So much has been written about this classic - the original to which countless authors of gothic and horror fiction have tried to measure up - that my review may be inconsequential. It is always good to read the inspiration that influenced so many.
This features a classic opening of friends held, round the fire, sufficiently breathless, on Christmas eve in an old house, over a tale of spirits appearing to children, essentially hair-raising as should be. It is proposed that if the dead appearing to one child "gives the effect another turn of the screw, what do you say to two children?"
"Nobody but me, till now, has ever heard (this) It's quite too horrible...It's beyond everything. Nothing at all that I know touches it."
"Oh how delicious!" cried one of the women.
An unnamed governness is hired by a London man who has become guardian to his young neice and nephew after the death of their parents. They have a large country home in Essex - the boy, Miles, lives at boarding school, while his sister Flora is cared for by Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper. The governess travels to the home with explicit instructions to not contact him for anything. She learns a parade of governesses have tried to succeed, but always find a way to leave, even turning up dead. Shortly, little Miles returns - expelled for unknown reasons - reuniting with his sister. The governess fears they share a hidden secret, though he appears to be a sweet innocent boy.
Several times, throughout the house and walking the grounds, she catches glimpses of a man and a woman she does not recognize. Telling no one, but questioning Mrs. Grose, she learns the past governess Miss Jessell and the master's valet, Mr. Quint, had a close relationship, but are now both deceased. They spent a lot of time with the children and the governess becomes convinced the children can also see them.
One day Flora is out by the lake and the governess is convinced she has been talking to the apparition of Miss Jessell, whom the governess can see but Mrs. Grose cannot.
Wracked with worry, the governess becomes more hysterical, vowing to protect Miles and Flora whenever the ghosts of Jessell and Quint would appear.
On the surface, this can be seen as a classic ghost story, but what I found intriguing is the ambiguous writing style in which the spirits could be figments of the governesses imagination - which is how I choose to view it. It adds a new layer to the story, a key feature in how it has lasted over 125 years. Many films and TV plots have imitated or spun off from this premise, notably The Innocents in 1961 starring Deborah Kerr, and Ruth Ware's 2019 novel The Turn of the Key set in modern times. It has been filmed many times in several countries, adapted for TV, a ballet, a play, and an opera.
Like other books of the period, it can tend to drag in rumination - 20 pages go by as she contemplates writing a letter to the master she never mails - but for its age, is remarkably fresh. Just imagine in 1898 coming across this novella - the translucent vision of the woman in black, pale and dreadful, with such an air - and such a face! Hair-raising indeed.
Henry James will always be a preffered writer of mine for his marvelous Daisy Miller.
My other reviews for Henry James:
1898 / Tradeback / 130 pages
You read it one way and then go back and read it in completely opposite way. A work of genius. - Neeru