Quote:
Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl
Nancy’s previous child was mentioned in the discussion between Simon and Grace’s lawyer.
|
Thanks, B_G!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catlady
But it is a fictional work; it's not being presented as a true crime account. It's all fabrication, and I don't know how it can be jarring as a departure from fact unless one is familiar with the actual case and/or has opinions about it and the players. I am not getting this objection at all.
|
My objection to this kind of thing is that the author is having it both ways. The facts matter when it helps the author, whether it be creating context or outcomes or whatever, but not when it comes to huge leaps of invention. But I can't say that's not just prejudice; it matters more when it's someone current or recent; not as much when it's over a century ago.
Quote:
|
Love. Mary was in love and had been promised marriage.
|
What you call love I'd call a combination of lust, wishful thinking and stupidity. She really did know better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bookpossum
Grace was clearly personable, intelligent and had many useful skills in order to become a trusted servant in the Governor’s home. So I was prepared to believe her to be innocent of the murders but afraid of McDermott and so an accessory after the fact. She managed to use her wits to keep him from raping her.
|
...or bright enough either to know how to play it and/or to take her lawyer's advice. But of course that's the point of telling the story in this manner; we can argue guilt or innocence until the cows come home.