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For the first time I listened to the Audiobook rather than reading the ebook. I was unimpressed. Whilst the book had its moments, it was not a good read. There was little exciting or engaging in it. I don't tend to read many historical novels these days, though I once did. And whilst background details can be a highlight of this sort of novel, in this case I've read it all before. This is not to say that the book does not have any worthwhile points.
I'm going to discuss only one aspect. We were yet again treated to a reminder that childhood as we know it today, at least for most of the population, was pretty well non-existent. In much of the world that remains true today. Grace was 12 when she entered service and was expected to function as an adult, albeit at an entry level. She had little formal education, at least by todays standards. She was expected to engage with that adult world and her elders without any of the protections or even expectations of protections which children have today. Little if any allowance was made for youth and naivety. She was only 16 when she participated in the murder, and not much older when sentenced to death.
I did not dislike the book, and did finish it. However, I saw little remarkable in it, and disliked the somewhat ponderous style in which it was written. Likewise I don't dislike either Atwood or her books, though she is certainly not one of my favourite authors.
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