Title: The Turn of the Screw
Author: Henry James
What I Think So Far: This is an absolute Gothic classic. A poor governess accepts a seemingly innocent job, even if it is in unusual circumstances, of looking after two young children, Flora and Miles, who are both the purest cherubs she has ever met. But when she receives a letter claiming Miles has been expelled from his school, she cannot fathom what side of him they saw. And with the ominous and inexplicable appearances of the children’s former carers (who are deceased), the governess begins to worry that Miles will expose his other side to her as well.
So, while the plot is very interesting, Henry James writes in the most contrived and complicated way possible. One sentence can have six commas, a pair of brackets, and last eight lines – or more! I’m finding it very difficult to read, and this takes away some of the entertainment from the novel because it can feel like a chore, but I’m sure that some people get kicks off the challenge it ensues.
Would I recommend: This is not for the faint-heated. I would only recommend Gothic novel enthusiasts to tackle this (even though it is short in length, it really doesn’t feel like it) to be able to really appreciate it as a piece of literature, because it does demonstrate many Gothic themes in an intriguing way, it’s just that it doesn’t have that “easy-reading” factor.
Rating: 7/10
Words by Eve Taylor