Comments on things mean a lot: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

You know, I just got done listening to the audiobo...

2010-08-06T21:45:54.900+01:00

You know, I just got done listening to the audiobook version of this, and one of my comments was that I got lost periodically and thought reading it in print would be better. Now that I've looked at your excerpts, I'm not so sure! Lol.

Also, I agree with you that you probably choose the version that freaks you out the most. I went with insane governess. ;-)

I wanted to apologize for not having gotten around...

2009-11-02T00:36:46.163Z

I wanted to apologize for not having gotten around to replying to comments here - sadly I've fallen too far behind to even try to catch up! But all your comments were very much appreciated.

Those kids... they scared me.

2009-10-28T19:16:26.774Z

Those kids... they scared me.

What a lovely, elegant review, Nymeth! I read Turn...

2009-10-28T17:34:09.887Z

What a lovely, elegant review, Nymeth! I read Turn of the Screw first when I was in my teens, and I just loved the ambiguity and the creepiness. I re-read it every few years. I don't mind James' style, but it does take concentration!

Thanks for the warning on James' writing style. I ...

2009-10-21T22:46:46.307+01:00

Thanks for the warning on James' writing style. I definitely want to read this one.

I so, so want to read this book, but the thing tha...

2009-10-21T22:13:40.743+01:00

I so, so want to read this book, but the thing that is stopping me is definitely James' writing style. I have an audio book version of the story, but I really want to read it, not just listen to it. You make it sound like a tremendously dark and spooky story, and I think it would be a perfect read for Halloween. You know, I think I am going to go for it and give it a try. Your review was very insightful and makes me have some hope that I, too, can get through it. Thanks!

I've read this book five times in college and it t...

2009-10-21T21:57:16.782+01:00

I've read this book five times in college and it took all five times to really get it because I found the text a bit heavy. However, I did love the book. I found the children creepy. Children with power always creep me out, there's something a bit unnatural about it.

Sounds like a story I would enjoy, but the commas ...

2009-10-21T13:06:39.199+01:00

Sounds like a story I would enjoy, but the commas would definitely give me a headache. I'll have to see if the library has an audio of it.

I have to read this one day. I've been alerted abo...

2009-10-20T07:25:00.191+01:00

I have to read this one day. I've been alerted about it many times.

42 comments! What can I possibly add to the conve...

2009-10-20T03:44:56.449+01:00

42 comments! What can I possibly add to the conversation? Oh well, I recently read this book and so can't help myself.

I have nothing in the text to base this on, just my own reading that the governess is crazy, so I like to think that the narrator works at mental hospital and the manuscript is that of a deranged woman.

I agree that Turn of the Screw is vastly unsettling. I thought about it for weeks after reading it.

Wonderful review, Nymeth! I have a fair dislike fo...

2009-10-20T00:50:50.538+01:00

Wonderful review, Nymeth! I have a fair dislike for Henry James, but I remember liking this one. I've been thinking of a re-read and was disappointed to find that I'd given away my copy of Turn of the Screw (probably in a fit of pique with Mr. James'lengthy sentences!). But then I was delighted when I found that this (probably a novella?) is included in a collection of American short stories sitting on my bookshelf not 4 feet from my bed! What a nice surprise :o)

Thank you for taking me back down memory lane, Nym...

2009-10-19T01:06:05.670+01:00

Thank you for taking me back down memory lane, Nymeth. I read this in high school and really liked it. I didn't quite see the ending the same way the student teacher teaching the class did at the time and I ended up feeling like I missed something big. It wasn't until much later that I realized that I hadn't been wrong--just that I perceived it differently then she had.

I will have to re-read this one and see what I think of it today.
Thanks for your wonderful review.

Great review, Nymeth! I'm so with you on James' w...

2009-10-19T01:01:12.045+01:00

Great review, Nymeth!
I'm so with you on James' writing style! I can't count how many times I lost track of some passages and had to start all over again! :P

This is the first book I read by Henry James and I'll definitely check out the rest of his books despite this is an okay read to me. ;)

I read this one in college, and I remember disliki...

2009-10-18T18:00:26.909+01:00

I read this one in college, and I remember disliking it because it required concentration, and at the time that meant it was a slog. I really should re-read it because I think I'd really enjoy it now. There's a short, illustrated, funny spoof of it in the book I finished today--Half-Minute Horrors--which reminded me that I need to pick it up again.

I think his punctuation would give me some grief, ...

2009-10-18T17:36:31.710+01:00

I think his punctuation would give me some grief, but your review has definitely piqued my interest. I know I have this as part of a mammoth short fiction collection, so I may give it a go soon.

I had to run to my shelf to see if I have this one...

2009-10-18T03:21:42.355+01:00

I had to run to my shelf to see if I have this one and I do! But...I don't like James. Like you mention about having to use full concentration while reading, that's how I feel as well. And the commas? Thank goodness the trend in grammar has moved to simplicity over the years. I remember reading Wuthering Heights in high school and wondering why the heck Bronte used all those semicolons!

I actually have a copy of this book that I receive...

2009-10-18T01:35:52.642+01:00

I actually have a copy of this book that I received from a family friends' library. But now I'm wondering if I would be able to read it!!!!

It's been a long time since I read The Turn of the...

2009-10-17T22:37:37.465+01:00

It's been a long time since I read The Turn of the Screw. I remember feeling unsettled by it, although I can't remember why. I always think of it along horror lines, though, so I think it probably creeped me out at the time.

Yeah, I tried to read Wings of the Dove a few year...

2009-10-17T19:22:38.999+01:00

Yeah, I tried to read Wings of the Dove a few years back. I could barely make it through the prologue. God the sentences would last for pages!! I don't think I could ever read anything of his again!!

Wow..this sounds like one book that has been negle...

2009-10-17T18:45:35.480+01:00

Wow..this sounds like one book that has been neglected for way too long by me. The elements you mentioned all appeal to me in a novels, so what have I been waiting for?/

You really read some thought provoking books; i love that! Thanks

"tale of madness or one of supernatural occurrence...

2009-10-17T15:24:41.735+01:00

"tale of madness or one of supernatural occurrences"

I read this in a college lit class and our teacher had us watch two different movies of it -- one interpreted it one way and the other the other way. It was quite interesting to see how it was nearly impossible to make a movie that didn't illustrate it in one particular way. How would she *act* otherwise?

Another reason I love reading a BOOK more. The ambiguity is normally so much more powerful.

This sounds good. I'd have to really be in the moo...

2009-10-17T14:27:16.812+01:00

This sounds good. I'd have to really be in the mood for this type of novel. I lose concentration easily.
Great review!
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

I don't know if even you can get me to read Henry ...

2009-10-17T05:49:16.204+01:00

I don't know if even you can get me to read Henry James, Ana :p He's one author that I have such a strong aversion too!!! I've read quite a few reviews of this one and while the story sounds good enough, I just really think I'd have a hard time with this one!

Isn't this available as a free eBook download? We...

2009-10-17T05:16:29.321+01:00

Isn't this available as a free eBook download? Were you the one who told me about that?

I read this in high school and I remember it reall...

2009-10-17T02:43:58.688+01:00

I read this in high school and I remember it really creeped me out. But in an enjoyable way. Which says a lot because I don't like creepy, scary things. But the suspense was really great. I don't remember anything of note about the story, however...

I would get SUPER annoyed with the excessive commas as well!