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Hadley (567 KP) rated The Turn of the Screw in Books
Mar 24, 2020 (Updated Mar 24, 2020)
Well written (1 more)
Ahead of its time
Overly descriptive (1 more)
Vague
The ghost stories of the Victorian era are full of scares and mysteries- - - from the karma-ridden future, past and present ghosts of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" to the comedic ghost story by Oscar Wilde called 'the Canterville Ghost." But among all of them, Henry James found another subject to add to the pot in the novella 'the Turn of the Screw.'
With only 93 pages and the viewpoint of a governess, the story is one that has been up for debate as to its meaning for over a century, a story that blends child abuse and ghostly possession way ahead of its time. But even with its great plot, the story falls short and becomes bland throughout most of its short pages.
So why is the meaning of the Turn of the Screw still being debated? There's only one thing that has caused that --- it's in the way that James wrote the story, nothing is explained and everything is vague, these being very important parts that can keep this book from being enjoyable to many readers. Here's a summary of the story: a woman becomes governess of two children, one of which is sent home from school (technically expelled, in today's terms), the entire book has this woman trying to figure out why the child was sent home, but with ghosts thrown into the mix.
The story starts off with a man telling this ghost story from letters he received from a woman (the governess). But, even at the end of the book, the story never turns back to the man finishing the letters, yet this was done so masterfully that when you are done with the book, you completely forget about the man at the beginning, something that isn't easily done today in most writing. The man is reading these letters to a small audience that is also never revealed why, something that will seem completely irrelevant for the reader.
Readers finally get their paranormal fix when our main character, the governess, sees her first ghost in the Turn of the Screw. Our governess goes on an isolated walk when she spots an older man staring at her from a tower on the estate. But not until after a second encounter with this man, she decides to tell a housemaid about it, who quickly knows whom she speaks of. The maid is very certain that the man the governess has spotted twice is a deceased man that used to work for the family, but the maid is terrified by this because this man seems to have been abusive towards the son of the family and now seems to be continuing to torment him even after death.
Our governess seems to go down a path of paranoia as she seems to believe that the children are seeing the ghosts, too, but refusing to tell her so, and she becomes convinced that the key to getting them to confess is to finding out why the boy was sent home from school in the first place. She tries many times to get him to tell her why, but lets him take control of the conversations where he is able to divert the attention to something else. When things seem to be too much for the governess and housemaid to handle, they decide to try to write the childrens' uncle, and ask him to visit - - - this being the uncle that hired the governess and asked to never be bothered by her again, and that he wants nothing to do with his niece and nephew ever again, and especially don't write to him about any problems.
James is considered one of the greatest authors of the English language, but although this novella did very well, he wasn't known for ghost stories. His most popular book is 'the Portrait of a Lady,' which is about a young woman who comes into a large amount of money only to have it stolen by two con-men. Being that he is a Victorian-era writer, you can expect the overly long paragraphs and descriptions that the time was known for in 'the Turn of the Screw.' I personally felt the story had too many interludes of the governess' thoughts and ideas, which border on rambling. There seemed no point in the governess obsessing over why the boy was sent home from school when there are ghosts tormenting them at home- - - how this mode was suppose to work has left me clueless.
It's a usual horror trope to have children being possessed as the core of a book because it's something that can shake adults to their core at the thought that their own children could be that vulnerable. But James was way ahead of his time in the Turn of the Screw. He was able to put together psychological standpoints that weren't even discussed in his time, bouncing between child abuse with those children acting out to the power that abusers can still hold over their victims, even after death.
I'm giving the story a high rating, although I really didn't enjoy it. Why? Because it was a great idea and it was well written. If James hadn't been so vague on key parts, and hadn't left readers with a shocking unexplained ending, then maybe I would have liked it more. I can only recommend this book to people who like Victorian ghost stories, but for paranormal lovers, I think it falls short.
With only 93 pages and the viewpoint of a governess, the story is one that has been up for debate as to its meaning for over a century, a story that blends child abuse and ghostly possession way ahead of its time. But even with its great plot, the story falls short and becomes bland throughout most of its short pages.
So why is the meaning of the Turn of the Screw still being debated? There's only one thing that has caused that --- it's in the way that James wrote the story, nothing is explained and everything is vague, these being very important parts that can keep this book from being enjoyable to many readers. Here's a summary of the story: a woman becomes governess of two children, one of which is sent home from school (technically expelled, in today's terms), the entire book has this woman trying to figure out why the child was sent home, but with ghosts thrown into the mix.
The story starts off with a man telling this ghost story from letters he received from a woman (the governess). But, even at the end of the book, the story never turns back to the man finishing the letters, yet this was done so masterfully that when you are done with the book, you completely forget about the man at the beginning, something that isn't easily done today in most writing. The man is reading these letters to a small audience that is also never revealed why, something that will seem completely irrelevant for the reader.
Readers finally get their paranormal fix when our main character, the governess, sees her first ghost in the Turn of the Screw. Our governess goes on an isolated walk when she spots an older man staring at her from a tower on the estate. But not until after a second encounter with this man, she decides to tell a housemaid about it, who quickly knows whom she speaks of. The maid is very certain that the man the governess has spotted twice is a deceased man that used to work for the family, but the maid is terrified by this because this man seems to have been abusive towards the son of the family and now seems to be continuing to torment him even after death.
Our governess seems to go down a path of paranoia as she seems to believe that the children are seeing the ghosts, too, but refusing to tell her so, and she becomes convinced that the key to getting them to confess is to finding out why the boy was sent home from school in the first place. She tries many times to get him to tell her why, but lets him take control of the conversations where he is able to divert the attention to something else. When things seem to be too much for the governess and housemaid to handle, they decide to try to write the childrens' uncle, and ask him to visit - - - this being the uncle that hired the governess and asked to never be bothered by her again, and that he wants nothing to do with his niece and nephew ever again, and especially don't write to him about any problems.
James is considered one of the greatest authors of the English language, but although this novella did very well, he wasn't known for ghost stories. His most popular book is 'the Portrait of a Lady,' which is about a young woman who comes into a large amount of money only to have it stolen by two con-men. Being that he is a Victorian-era writer, you can expect the overly long paragraphs and descriptions that the time was known for in 'the Turn of the Screw.' I personally felt the story had too many interludes of the governess' thoughts and ideas, which border on rambling. There seemed no point in the governess obsessing over why the boy was sent home from school when there are ghosts tormenting them at home- - - how this mode was suppose to work has left me clueless.
It's a usual horror trope to have children being possessed as the core of a book because it's something that can shake adults to their core at the thought that their own children could be that vulnerable. But James was way ahead of his time in the Turn of the Screw. He was able to put together psychological standpoints that weren't even discussed in his time, bouncing between child abuse with those children acting out to the power that abusers can still hold over their victims, even after death.
I'm giving the story a high rating, although I really didn't enjoy it. Why? Because it was a great idea and it was well written. If James hadn't been so vague on key parts, and hadn't left readers with a shocking unexplained ending, then maybe I would have liked it more. I can only recommend this book to people who like Victorian ghost stories, but for paranormal lovers, I think it falls short.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Snowden (2016) in Movies
Jul 15, 2019
As with every Oliver Stone movie, you have to consider context while watching it. Snowden is a persuasive essay attempting to turn the focus from the crime committed by Edward Snowden to the mass surveillance practices of the US government during the Bush and Obama administration. This story was huge when the leaks began hitting the internet and so I was very familiar with the story through the media coverage ensued. Through that coverage it was made to seem as though Snowden, a low level contractor, stole data and was putting it on the internet to spite the American government.
Later more information came forth that he wasn’t as low level as we were led to believe and that Snowden was claiming that he performed the illegal act out of love for his country, not out of spite to harm it. But for a large portion of the country the original story has already been burned into their brain and nothing short of Ronald Reagan descending from heaven to tell them otherwise will change that. A few months ago Donald Trump even called for Snowden’s execution, if that helps paint a picture of the mindset of a portion of the US population about Edward Snowden.
This movie was made to convince you otherwise, that Snowden was and still is a brave American hero. It tells the story beginning with his Special Forces training and takes you all the way through the incident and up to present day, with the actual infamous Edward Snowden closing out the movie. I won’t go into too much detail here because I hate when reviews ruin a movie but I will say that it covers the whole story right down to the Ocean Eleven’s esque way that he got the files out of secured US spy facility.
This movie surprisingly also weaves a love story in and out of the technical background of the data release and while I enjoyed that aspect of the movie, some of it made me question its authenticity… it wasn’t realistic at times how the two reacted to different problems that arose in their relationship.
I left the movie thinking how strange it was that the espionage was the most believable part of the movie and the love story seemed contrived.
Joseph Gorden-Levitt was awesome. I’ve watched enough Snowden videos to know that he nailed it. The love interest was cute and likeable, but the primary antagonist was a bit over the top for a movie based on reality. But I guess that’s what this movie was trying to tell me… that there are some seriously evil people working for our government.
The pacing was good, acting was great, subject matter was insanely interesting and the love story humanized the hacker/criminal/hero. Go see it with an open mind, consider the context with which the film was created and come to your own conclusion. Snowden… hero or villain?
Later more information came forth that he wasn’t as low level as we were led to believe and that Snowden was claiming that he performed the illegal act out of love for his country, not out of spite to harm it. But for a large portion of the country the original story has already been burned into their brain and nothing short of Ronald Reagan descending from heaven to tell them otherwise will change that. A few months ago Donald Trump even called for Snowden’s execution, if that helps paint a picture of the mindset of a portion of the US population about Edward Snowden.
This movie was made to convince you otherwise, that Snowden was and still is a brave American hero. It tells the story beginning with his Special Forces training and takes you all the way through the incident and up to present day, with the actual infamous Edward Snowden closing out the movie. I won’t go into too much detail here because I hate when reviews ruin a movie but I will say that it covers the whole story right down to the Ocean Eleven’s esque way that he got the files out of secured US spy facility.
This movie surprisingly also weaves a love story in and out of the technical background of the data release and while I enjoyed that aspect of the movie, some of it made me question its authenticity… it wasn’t realistic at times how the two reacted to different problems that arose in their relationship.
I left the movie thinking how strange it was that the espionage was the most believable part of the movie and the love story seemed contrived.
Joseph Gorden-Levitt was awesome. I’ve watched enough Snowden videos to know that he nailed it. The love interest was cute and likeable, but the primary antagonist was a bit over the top for a movie based on reality. But I guess that’s what this movie was trying to tell me… that there are some seriously evil people working for our government.
The pacing was good, acting was great, subject matter was insanely interesting and the love story humanized the hacker/criminal/hero. Go see it with an open mind, consider the context with which the film was created and come to your own conclusion. Snowden… hero or villain?
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Final Girls in Books
Sep 24, 2020
More reviews on https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
I don’t know about you, but I get this feeling after reading a great book, where I need to breathe out and have some free time before I pick up another book. I just need some time to digest what I just read, the same feeling I had after reading Final Girls. It is one of my favourite books this year and I think everybody should read it.
I was hooked from the first pages of this book, as it starts of Quincy’s escape from Pine Cottage. The main characters in this book were Quincy and Samantha (Sam). Two strong survivors of massive slaughter, but there is one small problem, Quincy can’t remember what happened that night.
All the characters in this book are really mysterious and very interesting. Most of the story was told from Quincy’s perspective, which made other characters more intriguing, because the only way to find out about them was through Quincy’s story. I needed to find out more about other characters, that’s why the pages just flew while looking for more information about them. Even though, for me, it was enough to hear the story from Quincy’s point of view, I would’ve loved to read the thoughts of other characters as well, at least at the end of the book.
The plot of this book was amazing to me. You cannot trust what you read, because as soon as you will start to believe in something, Author changes the flow of story, throwing in twist after twist and story changing turns, making this book very compelling and an absolute page turner. The narrative was changing between present and past, telling the true story of Quincy’s survival, and what happened that night in Pine Cottage. I really loved the topics author was discussing in this book, such as: pressure you get from media after surviving something horrible; mental illnesses and lifelong healing, where you can slip at any time; difficult family relationships.
The writing style of this novel was very smart, finishing every chapter with a cliff hanger, building curiosity and suspense, chapter after chapter. Add to this lovely and short chapters and a language, which was easy and pleasurable to read. The ending of the book was very nicely thought through and concluded the story really well for me. The characters and story are so awesome, that in the hands of skilled producer it could be an awesome film, and I really hope that this book will be transformed into one. It deserves it! So, to conclude, this book has a lot of interesting action going on, continuously playing with your mind and not letting you to believe in anything, throwing in twists and turns, making it a very fast paced, compelling page turner, and I think it is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ this year.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
I don’t know about you, but I get this feeling after reading a great book, where I need to breathe out and have some free time before I pick up another book. I just need some time to digest what I just read, the same feeling I had after reading Final Girls. It is one of my favourite books this year and I think everybody should read it.
I was hooked from the first pages of this book, as it starts of Quincy’s escape from Pine Cottage. The main characters in this book were Quincy and Samantha (Sam). Two strong survivors of massive slaughter, but there is one small problem, Quincy can’t remember what happened that night.
All the characters in this book are really mysterious and very interesting. Most of the story was told from Quincy’s perspective, which made other characters more intriguing, because the only way to find out about them was through Quincy’s story. I needed to find out more about other characters, that’s why the pages just flew while looking for more information about them. Even though, for me, it was enough to hear the story from Quincy’s point of view, I would’ve loved to read the thoughts of other characters as well, at least at the end of the book.
The plot of this book was amazing to me. You cannot trust what you read, because as soon as you will start to believe in something, Author changes the flow of story, throwing in twist after twist and story changing turns, making this book very compelling and an absolute page turner. The narrative was changing between present and past, telling the true story of Quincy’s survival, and what happened that night in Pine Cottage. I really loved the topics author was discussing in this book, such as: pressure you get from media after surviving something horrible; mental illnesses and lifelong healing, where you can slip at any time; difficult family relationships.
The writing style of this novel was very smart, finishing every chapter with a cliff hanger, building curiosity and suspense, chapter after chapter. Add to this lovely and short chapters and a language, which was easy and pleasurable to read. The ending of the book was very nicely thought through and concluded the story really well for me. The characters and story are so awesome, that in the hands of skilled producer it could be an awesome film, and I really hope that this book will be transformed into one. It deserves it! So, to conclude, this book has a lot of interesting action going on, continuously playing with your mind and not letting you to believe in anything, throwing in twists and turns, making it a very fast paced, compelling page turner, and I think it is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ this year.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated In The Dark Corner I Stood Alone in Books
Nov 20, 2019
I stood alone in a dark corner. My imagination ran wild.”
In the Dark Corner, I stood Alone is a collection of short stories by author Petra Pavlikova, published on June 12th, 2018. These short stories pull together themes of women and fairytales. Telling stories about strong women in stressful situations, difficult because they are real, and how these women pull through, with a healthy dose of the fantastical. The collection itself is a short and easy read as the stories range in length from 5-20 pages each. I loved the beautiful imagery created in these stories as they each take you on fantastic journeys.
The characters in these stories are such strong and relatable women that I fell in love with each one as I read their story. From beginning to end this book captured this beautiful whimsey that kept me captivated in each story. As you read, each has a distinctive story to tell, but they are all in the same unique voice that has a charming but straightforward tone that captures the fairytale quality splendidly. I think that my favorite story may be The Smell of Sweet Lavender, as it tackles a heart-wrenching tale of trying to be true to yourself and the cost it sometimes has on those that you love most. But each was so unique that they held different messages and meanings to them, that I could see myself having a different favorite depending on what mood I was in at the time. This is definitely one of those books that I could see myself re-reading whenever I just wanted to curl up with a sweet set of stories that allow my imagination wander in the realm of fairies and distant kingdoms. The magic in them creates a tone but the themes within them last without extra flare, making them that much more poignant.
The other thing that makes this book really stand out is the remarkable work of the illustrator Anastasia Telegina. From the small flowers and bright colored pages to the exquisite images of the women in the book, the watercolor work is astounding and fits in perfectly with the wanderlust tone of the writing. Each time I saw that stories full image, I was blown away by the beauty and talent. They play with your imagination rather than entirely putting images in your head, keeping the fluidity of the imagination intact while still creating magnificent images. Creating perhaps what is more what a child might imagine from what is described that a realistic picture. This pair clearly makes an excellent team.
These are stories for almost any age in the themes it tackles and the beautiful way in which they are told. While some of the ideas may be intense for a younger audience, the way in which the stories are told make them accessible to any reader. They are important topics dealt with in a way that is natural and very real world, while held within a slightly more fantastical space. I very much enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend it. I will be keeping an eye out to read more from this author. Five Stars.
In the Dark Corner, I stood Alone is a collection of short stories by author Petra Pavlikova, published on June 12th, 2018. These short stories pull together themes of women and fairytales. Telling stories about strong women in stressful situations, difficult because they are real, and how these women pull through, with a healthy dose of the fantastical. The collection itself is a short and easy read as the stories range in length from 5-20 pages each. I loved the beautiful imagery created in these stories as they each take you on fantastic journeys.
The characters in these stories are such strong and relatable women that I fell in love with each one as I read their story. From beginning to end this book captured this beautiful whimsey that kept me captivated in each story. As you read, each has a distinctive story to tell, but they are all in the same unique voice that has a charming but straightforward tone that captures the fairytale quality splendidly. I think that my favorite story may be The Smell of Sweet Lavender, as it tackles a heart-wrenching tale of trying to be true to yourself and the cost it sometimes has on those that you love most. But each was so unique that they held different messages and meanings to them, that I could see myself having a different favorite depending on what mood I was in at the time. This is definitely one of those books that I could see myself re-reading whenever I just wanted to curl up with a sweet set of stories that allow my imagination wander in the realm of fairies and distant kingdoms. The magic in them creates a tone but the themes within them last without extra flare, making them that much more poignant.
The other thing that makes this book really stand out is the remarkable work of the illustrator Anastasia Telegina. From the small flowers and bright colored pages to the exquisite images of the women in the book, the watercolor work is astounding and fits in perfectly with the wanderlust tone of the writing. Each time I saw that stories full image, I was blown away by the beauty and talent. They play with your imagination rather than entirely putting images in your head, keeping the fluidity of the imagination intact while still creating magnificent images. Creating perhaps what is more what a child might imagine from what is described that a realistic picture. This pair clearly makes an excellent team.
These are stories for almost any age in the themes it tackles and the beautiful way in which they are told. While some of the ideas may be intense for a younger audience, the way in which the stories are told make them accessible to any reader. They are important topics dealt with in a way that is natural and very real world, while held within a slightly more fantastical space. I very much enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend it. I will be keeping an eye out to read more from this author. Five Stars.
I tried. I really did. It sounded like a story that I was going to like, plus, it's a very short novel. Vigilance is about a reality TV show that puts active shooters in randomly selected places while the violence and drama plays out on national TV. The premise being that America should constantly stay vigilant against foreign and domestic threats of any kind. However, for a 190 page book, the actual TV show hadn't even been set up with a chosen shooter "cast" yet by the 50th or so page. Up until that point, it was just the executive producer, preparing to launch the episode in one way or another. At some point, he is supposed to get wound up in the action, or at least some sort of trouble, according to the blurb on the back of the book. However, at that point, the rest of the book gives little to no time to make for a good, descriptive story, so I can't imagine that it could blow my mind by the end. Most of what I've read is part satire, part almost lecture about gun-control and how owning doesn't equal trained to use properly, disguised as some of the characters' backstories. I truly looked forward to reading this book, but have decided to quit. There are way too many books out there to be read to spend time on a bad one. I think the premise was good, and the story had the potential of being really interesting. This one, however, just seems to have missed its mark. Pass.
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Merissa (13086 KP) rated The Ostin Scholar (Isle of Ostin #3) in Books
Aug 6, 2023
THE OSTIN SCHOLAR is the third book in the Isle of Ostin and really does need to be read as a series.
We met Presley in Arbor and Zeke's story and, in just one short scene, he made my heart ache with what he has to contend with. Now we get to see exactly what he's up against, and the Kade family dynamics. And when I say Kade family, I don't include Roland because he's not part of them and certainly doesn't deserve to be!
Lazlo and Presley are so cute as a couple. Lazlo definitely has the Ostin protective streak over Presley, but also over his son, Everest, and Lina, his best friend and mother to their son. We see Roland up close and personal in this one, making him even more horrible and conniving.
I am loving this series, almost as much as I love the 'theme' of the castle. The story arc moves along nicely with each story, but you don't miss out on any of the relationship-building between the main pair. Or, as in this case, the relationships between a long-lost uncle and nephews.
Definitely recommended by me and bring on The Ostin Rebel as I really want Roland to meet his grisly end. An ornament for one of the boats does sound good... 😁
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 6, 2023
We met Presley in Arbor and Zeke's story and, in just one short scene, he made my heart ache with what he has to contend with. Now we get to see exactly what he's up against, and the Kade family dynamics. And when I say Kade family, I don't include Roland because he's not part of them and certainly doesn't deserve to be!
Lazlo and Presley are so cute as a couple. Lazlo definitely has the Ostin protective streak over Presley, but also over his son, Everest, and Lina, his best friend and mother to their son. We see Roland up close and personal in this one, making him even more horrible and conniving.
I am loving this series, almost as much as I love the 'theme' of the castle. The story arc moves along nicely with each story, but you don't miss out on any of the relationship-building between the main pair. Or, as in this case, the relationships between a long-lost uncle and nephews.
Definitely recommended by me and bring on The Ostin Rebel as I really want Roland to meet his grisly end. An ornament for one of the boats does sound good... 😁
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 6, 2023