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Cover of Alias Grace by Margaret AtwoodAlias Grace
Modern · Fiction, Classics, History

Alias Grace

by Margaret Atwood
1996 · 468 pages · Fiction
67.6Must-Read
Score Modern
Critics' pick
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

It's 1843, and Grace Marks, a sixteen-year-old servant, has been convicted of involvement in the brutal murders of her employer and his housekeeper and mistress. Years later, a young doctor interviews her to discover whether she's guilty, innocent or mad. Margaret Atwood's novel is based on a real case.

Why it's worth reading

It was a finalist for both the Booker Prize and the Women's Prize for Fiction.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret AtwoodThe Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s TaleMargaret Atwood
Cover of The Blind Assassin by Margaret AtwoodThe Blind Assassin
The Blind AssassinMargaret Atwood
Cover of Fingersmith by Sarah WatersFingersmith
FingersmithSarah Waters

Good to know

It never fully answers whether Grace did it. It became a Netflix series.

By the numbers

67.6Must-Read Score
  • Readers41 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics49 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller27 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Booker Prize finalist (1996)Women's Prize for Fiction finalist (1997)

Reads as

Moving, Thought-provoking

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 1990sTop 25 · 273 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Alias Grace worth reading?

Yes. It was a finalist for both the Booker Prize and the Women's Prize for Fiction. It ranks #1,570 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.6 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Alias Grace about?

It's 1843, and Grace Marks, a sixteen-year-old servant, has been convicted of involvement in the brutal murders of her employer and his housekeeper and mistress. Years later, a young doctor interviews her to discover whether she's guilty, innocent or mad. Margaret Atwood's novel is based on a real case.

How long does it take to read Alias Grace?

About 12 hours (468 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Alias Grace?

If you liked it, try The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood or Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.