Summary


 * __Section 1 - pg. 1-141__**
 * By: Melina Thogersen **

Grace Marks witnesses the murder of Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery, her employer and his housekeeper.
 * Jagged Edge**

She is convicted guilty of their murders, along with James McDermott who is hanged.

She was looked after by a doctor name Dr. Bannerling, whom she is afraid of.

She works as a maid in the governor of a pententiary’s home.
 * Puss in the Corner**

The governor’s wife shows Grace a scrapbook she has created about criminals.

Grace reads stories about her that are all false and discovers that everything she says to reporters and doctors end up changing the words around.

Grace meets Dr. Simon Jordan, who will be her new doctor.

She talks briefly with him and he begins to ask her questions about objects he brings her.

When she is asked describe what first comes to mind, she chooses other words than what she actually thinks of first, for example “I think of Mary Whitney, and the apple peelings we threw over our shoulders that night, to see who we would marry. But I will not him that.” (p. 43) She instead says “My sampler”.

This starts off with letters with letters; two to Dr. Jordan from Dr Workman and Dr. Jordan’s mother. Another letter is from Dr. Jordan to Dr. Murchie.
 * Young Man’s Fancy**

We discover that Dr. Jordan is studying Grace when the narration is changed to third person.

When the narration changes back to first person in Grace’s point of view, she is having another talk with Dr. Jordan.

She is quiet and doesn’t say much to Dr. Jordan, and after a few talks and meetings with Dr. Jordan, she opens up to him because she “feels as if everything [she] says is right.” (p.77)

In the next part of this chapter, Simon receives a letter from Dr. Bannerling.

He comes to his own conclusions that she was not in fact insane, but she pretends to be and is an accomplished actress.

Dr. Jordan meets up with Rev. Verringer.

Rev. Verringer thinks that Grace did commit the murders, and Dr. Jordan says he sees his dilemma since she has said three stories, denying she has killed anyone.

But Rev. Verringer says that she denies the memory she killed anyone.

Dr. Jordan thinks that the Reverend is in love with Grace Marks and he is planning to be the one to get her out of jail and Grace will then see him as her rescuer.

Dr. Jordan goes to the Governor’s residence and talks with the Governor’s wife because the governor is out of town.

She admits she thinks that Grace is innocent. He then talks to Dr.DuPont, who wants to use hypnosis on Grace to restore her memory.

After his talk with him, the Governor’s daughter, Miss Lydia speaks with Dr. Jordan and he thinks she is flirting with him and he plays along as they look at the scrapbook Miss Lydia’s mother has of the criminals.

It returns to first person narration of Grace Marks as she discusses her ninth day with Dr. Jordan.
 * Broken Dishes**

He asks her about the quilt she’s making for the Governor’s house and then asks if she would have wanted to make a quilt for herself, what would it be.

She describes the quilt she would like to make as she thinks it in her head, a perfect image of the Tree of Paradise quilt, but instead answers Simon with many other quilts because she thinks that if she says want she really wants it will never come true, as Mary Whitney has told her since it happened to her.

Simon asks her about Mary Whitney, because it was the alias name Grace used to sign into a hotel and she tells him that is the name of her dead friend.

Simon begins to ask her if she has had any dreams lately, and she explains her dream about a man who came to try to bargain her a cut off hand that dripped blood onto her just washed floor, but instead she told Simon she could not remember her dream.

It switches to a long discussion of Grace's childhood and how she lived in Ireland and when she came to Canada.

She also talks about how she doesn't like her father.

**__Section 2 - pg.142-279__**
 * By: Rachel Lee **


 * Broken Dishes**

The readers learn that Grace's father is an extreme alcoholic who is abusive and careless towards his numerous children.

Grace tries her best to take care of her siblings, but after finding a job as a servant to Mrs. Alderman Parkinson, she leaves her family to live there with the other servants.


 * Secret Drawer**

Dr. Simon Jordan has a dream about wandering through the corridor of his chidlhood house. He is trying to open the numerous doors, and suddenly when the last door opens, a flood of water with his father's items floating in it.

Grace becomes close friends with a girl named Mary Whitney, who is both fearless and confident.

During her days with Mary, Grace experiences life in a new, exciting way, and is happier and more carefree than she ever was.

Things take an unfortunate turn when Mary unexpectedly dies from an abortion and leaves Grace all alone.


 * Snake Fence**

Not knowing what to do anymore, Graces leaves Mrs. Alderman’s house and is offered a job as Mr. Thomas Kinnear’s servant under the housekeeper Nancy Montgomery.

Grace accepts but realizes soon that Nancy has an interest in Mr. Kinnear and that she is very two-faced towards Grace.

She also gets to know James McDermott who is rumoured as a bragger and a liar.

As I read this section, I noticed that Grace was starting to become more comfortable and honest with Dr. Simon Jordan and develop trust with him. I also learn that Grace is very intelligent, witty, stubborn, and stands up for herself and what she believes is right. In Mr. Simon Jordan’s life, he does everything he can to help rekindle Grace’s memories of the murders, but through this he gets to know more about her childhood and character. He is determined to find out if Grace is really innocent and the readers question if he has interest in both Grace as well as the Governor’s daughter, Miss Lydia.

The changes I noticed in Dr. Jordan was that he has become more set in his belief that Grace is sane and that she did not commit the murders. Dr. Jordan is very thoughtful, a good listener, and comforting towards Grace and I believe that he might also become a very good and needed friend to her.

__ Section 3- pg.280-418 __
 * By:Amanda Theriault **


 * Fox and Geese:**

Nancy wants Grace to kill and chicken she cannot bring herself to kill and living being, so she asks Jamie Walsh to kill it for her

Nancy invites Grace to church, she goes and herself and Nancy get cold looks from the people at the church

Nancy gets tired of McDermott's attitude, and gives him his notice

Grace finds out from McDermott that Nancy and Mr.Kinnear are sleeping together

Grace denies to Dr.Jordan that she was the mastermind behind the murder of Nancy and Mr.Kinnear

Grace spends her birthday afternoon off with Jamie who tells her that he wants to marry her,she says no because of their age difference

Jeremiah shows up and suggests that Grace leaves and go with him

Tension grows between Nancy and Grace, Nancy starts showing signs of pregnancy and she starts becoming very jealous of the attention Mr.Kinnear shows Grace


 * Hearts and Gizzards**

Dr.Jordan is becoming very disorganized, he does not like how much Mrs. Humphrey is hanging around his room, and he is very distracted when he goes to see Grace

Mrs.Humphrey gets into Dr.Jordan's bed with him after he had gone to sleep

Grace is worried about the end of her story, as she does not remember all the details and wonders what she will tell Dr.Jordan

Dr.Jerome Dupont appears and asks Dr.Jordan if he can hypnotize Grace, when Grace sees his she realizes it is Jeremiah

Grace tells Dr.Jordan what she remembered from the day of the murder:

McDermott tells Grace he is going to kill Nancy and Mr. Kinnear

Grace does not warn Nancy, because Nancy would not believe her

McDermott goes into Nancy's room and kills her

McDermott threatens to hard Grace if she tells Mr.Kinnear

McDermott tells Grace to shoot Mr.Kinnear, but she cant, McDermott does

McDermott put Mr.Kinnear's body in the cellar

Dr.Jordan ask Grace for more details, but she cannot remember


 * Lady of the Lake**

Grace faints when McDermott threatens her with a gun

She awakens in her bed, McDermott says she must keep her part of the bargain implying that she was to have sex with him

She fears for her life, and keeps putting him off

Grace talks McDermott into leaving the house

Grace and McDermott go to Toronto, and leave by ferry the next day

Grace plans on leaving McDermott the next day, but the two of them are caught



__**Section 4 pg. 419-552**__ **By: Kaitlyn Mullally**


 * Falling Timbers **

Dr. Jordan has a dream that he's sleeping with Grace but when he wakes up he realizes he has actually slept with Mrs. Humphrey

Dr. Jordan leaves to Toronto to talk to Grace's old lawyer Mr. Mackenzie

Grace imagines what she'll say to Dr. Jordan when he returns and she tells more about her story

Grace and McDermott - when they are running away - have to leave the house and go across the lake

They get caught, locked up, and have to attend court (the inquest)

Grace doesn't remember anything about murdering Nancy or about talking to Jamie Walsh, but everybody else says otherwise

Grace gets locked up in the Penitentiary

Mr. Mackenzie becomes Grace's lawyer, and helps her change her story

At the trial, many people speak to defend Grace but many speak against her as well

Jamie Walsh speaks against Grace because he is heartbroken at the thought that she ran off with McDermott

Dr. Jordan arrives in Toronto

Dr. Jordan speaks to Kenneth MacKenzie and he tells Dr. Jordan that Grace could possibly be making up her whole story
 * Solomon's Temple **

MacKenzie tells Dr. Jordan that Grace must be in love with him, however, Dr. Jordan gets mad at him because he thinks that MacKenzie took advantage of Grace

MacKenzie says that Grace is lucky she wasn't hanged and he believes her to be guilty

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">At the Penitentiary, on Bath Day, Annie Little tells Grace that she must be in love with Dr. Jordan

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Grace finds out that Dr. Jordan and Mrs. Humphrey sleep together

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Jordan visits Grace's old house (Mr. Kinnear's) and gets a tour from the maid

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">He visits the graves of Nancy and Mr. Kinnear

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">He also visits Mary Whitney's grave to see if Grace was lying to him about her or not


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Pandora's Box **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Jordan returns from Toronto

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">In Mrs. Quennel's library, Dr. DuPont hypnotizes Grace

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Jordan, Lydia, the Govenor's wife, Reverend Verringer, and Mrs. Quennel are present

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">They find out that Mary Whitney's spirit was living inside of Grace and she was the one who killed Nancy

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">There are strange knockings in the room that Mrs. Quennel claims are the spirits

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Jordan doesn't know if this is real or just a setup

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Jordan does not write a paper on the hypnosis because there is no scientific proof or evidence that what happened was real

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">He goes home and Rachel is waiting for him

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">She tells him that her husband is coming home and that they can kill him and then run away together

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">The next morning, Dr. Jordan leaves her

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">He leaves Kingston without telling anyone why he is leaving and he goes back home


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">The Letter X **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Jordan writes a letter to Mrs. Humphrey explaining that he had to leave immediately because his mother was ill

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Mrs. Jordan writes a letter to Mrs. Humphrey to apologize for her son's behaviour

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Jordan opens a new clinic that he always wanted to have

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Lydia marries Reverend Verringer

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Jordan enlists in the war as a military surgeon

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Jordan marries Miss Faith Cartwright

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Reverend Verringer writes a letter to Dr. Bannerling explaining what happened during the hypnosis and asks if he can sign the petition to let Grace out of the Penitentiary

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Dr. Bannerling writes back saying that he will have no part in it

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">The Tree of Paradise <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Grace is freed from the Penitentiary

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Janet and Grace make dresses

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Janet, Grace and the Warden travel to Grace's new home

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Jamie Walsh meets them at the station to surprise Grace, apologize to her, and ask for her hand in marriage

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Jamie and Grace get married and settle down together

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">Grace makes a Tree of Paradise quilt with a piece of Nancy's dress, Mary Whitney's dress, and her Penitentiary gown, and uses other symbols to remember certain parts of her life

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