charley26

I read the book, I found it very interesting, and horrifying at the same time. Grace was about 16 years old when charged and found guilty of murder, the other person (man) was hanged.

The book tells Grace's story from the time she left Ireland with her family, the death of her mother aboard the ship, and finding somewhere to stay in Canada, with her Father (alcohol problem and terrible father) and younger siblings. It goes on to her first job (aged 13 approx), the dreadful death of her friend, finding other places of work, until her final job where the alleged murder took place. Her incarceration in an asylum, and prison then follows. A group of people - friends of the prison governor and his wife feel that Grace should be pardoned, and work to that end. Grace is seen by a doctor/psychiatrist at the governor's home and Grace tells her story through these meetings and it is written in the first person.
Quilts are mentioned a lot, and Grace is generally sewing blocks during her meetings with the doctor. Each portion, but not every chapter is marked with a named quilt block. Grace is an excellent sewer, taught by her mother before leaving Ireland.
The long hard work of getting a pardon finally pays off, she has been in prison for about 30 years (or so) by this time. The doctor vanishes from the scene before this happens - he has other problems with a possessive mother, and very needy landlady. The doctor is hoping/planning to set up a private asylum, and uses his management of Grace to that end. He is very immature, inexperienced, and totally out of his depth - but not a bad person.
Grace is taken to New York by the governor's daughter, and another friend, and she is reunited with a character from earlier in the book, whom she marries. Grace has finally found happiness with a good husband, making quilts, using a sewing machine (hand crank), and looking after her house; she may also be pregnant with their child. The book ends with her planning a 'Tree of Life' quilt, and she describes how she will make it with three types of fabric that she has with her from her prison days.
The book is interspersed with various letters to and from the various doctors (both for and against a pardon), the possessive mother, and the landlady.
Margaret Atwood gives some background on a real life similar case of that era. I love her work, I think I have read almost everything she has written, one awesome woman. I would definitely recommend you read the book, perhaps a chapter at a time. I would guess that some changes were made to the story by Netflix.

Needless to say, there has been a change of governor and family throughout Grace's imprisonment.