For lucidity and compactness of style, James's short novels, or novelles, are shining examples of his genius. Few other writings of the century have so captured the American imagination. When "Daisy Miller," the tale of the girl from Schenectady, first appeared in 1878, it was an extraordinary success. James had discovered nothing less than "the American girl"--free spirited, flirtatious, an innocent abroad determined to defy European convention even if it meant scandal . . . or tragedy. But the subtle danger lurking beneath the surface in "Daisy Miller" evolves into a classic tale of terror and obsession in "The Turn Of The Screw." "The imagination, " Henry James said to Bernard Shaw, "has a life if its own." In this blood-curdling story, that imagination weaves the lives of two children, a governess in love with her employer, and a sprawling country house into a flawless story, still unsurpassed as the prototype of modern horror fiction." "The Turn Of The Screw" seems to have proved more fascinating to the general reading public than anything else of James's except "Daisy Miller.""--Edmund Wilson
I think the entire 120 pages of this book may have been one, long sentence. I've wanted to read this novella for so long, but my god was it challenging to get through. That it was beautifully written cannot be denied, but it certainly wasn't enjoyable. Every sentence ran on far too long with excessive description that took away from the impact of the story.
The underlying narrative of the story is strong. It deals with some pretty horrific themes without being direct about it, creating a sense of unease. The lines between imagination and reality are blurred, and I can see how this story was incredibly influential in the genre. But I just can't get past the fact that it was boring as hell! There was no sense of terror or urgency, which is essential to a good horror story.
I'm glad I read it, as it's a pretty seminal work of gothic horror, but I can't say I'll be recommending it as a must read. That said though, I might be interested in trying an audiobook of it. In fact, I'm going to do that right now.
