The first time I read this, 16 years ago, I didn't like it at all.

In general, I have an aversion to horror stories or thrillers. The reason is that they mostly rely on artificial means to create suspense.

When I first read “The turn of the screw”, I was completely baffled by this relatively short story.

What was the story all about? What did it mean? Who was the good character and who was the bad one? These questions remained unanswered, leaving me frustrated.

Now, after a second reading, I realize that this is precisely the essence of that story.

Henry James has pushed the boundaries of the (horror) genre to the extreme, simply to evoke a sense of confusion in the reader.

No, the seemingly objectively narrating governess is probably not reliable. Or is she?

No, the apparently angelic children are probably not as innocent as they seem. Or are they?

And no, what we see is not necessarily what there is to see. And so on and so forth.

James masterfully employs the full range of suspense elements: vague references, half-spoken or ambivalent hints, anticipation of things that may have occurred, ambiguous statements, improbable plot twists, and finally a dramatic denouement that leaves you in a state of confusion.

I usually find James's highly mannerist style rather bothersome, but in this case, it enhances the 'gothic' element.

And no, I still don't like the horror genre. However, you really can't overlook James' remarkable mastery.

There is a presumption that a book, if written concurrent with a certain time period during which a ruler of notable longevity reigned and originating from an area of the world long known, during that time period in particular, for an effusiveness of style in excess of that which may be, at a minimum, absolutely required to convey a particular message or idea, may, on occasion, if not predominantly and generally, tend toward a style that, when compared and contrasted with styles of later writers in other, more distant geographies, or even stylists who espoused minimalism within the bounds of the same geographic region, might be best described, at least insofar as it can be generally encapsulated with a description of any sufficient brevity, as, to varying degrees, ponderous, overwrought, and, in the main, at least with respect to the general population, and in particular those of the Twitter generation, overly wordy.

This presumption holds true for many works from that era. The writers of that time seemed to have a penchant for using elaborate language and convoluted sentence structures. Their style was a reflection of the cultural and literary norms of the period. It was a time when verbosity was often equated with sophistication and depth. However, this style can be a challenge for modern readers, especially those accustomed to the简洁ness and directness of contemporary writing.

If you enjoyed the preceding 152-word sentence, you will likely enjoy The Turn of the Screw. If you didn’t make it past the first 140 characters, you’ll want to avoid it, unless your appetite for unintentional double-entendres surpasses your dislike of egregiously prolix prose, as the narrator’s aptitude for inadvertently making it sound as though she is engaged in particularly inappropriate, Afternoon Delight-style undertakings with her young male charge is prodigious and nigh-Funkeian.

I'm not really sure what to think of this one, but I suppose that's the point. Henry James is a master at subverting your expectations.

Just when you think you have a handle on what's happening, he pulls the rug out from under you. Many passages are frustratingly ambiguous, yet that only makes it more intriguing.

The story follows a young governess who is caring for two orphans. She finds the children beautiful but mysterious, and before long she begins having supernatural experiences.

It's spooky, but not terrifying. This book is often described as a ghost story, but it reads more like a psychological thriller.

The story itself is fine, but I wish you didn't have to wade through the writing to get to it. Victorian novels have a reputation for verbosity, and "Turn of the Screw" lives up to that reputation—and then some. Sentences that could have easily been 8 or 10 words are stretched to 20. Em dashes and semicolons are sprinkled in liberally. I have no problem with complex sentence structure, but this is something else. This is taking the fashion of the day to the extreme.

So I'll give James 5 stars for the concept, but -1 stars for style. As much as I appreciate this story, I won't be rushing out to read more of his work.

Actually, I didn't finish it. For a long time, I have been pondering that Henry James was just too "smart" for me. Maybe that's the truth. As I usually read in bed and don't relish having to exert too much mental effort to parse a sentence. However, Henry James, along with many others from his era, writes in such a manner that I truly have to think deeply about each sentence to understand it. This is not what I desire from a book. There are simply too many commas in each sentence. And he, just as I attempt to do in this very sentence, endeavors to do things that I too frequently fail at. For instance, when I imitate a celebrity or someone known to me and my audience, he often comments on an object or action in the sentence before even stating that object or action. It's a non-linear style that is extremely difficult for me to comprehend without reading each sentence twice. Once to extract what the simplified sentence would be and then once more to appreciate all the self-referential comments within that sentence.

See what I mean?

Anyways, I felt as if I had to finish the book, as if it were homework, and I already have an abundance of homework to attend to. Plus, at least about halfway through it, it wasn't all that great. Yippee, people are seeing other people who have passed away. That pretty much sums up the first half of the book.

Turn of the screw? He's turning it the wrong way.

Creepy. Twisty-turny. Ghosts. Weird kids. Unreliable, possibly insane narrator. Henry James, is there no genre that you will not poke your head into?

No, really. It's interesting though. On the surface, this story seems perfect to curl up by the fire with on a cold winter's night. Which is exactly how the book is framed, by the way. As a story told in front of a fireside on a cold winter's night. It's short, it reads quickly, and is open to pretty much whatever you want to make of it. James allows you to decide what's truth and what's imaginary, what's good and what's evil. His governess main character doesn't know herself, and we read from her mind in the first person. It's a fascinating way to make the whole story about the way it is told, and at the same time illustrate the flaws of the first person narrative. By putting it in the first person and making her crazy (which I believe she is, but you can make your own judgments about that).

On the other hand, this tale (I don't even want to call it a book, it's too short and doesn't feel like one to me) begs for a group of graduate psych students to tear it apart for all the possible medical symptoms, or a bunch of English majors to fight about. I feel like my experience of it was inadequate on some level because I didn't get to talk about it and hash out all the details.

Yay to my friend for giving this to me! It's a story that lingers in your mind, making you question everything you thought you knew about truth, perception, and the human psyche.

2.5 stars.

Interesting, this one. At first glance, it may not seem like much, but as you delve deeper, there are hidden gems to discover. The story has its moments that capture your attention and make you want to know more. The characters are somewhat unique, each with their own quirks and personalities. However, it's not without its flaws. The pacing could be a bit better in some parts, and there are a few plot points that feel a bit rushed. But overall, it's an enjoyable read that will keep you entertained for a while. It may not be a masterpiece, but it has enough charm and substance to make it worth your time.

If you're looking for something different and don't mind a few rough edges, then this might be the book for you. Give it a try and see what you think. You might be surprised.

The Halloween reading continues.

It's that spooky time of the year again when the nights grow longer and the air is filled with a sense of mystery. People all over are indulging in the tradition of Halloween reading. Whether it's a thrilling horror novel that makes your heart race or a collection of spine-chilling short stories that send shivers down your spine, there's something for everyone.

Some might prefer to curl up by the fireplace with a good book, while others might take their reading outside under the moonlight. The possibilities are endless.

Halloween reading not only adds to the festive atmosphere but also allows us to explore our darker side and embrace the unknown. So, grab a book, turn off the lights, and let the Halloween reading adventure begin!

Spooky old house? Check. Creepy kids? Check. Nicely narrated free audiobook? Check. But for me, that's about where the appeal ends.

The protagonist, an unnamed gabby governess, claims to see dead people and yet isn't afraid of ghosts. Meanwhile, there's something very suspicious about the two beautiful children in her care. I can't help but wonder if their omega-3 levels are off the charts.

Seriously, though, one mustn't disrespect the classics, even if they don't tickle our fancy. With "The Turn of the Screw," Henry James definitely leaves a lot to the reader's imagination. He offers some vague clues about the governess, the children, and the ghosts, leaving us to draw our own conclusions. Are the ghosts real? What's wrong with the children? Is the governess a few marbles short of a full set?

For some reason, the biggest mystery seems to be why the creepy (but cute) boy Miles was expelled from school. Was it because the teachers were mean, or was there something more sinister at play? Many people appreciate that the author leaves so much open to interpretation. But in my opinion, if I have to do all the work of drawing conclusions, what's the point of paying (or in my case, not paying) for the book? Maybe that was the whole idea.

I'm also surprised that some people find this book scary. To me, it's about as scary as an episode of Scooby Doo. The ending is more of a "WTF - throw the book at the wall" moment than a satisfying conclusion.

Despite all my griping, I have to admit that "The Turn of the Screw" is probably a lot better than I give it credit for. I certainly wouldn't try to stop anyone from reading it. I can at least recommend the free Librivox audio book version, beautifully read by Ms. Elizabeth Klett. Her enunciation is excellent, and her voice is very pleasant. She's also done great readings for several free Jane Austen titles, as well as E. M. Forster and "Jane Eyre." Thanks, Miss!

*Okay, I didn't actually pay anything for it, but I still feel shortchanged!

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Adendum

I just watched the 1999 TV adaptation of "The Turn of the Screw" on Youtube. For me, it works much better as a TV show. Somebody should have told Henry James that (if only he could have understood what a TV is). It's much scarier than most episodes of Scooby Doo (except the one where Shaggy turns into a werewolf - that one gives me the creeps).

The TV show does suggest fairly strongly that the governess is a bit off her rocker, although this may not have been Henry James' original intention.

Update April 7, 2016

I've now read "The Portrait of a Lady" by Henry James, and it's great! Hooray for Henry! :D

I'm not a big fan of the classics, but Henry James' style really appealed to me. At least in this book, his prose is truly wonderful and invites you to reread many paragraphs to savor them and fully understand his characters. There aren't many of them; during the novel, only four interact significantly: the governess (whose name we never learn), Mrs. Grose (the housekeeper), and the children, Miles and Flora.

From the beginning, the plot makes us suspect strange things: an uncle and guardian who doesn't want to be involved in any matter related to the children, which he clearly expresses to the governess when he hires her, leaving her in charge of resolving any situation that arises; as well as children who are simply angelic, both in beauty and behavior, and who arouse in the governess an almost sick longing for them.

This longing grows even more when she begins to perceive ghostly presences and takes it upon herself to protect the children at all costs, suspecting that they are being influenced by these malicious presences, and what before seemed to her exemplary behaviors now begin to have an increasingly noticeable malicious character.

I think one of the merits of the narration is that it sows doubt in the reader as to whether the events really happen as the governess tells them, or if they are the product of her imagination and this unnatural bond that she forms with the children.

Otherwise, everything in the plot is ambiguous (including the ending) and leaves many loose ends. This bothers a bit, but not to the point of not recognizing the excellent work that the author does with his main character.

Regarding the challenge, this book appears in an episode of the second season of Lost.

I really liked this novel. Ghost books always fascinate me. Knowing that this was a classic with a very elegant writing style characteristic of the era, I fully immersed myself in the story.

However, I don't think it's a book for everyone as the writing is complex without being boring. I must admit that it scared me in parts (but that's because ghosts/apparitions/demons are what terrify me the most).

There are several very psychological theories about this book. I really want to read them all.

I found the story to be both captivating and spooky. The author's use of language and description added to the overall atmosphere of the novel.

Despite its complexity, I was able to follow the plot and become invested in the characters. The different theories about the book also make it even more interesting to explore.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy classic literature and are not afraid of a little scare. It's a unique and engaging read that will leave you thinking long after you've finished it.

The story begins with a powerful statement: "I HAVE YOU, BUT HE HAS LOST YOU FOR EVER!" This sets the tone for a tale that is both mysterious and captivating.

The film, based on H. James' 1961 short novel "The Innocents", directed by Jack Clayton and written by Truman Capote, features Deborah Kerr as Miss Giddens. It展现了in the magical gothic and terrifying splendor of CinemaScope in black and white.

This book has sent shivers down my spine, forcing me to read only in the presence of the sun to stay away from the darkness and shadows. The questions it raises are numerous and thought-provoking. Are the children corrupted or innocent? Are they victims, accomplices, or even murderers? Are the specters real or hallucinations? Are they projections of the governess' troubled imagination?

I believe that the specters exist and are real. The governess' description of Quint is clearly a true portrait, not the sketch of a dream or an imagination. And I believe that the children see the specters, even though the reader never sees them while they do. The evil is the Indescribable.

Even if all these questions remain unanswered, it doesn't matter. It is still a beautiful love story. Or perhaps it is a story of possession. And isn't love also possession?

Henry James is a great writer whom I love very much. In this story, with his game of Chinese boxes, he seems to distance the horror and darkness. Instead, with reticences, transparencies, omissions, and precautions, he increases the tension to the breaking point.

The 1961 film, also in black and white, is magnificent and truly exceptional. Jack Clayton must have been particularly inspired, as he never repeated himself at this level. The original title, "The Innocents", clearly refers to the children - translated into Italian with the very banal "Suspense".

There have been other adaptations, but the first one remains by far the best. It begins with a black screen and a nursery rhyme sung by the children that gives one goosebumps, and one can understand where Morricone was inspired for the soundtracks of Dario Argento's first films.

It continues in an expressionist style, which is immediately abandoned, with the detail, always in a black field, of Ms Giddens' hands joined in prayer to invoke divine help for the lives and souls of the 'innocents'. In this case, paraphrasing, one could say that death runs along the lake, rather than the river.

And how innocent can the children be who continuously sing with abandon and rapture a lullaby that says: "We Lay My Love And I Beneath The Weeping Willow. But Now Alone I Lie And Weep Beside The Tree".

On the afternoon of January 10, 1895, Henry James was invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury to have a cup of tea. Sitting in front of the fireplace with the two sons of the Archbishop, they talked about apparitions and nocturnal terrors, about how the old dear stories of ghosts were disappearing. The Archbishop told that many years before a lady had told him a story that she had learned from an unknown narrator, that anonymous faceless one who is always at the origin of every story: of children who had been abandoned to the care of their servants in an old country house - the perverse and depraved servants had corrupted them, and when they died, their apparitions returned to haunt the house and the children.

A flawed and unpretentious story, "the shadow of a shadow", which James noted in his Notebooks. Two years later, a magazine asked him for a story for the Christmas issue, and in just three months, from September to December 1897, James wrote what would probably become the most famous modern short story.

IO TI HO, MENTRE LUI TI HA PERDUTO PER SEMPRE!

3.5 Stars


The Turn of the Screw, written in 1898 and first serialized in Collier's Weekly, transports us to a bygone era. Back then, life moved at a slower pace, and Ghost/Gothic Horror Stories were the equivalent of today's Reality TV shows. To truly appreciate this book, one must mentally journey back to 1898 and experience it as a contemporary reader would.


I have a deep love for good old-fashioned Ghost Stories, especially those where the writer leaves room for the reader to form their own conclusions about the events in the story. I can envision The Turn of The Screw sparking intense discussions among readers in its time. The story's execution is excellent. The sense of time and place is not overemphasized, yet it is powerfully present. The carefully constructed eerie atmosphere is subtly brilliant.


While I appreciate the way the story is presented and the opportunity to draw my own inferences, I feel the author didn't provide the reader with sufficient facts to do so. This was a bit of a letdown and the reason for my rating of this short novel.


Nevertheless, I enjoyed this short novel, and it was the perfect read for October/Halloween.