#RIPXX Turn of the Screw
by 
Henry James
Finish date: 20.09. 2025
Genre: gothic novella (ghost story)
Rating: C
#RIPXX
Good News: After having watched 8 episodes on Netflix “The Fall of the House of Usher” this week…I was thoroughly in the mood for spooky! Every rook, crow or jackdaw that flies around my neighbourhood made me jump, reminding me of “The Raven”. Henry James keeps the ‘supernatural’ to ZERO until you reach chapter 9. So keep reading, the slow-burning, ponderous journey into the heart of madness by the governess is coming!
Good News: Strong point: first-person narration allows readers to experience events and emotions directly through eyes of the governess. I was hooked from page one!
Bad News: James’s writing style is cumbersome to read! The plot of the book is fascinating but…there are TOO many asides and clauses he uses to create these massive run on sentences.
Good News: I was always fascinated by the title: Turn of the Screw. (?) It appears that a screw turns and turns until smth is fastened or fastened too tightly and breaks! In the story … the more the governess finds out, the more she wants to know…and the screw keeps turning. Will she break? The governess is running around because these kids just keep disappearing!
Personal: Henry James is talented. Henry James is heavy handed at times. I think there are much better writers in the 19th C, but I also think he’s worth the read.
NancyElin.blog 
I didn’t really find this one spooky, until I reached the last line!
The only spooky thing I felt was ….is the governess really seeing these ghosts…of just in the middle of a nervous breakdown!
Oh I see
I read a couple of Henry James novels in my twenties, but not sure I would enjoy his ponderous, self-indulgent writing style and tone anymore. However his books do make for good movies!
I try to avoid Henry James….but this on was on Kindle for ages and I needed a quick read for #RIPXX. So no great literary love between HJ and myself! Thanks for your comment!