Rating: 
Summary: A Promising Story in an Unsuitable Style
Review: Perhaps James tried to vary himself with this endeavor, but regardless it was an unsuccessful attempt. Upon first thought, one associates James with the genteel socialite class and their romantic occupations. "Turn" is, obviously, a far cry from this norm and perhaps reinforces the certainty that James should remain in the arena where he is most comfortable.The problem with "Turn" does not reside in any of the usual constructions of a novel. The plot has promise; the characters are appealing; the pacing is steady and well regulated. The problem with "Turn" is that James dulls down all of the potential thrills and scares with his over-sophisticated language. Is the language confusing?--No! Does it hinder all potential the novel has to be a truly terrifying ghost story?--Yes! When James addresses his more preferable--and more appropriate--topic of upperclass romance, his language and dialects suit the frivolous and intellectual nature of the characters. In this case, one becomes so enthralled by the words on the page--meaning the physical type and sentence construction alone--that one cannot spare his attention to the frightening visions that James attempts to call to the reader's mind. The unfortunate thing is that the story is--or rather COULD BE--a spine-tingling tale, if not for that one undeniable detail. The children have real potential to be utterly creepy, the apparitions have the potential to be mysterious and unsettling, but instead we see an overanalyzed attempt at horror. The key to instilling fear in a reader is to provide a wry depiction of the momentary surprise and uncertainty that comes at the times of perceived terror. James gives us elongated appositives of needlessly verbose explanation. In short, James is a good writer, a great writer, but that distinction can only be attributed to the novels that compliment his sophisticated language. Horror does not compliment it. Good try, Henry, but you'd be wise to stick with what works.
Rating: 
Summary: A psychological thriller
Review: In short-story form, James writes a gruesome and psychologically challenging tale that involves the reader in a myriad of conflicting emotions and ideas. The book relates the story of a tutor living in a house in the country with the mission of overseeing the education and development of two young children. During her early days there, she sees a man, who she is later informed is dead. After much debate between whether to respect the proprieties of the house or pry into the affairs of the household, she eventually learns the identity of the ghost and his female ghost companion. What unfolds is a tale that intrigues the imagination and frightens the reader through confusion. How can they be ghost? Do the children see them? Do the children respond to them? How do we get rid of them? What do they want? As the tutor strives to protect the children, she weaves a path of mental deception for herself and her ally, which eventually, in the final pages, results in a moment of truth and triumph at the greatest of costs.
Rating: 
Summary: A Delicious and Deceptive Little Tale
Review: Henry James is one of my favorite authors and this novella is one of my favorite books. It's a ghost story, it's horror, it's suspense, but what set it head and shoulders above most ghost/horror/suspense stories is the fact that it's strictly psychological. A young governess secures a position at what appears to be a lovely English manor house and she soon discovers that nothing is what is seems and things are definitely not as they should be. James has a highly stylized way of writing and he loved using long, convoluted sentences, even when saying something quite simple. Some readers might find this a litle jarring, but for me it only adds to the atmosphere of the book. Over the years there has been much speculation about the meaning of this story, especially the enigmatic ending. I know what I think, but I won't give anything away here. Read The Turn of the Screw yourself and be prepared for a scary evening of surprises and perhaps even a sleepless night.
Rating: 
Summary: Delia's Book Review
Review: Even though the author used an old english style of writing, I really enjoyed this book. It would have been better if the wording were not so complicated. After the first few chapters, the story gets to its turning twist. As I then continued to read, I was left at the edge of my seat. Questions were running through my mind and my heart began to speed up. The novel concluded leaving me with my mouth on the ground .
Rating:
Summary: Mystery Tale
Review: The book opens with a woman retelling a story from the past. The woman recieves a job as a governess of two young children, both of which are orphans. Everything was fine at the countryhouse until she started to see ghosts from the past, and terrifying situations began to happen. The governess must try to convince the children that they too see the ghosts. Are the ghosts realy there? Is everything an illusion? You may never know. If you enjoy reading short mystery books, pick this one up A.S.A.P.!!
Rating:
Summary: Try the audiobook
Review: There are some writings that don't work very well as audiobooks, and some that do; this is definitely the latter. I listened to the RecordedBooks edition with Flo Gibson as narrator, and was absolutely enthralled by her rendering of this sinister and ambiguous ghost tale. Her assured voicings bring alive the pervasive dread and repressed tension in the household, and gradually reveal the potential unreliability of the Governess' narrative.
Rating:
Summary: Creepy, Gothic, enigmatic
Review: A young woman comes to a big countryhouse to serve as governess for two small children, a girl and a boy. They are orphans under the care of their absent uncle. The young woman befriends both the kids and the woman in charge of the house. But soon, she starts seeing two ghosts, and then a terrifying and tense situation ensues. She is sure the kids also see the ghosts, but they deny it. Mrs. Grose believes her, and soon they deduce that they are the spirits of the mean Peter Quint, former valet, and Miss Jessel, former governess, both already deceased. Every conjecture is possible: Do the kids really see the ghosts, as the governess is convinced they do? Are they her hallucinations? We'll never know. This is a perfect terror novel. The atmosphere is paralyizing, frantic and, at the same time, it's open to numerous interpretations and analyses. It leaves the reader with a sense of disquietness and angst. The first-person narrative is hysterical. Of course, James's prose is perfect for this kind of story: the elegance, the subtlety, the convolutions of his English are best suited for intriguing the reader. The kids are lovable and creepy at the same time, and the mystery is unsolvable, since it is in the mind of the governess, and not in real facts. This short but great masterpiece is worth reading several times, until you start seeing ghosts yourself.
Rating:
Summary: The Closes We'll Get to Victorian Pornography
Review: This book is rich with sexual connotations, and because of its ambigious language, it may be interpreted in a variety of ways. The governess is attracted to the master, but in his absence, her emotions are directed towards the children, Mrs Gross, and the ghosts. The governess longs to write the master but has been forbidden. She once kisses Miles upon the lips and then notes his lack of objection. She also is kissed by Mrs Gross, which she remarks to be "sisterly love," and she is obsessed with the relationship between Quint and Jessel, and more specifically, the spirits and the children. It is implied that Quint gave Miles sexual knowledge, which he passed on to "those he liked" and thus was dismissed from school. The book is also ripe with phallic symbols, like Quint's appearance on the tower, Quint standing "erect" and being "not a gentleman," and Flora making a boat near the pond. The reality of the ghosts, as the above views on sexuality, are debated often amongst readers. While no one other than the governess admits to seeing the ghosts, it's difficult to explain how she was able to describe them in such detail -- one possibility is that Mrs Gross lies in her attraction to the governess, while another is that the ghosts are real. Enjoy the book, but don't expect to formulate any definite solutions to these problems, for this book is criticized more than any other. I have a terrible habit, which you might share -- I buy Dover Thrift books not because they're particularly helpful but because they cost only a buck. This habit, however, leads to problems with James, for his style is laconic and difficult to digest. Thus, if you have the money, then purchase an edition of this book that is edited and easier to read. The only advantage to the Dover Thrift version is that it's unabridged, giving one the opportunity to read the original text.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Crap
Review: While many regard this as an American masterpiece, I can only say that I found the book so boring I barely made it halfway through. James's characters are silly and his words remain firmly mired in an outdated style filled with so many appositives it's hard to figure out exactly what his sentences are supposed to mean. So little is actually said that the reader can only grasp the overall tone and feel without ever quite attaining a sense of individual events. It's too frustrating to make this book an enjoyable read, and I can only think that this book has outlived its welcome on the modern list of classics. It's not completely horrid, though; the style does accurately give a sense of setting, but only in the broadest sense, and it's not enough.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Psychological Thriller
Review: This book begins with a retelling of a sinister tale from the past: a young woman in Victorian age England securing a job as governess to two orphan children. As she arrives at her new post, she feels uneasy even though all seems well and the future looks bright. Despite attempts at optimism, the presence of evil continues until the governess begins to experience regular and terrifying sightings. The horror rapidly grows when the reason behind these visitations is realized. Although this book is short, its impact is nevertheless profound. The story's setting is surrealistic, leaving many factors open to speculation and debate. The end is at the same time chilling and mysterious. The enigmatic nature of the story adds to the mystery and terror and this book is sure not to disappoint any reader looking for a haunting and unforgettable story.
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