at the time of the murders , is sentenced to life in prison. Because of her age and especially because she gave three different versions of the story, and claims to have no memory of the actual crime, opinions were split regarding her guilt. The fictional Dr. Simon Jordan determines to probe her mind and see if he can help her remember and find out what really happened.

In a sense this novel is a mystery; but don’t expect a conclusive theory from Atwood. Some may feel let down without that resolution, but that is what makes the story so intriguing (and explains why Grace Marks will be wandering around in my head for quite some time). The reader is left to ponder through the various possibilities. As soon as I convince myself of what must have “really happened, I think of a rebuttal.  If this novel were merely Atwood’s attempt to unravel what “really” happened, it would not be nearly as memorable or striking.

At first I was caught up in the breathtaking descriptions and phrases in Atwoods writing, (ex: “All the same, Murderess is a strong word to have attached to you. It has a smell to it, that word—musky and oppressive, like dead flowers in a vase. Sometimes at night I whisper it over to myself: Murderess, Murderess. It rustles, like a taffeta skirt across the floor.” ) but I was disappointed to find such passages sparse in the bulk of the book. I was, however, fascinated with her use of quilting as an overarching metaphor in the book, and can’t stop thinking about the role dreams played in the novel.

I expected this novel to generate some fascinating discussions, and I was not disappointed. Our book club had a lot to talk about. I highly recommend this novel for book clubs.

The Constant Princess October 19, 2009

Title: The Constant Princess

Author: Philippa Gregory

Reading Recommendation: If you enjoy a bit of fanciful romance, a historical setting, and a heroine with a strong personality, you may enjoy this novel.

My Reflection:

For a long time I’ve been hoping to find an author who I can return to again and again and count on enjoying her books. Granted, I have only read one of Philippa Gregory’s novels so far, but if The Constant Princess is typical of Gregoy’s other novels, I’m hooked.

Katherine of Aragon was a fascinating historical figure, and I was quite engaged in her story. Raised as Catalina, Infanta of Spain, youngest child of Isabella and Ferdinand, and Princess of Wales, engaged to Prince Arthur of England from a young age, Catalina has a strong sense of destiny and purpose. Her warrior-and-queen mother greatly influences her ideas about what it means to rule a country. At 16 Catalina leaves for England to marry the 15 years old Prince Arthur. Despite the inauspicious beginnings, they soon develop a passionate relationship. Sadly it is short-lived, with Arthur dying a few months into their marriage. Their dreams for their country are shattered and Catalina is left as only the “Dowager Princess of Wales,” instead of the future queen. Her own ambitions are powerful, but even more motivating for Catalina is that on his deathbed, Arthur makes her promise to marry his younger brother and fulfill her destiny as queen of England in order to carry out the plans they made together. The unfolding narrative traces her quest to become queen, and once she gains the throne, to exercise and maintain her power. Of course, as Henry VIII’s first wife, we all know how that ends for her, but Gregory chooses to focus on Katherine’s earlier years. This narrative is well-written and unified around Catalina’s love for Arthur and the lie she must tell and hold to all her life to fulfill the promise she made him.

Gregory’s pace was perfect for my tastes: the narrative was not rushed, which enabled me to fully experience the world of the story, but it did not drag. In Gregory’s depiction, Katherine is a strong woman—a fighter who struggles to fulfill what she believes is her destiny and who is even willing to lead troops into battle. She is also a wise woman who carefully weighs what she says. I could learn something from her. I tend to blurt out whatever is flying through my mind, so I was amazed at how Katherine was able to use her words more like pieces in a chess game—carefully calculating how the person will react and using her words to reach her goals.

I also like that we see Catalina, the young, over-confident girl who believes that her mother’s will and God’s are one and the same grow into the courageous and commanding Queen Katherine. Part of that process for Katherine meant doubting her faith that she was especially favored by God and acknowledging her parents flaws instead of putting them on part with God. She even learns a valuable lesson about compassion and forgiveness: “life taught me a harder lesson, beloved: it is better to forgive an enemy than destroy him.”

Overall the book is well-written, but does have moments when it felt repetitive, and the ending was too optimistic given the rest of Katherine’s life that occurs beyond this novel. Historically, I have to admit, it does seem a bit fanciful, and certainly an unrealistic relationship with her beloved Arthur. Despite these downfalls, But in the end, I really enjoyed the book and I look forward to reading more of Gregory’s books.