Bookworm_Girl, you mention the deadbeat father. In Chapter 33 there is a short section which I interpreted as her remembering being raped by her father. Did others think this also? If it is not her father being referred to, it is some other man abusing her sexually.
As
Darryl noted above, there was no childhood for this girl, and a great many grim experiences. I thought that Atwood's explanation of what happened when the murders took place was an interesting and plausible one. (I'm trying to avoid being spoilery.)
There are a number of suggestions through the book that she is telling an interesting story to please Dr Jordan, for example:
Quote:
|
Because he was so thoughtful as to bring me this radish, I set to work willingly to tell my story, and to make it as interesting as I can, and rich in incident, as a sort of return gift to him; for I have always believed that one good turn deserves another. (Chapter 28.)
|
It was a bit reminiscent of Scheherezade weaving tales in
The Thousand and One Nights. Grace is weaving her long and detailed story to please Dr Jordan, but we have no idea of where the truth might lie.