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The Turning
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First published September 25, 2012
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About the author
Francine Prose
155 books866 followersFrancine Prose is the author of twenty works of fiction. Her novel A Changed Man won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and Blue Angel was a finalist for the National Book Award. Her most recent works of nonfiction include the highly acclaimed Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife, and the New York Times bestseller Reading Like a Writer. The recipient of numerous grants and honors, including a Guggenheim and a Fulbright, a Director's Fellow at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library, Prose is a former president of PEN American Center, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her most recent book is Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932. She lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
August 18, 2021
"It's cold in here," she said.
"I know. I'm freezing," I said.
"But you're sick," she said. "I'm just dead."
"You're dead?" I said.
"You already knew that," she said.
"I am seriously sick," I said. "Is this really happening?"
"This is really happening," she said.
Once she said that, a lot of things seemed settled.
and what exactly, is settled?? well, that this epistolary retelling of The Turn of the Screw will lose a lot of the nuance of its source material, for one, and that while it isn't really as bad as everyone says it is, it is definitely skewing towards the younger end of the teen age range, and doesn't really appeal to an adult audience at all, even though adults are the only readers likely to have also read henry james, so who exactly is this for?
dunno, but it opens with an evil bird, and then it has precocious children and annoying teenagers writing info-dump letters.
so kind of a non-starter for me.
but not terrible.
come to my blog!
"I know. I'm freezing," I said.
"But you're sick," she said. "I'm just dead."
"You're dead?" I said.
"You already knew that," she said.
"I am seriously sick," I said. "Is this really happening?"
"This is really happening," she said.
Once she said that, a lot of things seemed settled.
and what exactly, is settled?? well, that this epistolary retelling of The Turn of the Screw will lose a lot of the nuance of its source material, for one, and that while it isn't really as bad as everyone says it is, it is definitely skewing towards the younger end of the teen age range, and doesn't really appeal to an adult audience at all, even though adults are the only readers likely to have also read henry james, so who exactly is this for?
dunno, but it opens with an evil bird, and then it has precocious children and annoying teenagers writing info-dump letters.
so kind of a non-starter for me.
but not terrible.
come to my blog! 
November 2, 2012
This was SO bad. Original review posted on The Book Smugglers
The Turning is a failed, poorly-executed attempt at retelling Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw.
Jack is a high school senior who needs to save money for college and as such, has accepted a summer position as a babysitter. He is to take care of two orphaned children, Miles and Flora, at the only house on an isolated island where the two children live with a housekeeper. Jack has been hired by the children’s uncle who does not want to not be bothered by any news about them. The uncle also doesn’t allow internet, TV or phone, in order to protect the children from the “corrupting influences of modern society and culture.” So Jack’s only means of communications with the outside world are his letters to his girlfriend Sophie and his father. Those letters are the narrative mode of this epistolary novel.
The problem I had with the novel is twofold: the complications that stem from the contemporary setting; and the narrative itself.
The problem with the former is how much suspension of disbelief is needed in order to buy into the premise. I understand that for this story to work there is got to be a sense of isolation in regards to the house and the children. This is already really hard to pull off in a contemporary setting but the choices made here on how to approach this were completely implausible.
Basically, even though this is straightforward contemporary novel set in the modern USA, I am expected to accept and believe that in 2012, two children are brought up without any sort of modern amenities without any questioning whatsoever by those around them including the housekeeper, their teachers and gardeners? I am supposed to believe that in 2012, Jack’s loving and concerned father will just let him take this really weird job without ever questioning it? Not to mention that the premise does not hold in terms of internal logic either: the uncle does not want the children to be corrupted by modern society and culture (without any explanation as to WHY) and yet the boy still goes to school off-island where inevitably, he comes into contact with all those things . How does that make internal sense? Not to mention: how is a telephone a corrupting influence of modern society and culture? Of course, all of those choices are needed here so that Jack can write those letters.
That brings me to the biggest flaw of The Turning: its narrative. First of all, Jack does not sound at all like a teenager. Bear in mind that this is a contemporary boy used to the Internet and text-speak and yet he writes these long, formal, polite letters to his teenage girlfriend. Am I supposed to believe that he would be writing those long letters, describing conversations word by word without swearing or using any slang whatsoever?
The main problem with the narrative though is how clumsy and lazy it is. Jack’s letters to his girlfriend and his father just rehash entire conversations that he had with them or mention things they surely already know. Really awkward things like:
Doesn’t Sophie know the name of her own father?
This info-dump can only be for the benefit of the reader since it is information Sophie already knows as his girlfriend. The entirety of the first letter by the way, is Jack telling us Sophie again how he got the job.
Seriously? Doesn’t Sophie know her own siblings? And it goes on and on.
Needless to say, this drove me to distraction and I simply had to put the book down after about 150 pages (out of 243).
The Turning is a failed, poorly-executed attempt at retelling Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw.
Jack is a high school senior who needs to save money for college and as such, has accepted a summer position as a babysitter. He is to take care of two orphaned children, Miles and Flora, at the only house on an isolated island where the two children live with a housekeeper. Jack has been hired by the children’s uncle who does not want to not be bothered by any news about them. The uncle also doesn’t allow internet, TV or phone, in order to protect the children from the “corrupting influences of modern society and culture.” So Jack’s only means of communications with the outside world are his letters to his girlfriend Sophie and his father. Those letters are the narrative mode of this epistolary novel.
The problem I had with the novel is twofold: the complications that stem from the contemporary setting; and the narrative itself.
The problem with the former is how much suspension of disbelief is needed in order to buy into the premise. I understand that for this story to work there is got to be a sense of isolation in regards to the house and the children. This is already really hard to pull off in a contemporary setting but the choices made here on how to approach this were completely implausible.
Basically, even though this is straightforward contemporary novel set in the modern USA, I am expected to accept and believe that in 2012, two children are brought up without any sort of modern amenities without any questioning whatsoever by those around them including the housekeeper, their teachers and gardeners? I am supposed to believe that in 2012, Jack’s loving and concerned father will just let him take this really weird job without ever questioning it? Not to mention that the premise does not hold in terms of internal logic either: the uncle does not want the children to be corrupted by modern society and culture (without any explanation as to WHY) and yet the boy still goes to school off-island where inevitably, he comes into contact with all those things . How does that make internal sense? Not to mention: how is a telephone a corrupting influence of modern society and culture? Of course, all of those choices are needed here so that Jack can write those letters.
That brings me to the biggest flaw of The Turning: its narrative. First of all, Jack does not sound at all like a teenager. Bear in mind that this is a contemporary boy used to the Internet and text-speak and yet he writes these long, formal, polite letters to his teenage girlfriend. Am I supposed to believe that he would be writing those long letters, describing conversations word by word without swearing or using any slang whatsoever?
The main problem with the narrative though is how clumsy and lazy it is. Jack’s letters to his girlfriend and his father just rehash entire conversations that he had with them or mention things they surely already know. Really awkward things like:
“Jim Crackstone said he’d heard good things about me from his friend Caleb. Also known as Caleb Treadwell, also known as your father, Sophie.”
Doesn’t Sophie know the name of her own father?
But I could tell he already knew that my mom had died of a stroke when I was six, and I lived with my dad, who never remarried.”
This info-dump can only be for the benefit of the reader since it is information Sophie already knows as his girlfriend. The entirety of the first letter by the way, is Jack telling us Sophie again how he got the job.
”I wish that you were here with me, Sophie. You’d know how to talk to them; you’re the oldest in your family. You had all that practice with your two sisters, your little brother, and then the twins.”
Seriously? Doesn’t Sophie know her own siblings? And it goes on and on.
Needless to say, this drove me to distraction and I simply had to put the book down after about 150 pages (out of 243).
May 15, 2016
Kinda feels like a washed out horror story. I expected something sinister and scary from a Francine Prose book but this one disappoints me. Some things weren't explained properly and there are some loopholes in the story. The MC took a massive change of character which really confuses the fuck out me because in the previous chapter, he was okay, the next he was transformed into a dick.
After reading a book, I'm not sure if this is a ghost story or a "hallucination" thingy book.
October 3, 2015
I had two major issues with this book. The first is format. I've loved some books that use a letter writing or diary format, in fact, some of my favorite books have unreliable narrators so they often use a letter or diary format. Unfortunately for The Turning, the use of letter writing just isn't well done. Jack doesn't write at all like a teenager - I mean AT ALL. It is really disconcerting. He also frequently tells the reader about something that was told to him. So you get things like, "Sophie, let me tell you about what Linda told me." Too much of the story seems force fit into the letter writing format and it just doesn't fit there.
The second is that the book is just boring and there is no compelling plot twist or interesting ending. It just ends. The book takes the basic premise of Henry James' Turn of the Screw, but it doesn't follow through with the creepy ending that James' story has. The Turning literally just ends and the overall story isn't remotely interesting at all.
The second is that the book is just boring and there is no compelling plot twist or interesting ending. It just ends. The book takes the basic premise of Henry James' Turn of the Screw, but it doesn't follow through with the creepy ending that James' story has. The Turning literally just ends and the overall story isn't remotely interesting at all.
November 17, 2012
*Spoilers included in this review*
I'm so disappointed. I really wanted to like this. I got it from the library (free finished copy to keep!) for an upcoming Halloween book club and I was so excited because the cover is amazing. It sounded really creepy too.
It is about a boy named Jack who, in order to get some money for college, goes to spend the summer on a remote island, Crackstone's Landing, babysitting two kids, Miles and Flora Crackstone, whose parent were killed in an accident. There is no internet or TV on the island so Jack isn't sure what to think, he doesn't know what he will do. On the ferry ride,he could swear a bird is calling out to him, telling him not to go to the island. He encounters an elderly couple that informs him of a criminal investigation that occurred on the island a while ago, as well as a couple that had been murdered while leaving the island on a boat. Jack is creeped out, so he leaves the couple and goes on the top deck or whatever it is called. The weather is getting dressed, but he encounters a mysterious, under-dressed woman. She is acting bizarrely. He follows her back inside and sees she is distressed while playing poker with a man and some other people.
When he gets to the island, he meets the caretaker of the children, named Linda. Despite the creepy house painted black, he is pleased at how nice and friendly Linda is. Upon first meeting Miles and Flora, he thinks they are a little strange. They always exchange secretive little glances and Miles often rudely tells Flora to sop talking. The house is a maze, with countless hallways and rooms, but other than that, the island is nice. Jack quickly adjusts to life without technology or constant interaction with outsiders.
As Jack becomes more familiar with the island and the few people on it, he is told and learns more from Linda and the kids about the slightly dark history of the island. It turns out that there were two caretakers before him, named Norris and Lucy. Jack learns that they created a troubled relationship with the children, which eventually changed Miles' behavior and made him unwelcome for a second year at his boarding school. Jack is curious as to how that happened, because the two caretakers had left the island and that news seemingly had no effect on the kids. But then, Jack starts seeing ghosts. The ghosts of Norris and Lucy. He is creeped out by the fact that they were on the boat with him, and then followed him to the island. After having a panic attack, he is institutionalized for being potentially psychotic.
Was he really seeing ghosts? Or was he just going insane? Read the book to find out!
Just kidding. I actually don't recommend that you read this book.
It started off great, I'll give it that. It was setting up for a very creepy, suspenseful read about a potentially haunted island with mysterious little kids. It had a sort of style that you rarely see in middle grade or YA, an edgy dark Gothic way of writing. But the problem is, toward the end of the book, it still felt like it was leading up to something. The final part was too quick, there was no transition. It felt almost as if the author set a goal for herself in terms of how long the book could be, and then she was writing... and then was like "Crap! I need an ending!" so she went back like ten pages and put in a half-assed transition from the set up to the ending.
I think one of the biggest problems I had was with the characters. I'll just start off with Sophie, Jack's girlfriend. Her father set up the job for Jack so they wouldn't get to be together over the summer, and the story is told mainly through the letters he sends her. This was a huge mistake, because you barely learn anything about her and what you do is just dumb.
Jack was a horrible main character. I didn't like him at all and I could care less what happened to him. He seemed whiny and bizarre (in a bad way). His letters would be like, "Sophie, why won't you write me? Are you hooking up with someone else? Well I hate you, bitch! I can only get your attention by saying I've been possessed by ghosts and saying I'm completely messed up. Your letters aren't that long so obviously you don't care about me. We're breaking up! Glad to see no one cares about me."
Halfway through the book he starts like hating Sophie and writing these awful things to her, it's so weird. Their relationship was so abnormal and it was really uncomfortable to read. I don't know if they have serious sexual tension or if it was just because they were away from each other or what.
Linda was okay, she was just there because an adult presence was needed. You didn't encounter her much. The ghosts were just poorly created characters, I definitely think their appearance in the story needed to be redone. My favorite characters were the children, although they weren't mentioned as much as I would have liked. The author started out by describing them as being really creepy. I was waiting for them to be revealed as demonic, but toward the end they lose the creepy factor and become normal little kids. Booorrrrrrinnnnnngggg.
Uh, as I'm writing this review I am getting so mad. This book had so much potential but it needed so much editing and rewriting. It feels like a personal project that was mistakenly released. I have never read the Turn of The Screw, and I probably will, just to see how it compares. There is a book by Adele Griffin called Tighter that is also a retelling of the TOTS, and I'm hoping that will be better.
Another thing that is making me mad is that I have to go to the book club meeting for this. Never mind the fact that I will have to pay $20 if I don't show up (for stealing and such), but more because of the fact that I will have to say I really didn't like it. I don't know why, but the few times I do book clubs, the picks aren't all that great. Most of the ones at my school have been okay, but this was picked by an adult YA Librarian, so I was expecting more, assuming he is well-read and can expect more from a book.
I wouldn't even call this a Halloween book, and it barely has any horror themes. It starts out creepy and very fun, but then it just gets annoying and messy. Literally, it was everywhere all over the place, just a jumble of unconnected strings that have been shaped into a little rat's next of writing. It kind of makes me want to throw things at the trick-or-treaters, but I'm not that evil.
*Hold on, funny story. So last year on Halloween it snowed and we had the day off, so we built a snowman and covered it with ketchup and stuck knives in it.
http://theonlyowen.blogspot.com/2012/...
Ignore the look on my face, I'm demented.
Anyway, so then we made a fort to hide behind so we could throw snowballs at the people walking by. Where am I going with this...
Whatever, just a Halloween story from me. You're welcome.
Crap, what was I doing...
In conclusion, this book was a huge letdown. It may appeal to younger readers that don't know that they should expect better from a book (or anything at all). I have a free finished copy, but I will most likely donate it.
If you want to read it, I suggest you borrow it from the library instead. Don't waste your money. I understand that it can be hard for writers to survive on only the money they get from their books, but I expect more from a New York Times Bestselling author. At least, that's what it says on the cover. I really wish she had hired an editor, or gotten someone besides a friend or family to read this, because it is pretty bad. Definitely needed more editing and length to fix the story.
I'm so disappointed. I really wanted to like this. I got it from the library (free finished copy to keep!) for an upcoming Halloween book club and I was so excited because the cover is amazing. It sounded really creepy too.
It is about a boy named Jack who, in order to get some money for college, goes to spend the summer on a remote island, Crackstone's Landing, babysitting two kids, Miles and Flora Crackstone, whose parent were killed in an accident. There is no internet or TV on the island so Jack isn't sure what to think, he doesn't know what he will do. On the ferry ride,he could swear a bird is calling out to him, telling him not to go to the island. He encounters an elderly couple that informs him of a criminal investigation that occurred on the island a while ago, as well as a couple that had been murdered while leaving the island on a boat. Jack is creeped out, so he leaves the couple and goes on the top deck or whatever it is called. The weather is getting dressed, but he encounters a mysterious, under-dressed woman. She is acting bizarrely. He follows her back inside and sees she is distressed while playing poker with a man and some other people.
When he gets to the island, he meets the caretaker of the children, named Linda. Despite the creepy house painted black, he is pleased at how nice and friendly Linda is. Upon first meeting Miles and Flora, he thinks they are a little strange. They always exchange secretive little glances and Miles often rudely tells Flora to sop talking. The house is a maze, with countless hallways and rooms, but other than that, the island is nice. Jack quickly adjusts to life without technology or constant interaction with outsiders.
As Jack becomes more familiar with the island and the few people on it, he is told and learns more from Linda and the kids about the slightly dark history of the island. It turns out that there were two caretakers before him, named Norris and Lucy. Jack learns that they created a troubled relationship with the children, which eventually changed Miles' behavior and made him unwelcome for a second year at his boarding school. Jack is curious as to how that happened, because the two caretakers had left the island and that news seemingly had no effect on the kids. But then, Jack starts seeing ghosts. The ghosts of Norris and Lucy. He is creeped out by the fact that they were on the boat with him, and then followed him to the island. After having a panic attack, he is institutionalized for being potentially psychotic.
Was he really seeing ghosts? Or was he just going insane? Read the book to find out!
Just kidding. I actually don't recommend that you read this book.
It started off great, I'll give it that. It was setting up for a very creepy, suspenseful read about a potentially haunted island with mysterious little kids. It had a sort of style that you rarely see in middle grade or YA, an edgy dark Gothic way of writing. But the problem is, toward the end of the book, it still felt like it was leading up to something. The final part was too quick, there was no transition. It felt almost as if the author set a goal for herself in terms of how long the book could be, and then she was writing... and then was like "Crap! I need an ending!" so she went back like ten pages and put in a half-assed transition from the set up to the ending.
I think one of the biggest problems I had was with the characters. I'll just start off with Sophie, Jack's girlfriend. Her father set up the job for Jack so they wouldn't get to be together over the summer, and the story is told mainly through the letters he sends her. This was a huge mistake, because you barely learn anything about her and what you do is just dumb.
Jack was a horrible main character. I didn't like him at all and I could care less what happened to him. He seemed whiny and bizarre (in a bad way). His letters would be like, "Sophie, why won't you write me? Are you hooking up with someone else? Well I hate you, bitch! I can only get your attention by saying I've been possessed by ghosts and saying I'm completely messed up. Your letters aren't that long so obviously you don't care about me. We're breaking up! Glad to see no one cares about me."
Halfway through the book he starts like hating Sophie and writing these awful things to her, it's so weird. Their relationship was so abnormal and it was really uncomfortable to read. I don't know if they have serious sexual tension or if it was just because they were away from each other or what.
Linda was okay, she was just there because an adult presence was needed. You didn't encounter her much. The ghosts were just poorly created characters, I definitely think their appearance in the story needed to be redone. My favorite characters were the children, although they weren't mentioned as much as I would have liked. The author started out by describing them as being really creepy. I was waiting for them to be revealed as demonic, but toward the end they lose the creepy factor and become normal little kids. Booorrrrrrinnnnnngggg.
Uh, as I'm writing this review I am getting so mad. This book had so much potential but it needed so much editing and rewriting. It feels like a personal project that was mistakenly released. I have never read the Turn of The Screw, and I probably will, just to see how it compares. There is a book by Adele Griffin called Tighter that is also a retelling of the TOTS, and I'm hoping that will be better.
Another thing that is making me mad is that I have to go to the book club meeting for this. Never mind the fact that I will have to pay $20 if I don't show up (for stealing and such), but more because of the fact that I will have to say I really didn't like it. I don't know why, but the few times I do book clubs, the picks aren't all that great. Most of the ones at my school have been okay, but this was picked by an adult YA Librarian, so I was expecting more, assuming he is well-read and can expect more from a book.
I wouldn't even call this a Halloween book, and it barely has any horror themes. It starts out creepy and very fun, but then it just gets annoying and messy. Literally, it was everywhere all over the place, just a jumble of unconnected strings that have been shaped into a little rat's next of writing. It kind of makes me want to throw things at the trick-or-treaters, but I'm not that evil.
*Hold on, funny story. So last year on Halloween it snowed and we had the day off, so we built a snowman and covered it with ketchup and stuck knives in it.
http://theonlyowen.blogspot.com/2012/...
Ignore the look on my face, I'm demented.
Anyway, so then we made a fort to hide behind so we could throw snowballs at the people walking by. Where am I going with this...
Whatever, just a Halloween story from me. You're welcome.
Crap, what was I doing...
In conclusion, this book was a huge letdown. It may appeal to younger readers that don't know that they should expect better from a book (or anything at all). I have a free finished copy, but I will most likely donate it.
If you want to read it, I suggest you borrow it from the library instead. Don't waste your money. I understand that it can be hard for writers to survive on only the money they get from their books, but I expect more from a New York Times Bestselling author. At least, that's what it says on the cover. I really wish she had hired an editor, or gotten someone besides a friend or family to read this, because it is pretty bad. Definitely needed more editing and length to fix the story.
October 8, 2018
About a month ago Kayla from BookandLala did a video of the lowest rated books on her shelves and whether Goodreads rating would also be her rating or would she give it a higher rating. I decided to try that myself. When I first purchased this book, I didn't bother checking out the Goodreads rating, so when I looked it up and found it it was 2.62 I was super surprised. I have to say though the majority wins. I found this book to be a 2 it was.... well I'll get into that.
The Turning is about a boy named Jack. He is offered a summer job on an island watching two kids. Jack is trying to save up for college and this is the perfect opportunity. With this being said, I'm going to assume that Jack is around 17...a senior in high school. His voice however sounds like a boy of 13 to 14. I couldn't look at him with any form of authority. How did he qualify for this job?
At the beginning of the book we have Jack writing letters to his girlfriend Sophie. The thing is, the entire book is written in letter form, but it just doesn't work. If I were to write a letter to a friend after something had happened that would be one thing, but the letters seem to be past and present in one letter. You can argue that Jack stopped and started up again within the same letter. It just doesn't seem to be written very well. Along with the letters, Jack becomes increasingly irritated that Sophie isn't writing to him fast enough. The boat only stops at the island once a week. I'm not sure how many letters Jack expects during that time. Jack technically is on the island for two months which is 8 weeks. In that time Jack writes to Sophie 16 times where as Sophie writes Jack 7 times (1 letter per week). Jack is on the island for almost exactly 8 weeks. I guess the irritation is a symptom of his delusions. The letters become increasingly more hostile and paranoid.
Next we have Jacks demeanor. I'm not sure if Jack is susceptible to over thinking or is easily influenced by the people around him, but the book already starts off with Jack seeing things. Which kind of manifests even more when he reaches the island. The stories that are told to Jack by the older couple on the boat and the acknowledgement of those said stories by Linda the caretaker helps solidify Jack's obsession.
The children are not given ages. I'm assuming they are in elementary school. The oldest Miles, being 3 years older or around that to his younger sister Flora. They are unusual to the outside world in that they are well mannered, well spoken and are fond of clothes from a different era.
The house is creepy looking. It has a ton of rooms in the inside. A bunch of addons from generation after generation of the family living there. The house is painted black on the outside. Everyone in the area surrounding the island believe the island and the house are haunted.
Overall the book was just....mediocre. I was hoping for a scary book and it wasn't. Jack is written with too young of a voice. The letters are written poorly as a transportation for the story line. The ending was off some how.
I can see the story having potential, it just wasn't for me.
The Turning is about a boy named Jack. He is offered a summer job on an island watching two kids. Jack is trying to save up for college and this is the perfect opportunity. With this being said, I'm going to assume that Jack is around 17...a senior in high school. His voice however sounds like a boy of 13 to 14. I couldn't look at him with any form of authority. How did he qualify for this job?
At the beginning of the book we have Jack writing letters to his girlfriend Sophie. The thing is, the entire book is written in letter form, but it just doesn't work. If I were to write a letter to a friend after something had happened that would be one thing, but the letters seem to be past and present in one letter. You can argue that Jack stopped and started up again within the same letter. It just doesn't seem to be written very well. Along with the letters, Jack becomes increasingly irritated that Sophie isn't writing to him fast enough. The boat only stops at the island once a week. I'm not sure how many letters Jack expects during that time. Jack technically is on the island for two months which is 8 weeks. In that time Jack writes to Sophie 16 times where as Sophie writes Jack 7 times (1 letter per week). Jack is on the island for almost exactly 8 weeks. I guess the irritation is a symptom of his delusions. The letters become increasingly more hostile and paranoid.
Next we have Jacks demeanor. I'm not sure if Jack is susceptible to over thinking or is easily influenced by the people around him, but the book already starts off with Jack seeing things. Which kind of manifests even more when he reaches the island. The stories that are told to Jack by the older couple on the boat and the acknowledgement of those said stories by Linda the caretaker helps solidify Jack's obsession.
The children are not given ages. I'm assuming they are in elementary school. The oldest Miles, being 3 years older or around that to his younger sister Flora. They are unusual to the outside world in that they are well mannered, well spoken and are fond of clothes from a different era.
The house is creepy looking. It has a ton of rooms in the inside. A bunch of addons from generation after generation of the family living there. The house is painted black on the outside. Everyone in the area surrounding the island believe the island and the house are haunted.
Overall the book was just....mediocre. I was hoping for a scary book and it wasn't. Jack is written with too young of a voice. The letters are written poorly as a transportation for the story line. The ending was off some how.
I can see the story having potential, it just wasn't for me.
July 29, 2013
The Turning is a modern day retelling of the Gothic classic The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.
The story is about a young man named Jack who is hired to babysit two orphans on an isolated island, owned by their Uncle who is their guardian. The island has no television, radio, internet, or phones. Quite oddly, the Uncle tells Jack he doesn't want to hear about anything that takes place on the island. Any circumstances that arise are to be handled by Jack and the children's guardian, Linda.
On the ferry ride approaching the island, Jack encounters some strange things from gossipy travelers, with stories about past events on the island, to a bird that seems to scream at him to go home, to a strange couple playing cards.
The house is very foreboding, sitting up on a hill and painted all black, it is referred to as The Dark House. It is filled with many twisting and confusing hallways. When Jack meets Linda, she is friendly and welcoming. The children, Miles and his younger sister Flora, are a bit on the strange side, often exchanging secretive glances almost like they have their own special language.
As the story progresses, Jack starts to see things, people looking in at windows, and the ghosts of two people who used to be caretakers at the house but suffered tragic deaths. He swears the ghosts are the people he saw playing cards on the ferry. No one else sees these apparitions, and the reader begins to wonder if Jack is loosing his sanity.
The story is told entirely through a series of letters, mostly written by Jack to his girlfriend Sophie and his father. The two occasionally respond back. The letters give the reader a first person point of view into Jack's mind. The more letters he writes, the more we see his paranoia develop over his fear of Sophie betraying him with another boy. The crazy stories he tells her about seeing ghosts, makes her begin to fear he is going insane. This was an interesting concept that unfortunately failed to work here in my opinion. Due to the length of most of the letters, I often forgot that that is what I was reading. The letters were filled with dialogue that took place on the island, and would have been impossible for Jack to remember with such detail. I think the story should have been told in first person, and interspersed with the letters.
The story also failed to portray that Gothic horror feel I was hoping for. The children, who at first seemed quite creepy and mysterious, by the end felt boring and uninteresting. The ending was also very abrupt and unsatisfying. I recommend reading the original classic, The Turn of the Screw, instead.
The story is about a young man named Jack who is hired to babysit two orphans on an isolated island, owned by their Uncle who is their guardian. The island has no television, radio, internet, or phones. Quite oddly, the Uncle tells Jack he doesn't want to hear about anything that takes place on the island. Any circumstances that arise are to be handled by Jack and the children's guardian, Linda.
On the ferry ride approaching the island, Jack encounters some strange things from gossipy travelers, with stories about past events on the island, to a bird that seems to scream at him to go home, to a strange couple playing cards.
The house is very foreboding, sitting up on a hill and painted all black, it is referred to as The Dark House. It is filled with many twisting and confusing hallways. When Jack meets Linda, she is friendly and welcoming. The children, Miles and his younger sister Flora, are a bit on the strange side, often exchanging secretive glances almost like they have their own special language.
As the story progresses, Jack starts to see things, people looking in at windows, and the ghosts of two people who used to be caretakers at the house but suffered tragic deaths. He swears the ghosts are the people he saw playing cards on the ferry. No one else sees these apparitions, and the reader begins to wonder if Jack is loosing his sanity.
The story is told entirely through a series of letters, mostly written by Jack to his girlfriend Sophie and his father. The two occasionally respond back. The letters give the reader a first person point of view into Jack's mind. The more letters he writes, the more we see his paranoia develop over his fear of Sophie betraying him with another boy. The crazy stories he tells her about seeing ghosts, makes her begin to fear he is going insane. This was an interesting concept that unfortunately failed to work here in my opinion. Due to the length of most of the letters, I often forgot that that is what I was reading. The letters were filled with dialogue that took place on the island, and would have been impossible for Jack to remember with such detail. I think the story should have been told in first person, and interspersed with the letters.
The story also failed to portray that Gothic horror feel I was hoping for. The children, who at first seemed quite creepy and mysterious, by the end felt boring and uninteresting. The ending was also very abrupt and unsatisfying. I recommend reading the original classic, The Turn of the Screw, instead.
August 14, 2021
Told in a series of letters to his girlfriend Sophie and to his Dad, Jack has been given a dream job by a billionaire with a private island, home to his adorable picture-perfect nephew, Miles and niece, Flora.
Jack regales the readers with his letters to Sophie and his father.
The isolated island home where he will serve as a babysitter/tutor to the kids is large and commanding and...something else. Thank goodness there is the wonderful cook/housekeeper, Linda, to help run everything.
Jack has been told mysterious, suspicious and deadly stories tied to the island. There is a door in the house he cannot access. There may be ghosts of the former handyman, Norris and the former teacher, Lucy, appearing or controlling the kids. Is it his imagination, too many ghost stories, or something else?
Jack's paranoia escalates as his fever worsens, but what is the reality of what is going on? Are the ghosts out to hurt the children? Do the children and Linda know about the ghosts? Is Sophie cheating on Jack with her former ex-boyfriend? Is Jack losing his grip on reality?
This is a slightly updated (includes videogames, but very cleverly tries not to mention any way the game is played or equipment used, so it doesn't feel outdated) version of Henry James' short story, The Turning of the Screw. The original story revolves around a young governess who starts seeing ghosts who may be after the children or possessing them. The ending leaves you guessing. The ending here will also have readers speculating.
Told in a new way, through a teenage guy's perspective in a contemporary time, the story is kept tight, while Francine Prose does a phenomenal job of portraying Jack's mental breakdown.
Prose also does a great job of leaving open the door to every speculation. This version, like the original, provides a great conversation piece.
If you want a fast-paced, suspenseful scary story (but not scary visually...or is it?) that will have you wondering everything from beginning to end, check out this reimagined tale.
I had my doubts about it, since it follows the original story very closely, including the characters' names, but you won't be disappointed.
Jack regales the readers with his letters to Sophie and his father.
The isolated island home where he will serve as a babysitter/tutor to the kids is large and commanding and...something else. Thank goodness there is the wonderful cook/housekeeper, Linda, to help run everything.
Jack has been told mysterious, suspicious and deadly stories tied to the island. There is a door in the house he cannot access. There may be ghosts of the former handyman, Norris and the former teacher, Lucy, appearing or controlling the kids. Is it his imagination, too many ghost stories, or something else?
Jack's paranoia escalates as his fever worsens, but what is the reality of what is going on? Are the ghosts out to hurt the children? Do the children and Linda know about the ghosts? Is Sophie cheating on Jack with her former ex-boyfriend? Is Jack losing his grip on reality?
This is a slightly updated (includes videogames, but very cleverly tries not to mention any way the game is played or equipment used, so it doesn't feel outdated) version of Henry James' short story, The Turning of the Screw. The original story revolves around a young governess who starts seeing ghosts who may be after the children or possessing them. The ending leaves you guessing. The ending here will also have readers speculating.
Told in a new way, through a teenage guy's perspective in a contemporary time, the story is kept tight, while Francine Prose does a phenomenal job of portraying Jack's mental breakdown.
Prose also does a great job of leaving open the door to every speculation. This version, like the original, provides a great conversation piece.
If you want a fast-paced, suspenseful scary story (but not scary visually...or is it?) that will have you wondering everything from beginning to end, check out this reimagined tale.
I had my doubts about it, since it follows the original story very closely, including the characters' names, but you won't be disappointed.
September 17, 2025
3.1/5 stars
This book was captivating, yet I felt the conclusion could have been crafted better. I appreciated the vivid imagery throughout the writing, but I anticipated a bit more depth. The narrative was entirely in prose, resembling a collection of letters, which reminded me of Jonathan Harker's correspondence in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Overall, I found The Turning enjoyable. It offered a distinctive take on a modern retelling of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, filled with increasingly frightening visuals. However, it falls short in several areas, particularly in character development—not just with Jack, but also with minor characters like his girlfriend Sophia, who we don't get to know well due to the limited number of brief letters. Near the 60% mark, Jack's sudden plunge into madness occurs abruptly, without any prior indication. I felt there were elements that seemed poised to become significant later, but perhaps due to the book's brevity, they never materialized. If the book had been extended by 50-100 pages, it could have easily earned a 5/5 rating, but I still found it enjoyable overall. This isn't the worst retelling of Turn of the Screw; unlike the 2020 movie adaptation of 'The Turning' (which is unrelated to this book), the author at least grasped the essence of the original material. So I would recommend this if you know nothing about The Turn of the Screw and want a more of a morder day take on it.
This book was captivating, yet I felt the conclusion could have been crafted better. I appreciated the vivid imagery throughout the writing, but I anticipated a bit more depth. The narrative was entirely in prose, resembling a collection of letters, which reminded me of Jonathan Harker's correspondence in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Overall, I found The Turning enjoyable. It offered a distinctive take on a modern retelling of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, filled with increasingly frightening visuals. However, it falls short in several areas, particularly in character development—not just with Jack, but also with minor characters like his girlfriend Sophia, who we don't get to know well due to the limited number of brief letters. Near the 60% mark, Jack's sudden plunge into madness occurs abruptly, without any prior indication. I felt there were elements that seemed poised to become significant later, but perhaps due to the book's brevity, they never materialized. If the book had been extended by 50-100 pages, it could have easily earned a 5/5 rating, but I still found it enjoyable overall. This isn't the worst retelling of Turn of the Screw; unlike the 2020 movie adaptation of 'The Turning' (which is unrelated to this book), the author at least grasped the essence of the original material. So I would recommend this if you know nothing about The Turn of the Screw and want a more of a morder day take on it.
February 22, 2013
I'm not quite sure what I just read? I think it was a ghost story or was it about mental illness or two vampire-like, strange kids, or a creepy island, or a haunted house? I think it created some great suspense at the beginning as a very strange uncle interviews Jack to "play/entertain" his niece and nephew for a summer but the slow unravel of a sinister ghost story isn't sustained. There are a few mysterious stories that are told and set Jack up to begin hallucinating or dreaming and the odd pre-teens don't help the situation.
I wasn't a fan of the letter-writing to his obviously slutty girlfriend who steps out on him after he's away and while I understand Jack's constant letter-writing because there's nothing else to do on the island, how would he have so much time to write when he's supposed to be entertaining them? There seem to be a few too many questions with not so many answers to make this a certifiable ghost story, though it did make a noble attempt at the beginning.
The ending wasn't anything close to a resolution whether good, bad or ugly. It just kind of -- ended. I will be anxious to see what middle schoolers think of this book.
I wasn't a fan of the letter-writing to his obviously slutty girlfriend who steps out on him after he's away and while I understand Jack's constant letter-writing because there's nothing else to do on the island, how would he have so much time to write when he's supposed to be entertaining them? There seem to be a few too many questions with not so many answers to make this a certifiable ghost story, though it did make a noble attempt at the beginning.
The ending wasn't anything close to a resolution whether good, bad or ugly. It just kind of -- ended. I will be anxious to see what middle schoolers think of this book.
November 22, 2012
In this modern retelling of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, high school student Jack takes a job as a guardian and playmate for two peculiar children on an isolated island. The children’s uncle, who hires Jack, says he wants no communication with Jack or with the orphaned children. The island has no telephone or Internet service, and Jack will see only Linda, the children’s full-time caretaker, and the occasional workman. But soon Jack begins to learn about the island’s strange past and believes he is seeing the ghosts of Lucy and Norris, former island inhabitants and murderers. His experiences take their toll on Jack and the reader is left to wonder if Jack is the sanest person on the island or if he is losing his mind.
Overall this is a disappointing read. The story is told through letters Jack writes to his father and his girlfriend Sophie. The letters contain dialogue, which feels contrived, and seem as if written by an older person. While the book’s jacket would cause readers to believe they will be getting a good ghost story, the novel is slow moving and never delivers a big scare. Better to steer teens to James’ original or Stephen King’s The Shining.
Overall this is a disappointing read. The story is told through letters Jack writes to his father and his girlfriend Sophie. The letters contain dialogue, which feels contrived, and seem as if written by an older person. While the book’s jacket would cause readers to believe they will be getting a good ghost story, the novel is slow moving and never delivers a big scare. Better to steer teens to James’ original or Stephen King’s The Shining.
May 1, 2013
This book is labeled as young adult, but I would definitely mark it as a tween novel, just in case.
The Turning focuses on a teenager named Jack who has decided to work a summer job as a babysitter on an island secluded in the middle of nowhere, in what looks like a haunted castle. Yea...sounds like my idea of fun.
I had a couple of issues with this book.
1) the entire novel is written in the form of letters between Jack and Sophie, his girlfriend, and Jack's dad. But to me, it was a great idea executed poorly. Jacks letters were more like novels - I mean, who really remembers every conversation they've ever had - word for word? It just didn't seem believable.
2) It wasn't creepy enough. There were definitely moments (small moments) of suspense, but if the author was attempting to write a horror novel (which I suspect he/she was) than this book doesn't cut it. The action was predictable and never lasted very long.
Turning Point is a quick read, and if you're looking for a fast escape, I encourage you to give it a try. But for me, this one just did not reach up to its own potential.
1 out of 4 stars!
The Turning focuses on a teenager named Jack who has decided to work a summer job as a babysitter on an island secluded in the middle of nowhere, in what looks like a haunted castle. Yea...sounds like my idea of fun.
I had a couple of issues with this book.
1) the entire novel is written in the form of letters between Jack and Sophie, his girlfriend, and Jack's dad. But to me, it was a great idea executed poorly. Jacks letters were more like novels - I mean, who really remembers every conversation they've ever had - word for word? It just didn't seem believable.
2) It wasn't creepy enough. There were definitely moments (small moments) of suspense, but if the author was attempting to write a horror novel (which I suspect he/she was) than this book doesn't cut it. The action was predictable and never lasted very long.
Turning Point is a quick read, and if you're looking for a fast escape, I encourage you to give it a try. But for me, this one just did not reach up to its own potential.
1 out of 4 stars!
Read
October 17, 2012The book begins with pages upon pages of the main character writing a letter and telling his girlfriend things she already knows in order to fill the reader in on his background. Skimming indicates that he later writes a letter to his father that includes an actual conversation they had with one another.
That sort of lazy storytelling just makes me furious so I'm walking away.
That sort of lazy storytelling just makes me furious so I'm walking away.
June 28, 2022
Nobody wants a modern Turn of the Screw retelling starring a teenage boy who just saw Joker for the first time.
Are you listening to me, Francine Prose?
Nobody.
Are you listening to me, Francine Prose?
Nobody.
Read
January 18, 2024This was another "if you like Shirley Jackson you'll love this" recommendations and since I've read two other books by Francine Prose and liked them, I was expecting to enjoy this. First, this is most definitely NOT Shirley Jackson adjacent. This is an epistolary novel and the main letter writer is a teenage boy. I couldn't get past the fact that there is no way at junior in high school would write a letter with so much dialog and the like. And then when things start to get "creepy" it just gets even more ridiculously unbelievable. There was nothing scary or creepy about this. Disappointing for sure.
January 4, 2023
I loved her Blue Angel and her books on writing and reading, but this was the first of her YA stories I read. I do not often read YA because, even though the theme of coming-of-age intrigues me, the first person POV does not. If you enjoy YA, you will probably love this book.
November 30, 2019
Meh. Okay.
There's not much more I need to say beyond that. As far as ghost stories go, it was lackluster.
There's not much more I need to say beyond that. As far as ghost stories go, it was lackluster.
August 19, 2020
This book was just okay for me. I think I would have liked it better if it wasn't done through letters. This is one where it needed to be written the traditional way.
October 11, 2012
I don't recall where I saw this book advertised online, but I didn't realize it was categorized as a young adult novel until I was asking for it at the bookstore. The blurb I'd read made it sound creepy and the cover looks somewhat creepy in a Harry Potteresque kind of way, so I bought it. I haven't read any fiction by Francine Prose, but I enjoy her book, Reading Like a Writer. And it is October, time for creepy reads.
The Turning tells the story of Jack, a teen who accepts a summer job living on an isolated island taking care of two kids, Miles and Flora. Jack got the job through his girlfriend's father, a father who supposedly wants Jack away from his daughter. Jack needs to raise money to attend the same college as his girlfriend. Miles and Flora were orphaned when their parents were killed in a train crash in India and are now provided for by their rich uncle who wants nothing to do with them. There's a cook, Linda, who lives year round with the kids who has become a stand-in mother. Linda's husband died on the island. Other people have died on the island as well. There's lots of rumors about bad happenings on the island and in the house. Is the house haunted? What's up with all the significant glances between Miles and Flora? Is Jack seeing people or ghosts? Is his girlfriend cheating on him with her ex? Jack's mind starts to spin.
The story is told through letters written mainly by Jack to his girlfriend and a few to his father. There are some return letters to Jack from the girlfriend and father. This framework doesn't work very convincingly. Epistolary novels are hard to pull off and while Jack sounds like a teenager some of the time, I just don't buy that these are letters he's written--they're much too safe, consistent, and prosy to have been written by a living person, let alone a teen adventurous enough to accept such a job.
And the letters from the girlfriend and father are so obviously designed to move the plot along. Here's an example from the father:
Dear Jack,
I'm glad to hear you're doing so well and have adjusted to the island and that you're even having fun. It's hard to believe that three weeks have passed since you left. Sometimes it seems like five minutes, and sometimes like five months. I miss you--even the loud music and the video games and all the stuff I used to complain about.
You know, Jack, something happened yesterday at work. I can't remember if I told you I got a couple of weeks of cabinet work in a house that this doctor from Boston is renovating. My friend Russ is doing the painting. I hadn't seen Russ for a while, and he asked how you were. I told him about your job on the island. . . . He got a strange look on his face and said he remembered reading about something strange that happened there, something nasty. Or maybe it was something that happened to some people from there. He thought maybe even a murder or a double murder. . . . I had to quit working for a minute and take a deep breath.
Russ always gets things wrong. He probably meant some other island completely. I figured you'd have heard about it now, if there was anything . . . which I'm sure there isn't.
Anyhow, keep having fun. Say hello to the kids for me, even though I've never met them. Likewise Linda. I'm sure I'd like her as much as you say I would.
Love,
Your dad (132-133)
Really? What dad would write something like that?
Leaving the epistolary problems behind, the book is simply flat. It has some curves and turns that seem promising that never develop into anything substantial. And it's also not very creepy, at least not for a young adult novel. I actually thought it read more like a book for middle schoolers. Then again, creepy reading when I was a teen was Stephen King, so perhaps I'm just skewed.
I'd recommend The Turning to middle schoolers and young teens who haven't read much creepy stuff. If they like this, there's certainly more out there to keep them reading. Speaking of which, I'm told The Turning is a retelling of Henry James's The Turn of the Screw, which I thought I had read, but apparently have not, so I've added it to my own TBR list.
The Turning tells the story of Jack, a teen who accepts a summer job living on an isolated island taking care of two kids, Miles and Flora. Jack got the job through his girlfriend's father, a father who supposedly wants Jack away from his daughter. Jack needs to raise money to attend the same college as his girlfriend. Miles and Flora were orphaned when their parents were killed in a train crash in India and are now provided for by their rich uncle who wants nothing to do with them. There's a cook, Linda, who lives year round with the kids who has become a stand-in mother. Linda's husband died on the island. Other people have died on the island as well. There's lots of rumors about bad happenings on the island and in the house. Is the house haunted? What's up with all the significant glances between Miles and Flora? Is Jack seeing people or ghosts? Is his girlfriend cheating on him with her ex? Jack's mind starts to spin.
The story is told through letters written mainly by Jack to his girlfriend and a few to his father. There are some return letters to Jack from the girlfriend and father. This framework doesn't work very convincingly. Epistolary novels are hard to pull off and while Jack sounds like a teenager some of the time, I just don't buy that these are letters he's written--they're much too safe, consistent, and prosy to have been written by a living person, let alone a teen adventurous enough to accept such a job.
And the letters from the girlfriend and father are so obviously designed to move the plot along. Here's an example from the father:
Dear Jack,
I'm glad to hear you're doing so well and have adjusted to the island and that you're even having fun. It's hard to believe that three weeks have passed since you left. Sometimes it seems like five minutes, and sometimes like five months. I miss you--even the loud music and the video games and all the stuff I used to complain about.
You know, Jack, something happened yesterday at work. I can't remember if I told you I got a couple of weeks of cabinet work in a house that this doctor from Boston is renovating. My friend Russ is doing the painting. I hadn't seen Russ for a while, and he asked how you were. I told him about your job on the island. . . . He got a strange look on his face and said he remembered reading about something strange that happened there, something nasty. Or maybe it was something that happened to some people from there. He thought maybe even a murder or a double murder. . . . I had to quit working for a minute and take a deep breath.
Russ always gets things wrong. He probably meant some other island completely. I figured you'd have heard about it now, if there was anything . . . which I'm sure there isn't.
Anyhow, keep having fun. Say hello to the kids for me, even though I've never met them. Likewise Linda. I'm sure I'd like her as much as you say I would.
Love,
Your dad (132-133)
Really? What dad would write something like that?
Leaving the epistolary problems behind, the book is simply flat. It has some curves and turns that seem promising that never develop into anything substantial. And it's also not very creepy, at least not for a young adult novel. I actually thought it read more like a book for middle schoolers. Then again, creepy reading when I was a teen was Stephen King, so perhaps I'm just skewed.
I'd recommend The Turning to middle schoolers and young teens who haven't read much creepy stuff. If they like this, there's certainly more out there to keep them reading. Speaking of which, I'm told The Turning is a retelling of Henry James's The Turn of the Screw, which I thought I had read, but apparently have not, so I've added it to my own TBR list.
October 29, 2017
Originally posted on NOT ENOUGH BOOKS, NOT ENOUGH TIME
I’m a little miffed at this book. I was so excited because the cover is gorgeous and the story sounded super creepy, perfect for this time of year. Well, yes, the writing was exceptional and the plot was engaging all up until the very end. It was almost like the writer was invested and then got bored and quit! I just felt the ending was a throw away and was very disappointed. I gave this 2.5 stars because of the build up and writing style but no more than that with the ending.
I didn’t even know until after reading it that this was a retelling of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. I find that hard to believe. The book takes the basic premise of James’ Turn of the Screw, but it doesn’t follow through with the creepy ending that James’ story has. The Turning literally just ends and the overall story isn’t remotely interesting at all.
The story opens with Jack, a teenage boy who is setting out for a summer job on a remote island to babysit two children, Flora and Miles, whose parents have pasted. The is no internet, TV, or cell phone signal on the island so Jack is ready for his life to be miserable all summer. On the ferry ride, he could swear a seagull is screaming at him, telling him not to go to the island. He encounters an elderly couple that informs him of a criminal investigation that occurred on the island a while ago, as well as a couple that had been murdered while leaving the island on a boat. Jack is creeped out, so he leaves the couple and withdraws until landing. When he gets to the island, he meets the caretaker named Linda. Despite the creepy house painted black, he is pleased at how nice and friendly Linda is. Upon first meeting Miles and Flora, he thinks they are a little strange. They always exchange secretive little glances and Miles often rudely tells Flora to sop talking. The house is a maze, with countless hallways and rooms, but other than that, the island is nice. Jack quickly adjusts to life without technology or constant interaction with outsiders. As Jack becomes more familiar with the island and the few people on it, he is told and learns more from Linda and the kids about the dark history of the island. It turns out that there were two caretakers before him, named Norris and Lucy. Jack learns that they created a troubled relationship with the children, which eventually changed Miles’ behavior and made him unwelcome for a second year at his boarding school. Jack is curious as to how that happened, because the two caretakers had left the island and that news seemingly had no effect on the kids. But then, Jack starts seeing ghosts. The ghosts of Norris and Lucy.
Yeah, that’s the end. That’s it!
It started off great, I’ll give it that. It was setting up for a very creepy, suspenseful read about a potentially haunted island with mysterious little kids. It had an edgy dark Gothic style that you rarely see in YA. But the problem is, toward the end of the book, it still felt like it was leading up to something. The final part was too quick, there was no transition. It felt almost as if the author set a goal for herself in terms of how long the book could be, and then she was writing… and then was like “I need an ending!” so she went back like ten pages and put in a half-assed transition from the set up to the ending.
Another thing I did not like about The Turning was the format. I’ve loved some books that use a letter writing or diary format, in fact, some of my favorite books have unreliable narrators so they often use a letter or diary format. Unfortunately for The Turning, the use of letter writing just isn’t well done. Jack doesn’t write at all like a teenager – I mean AT ALL. It is really disconcerting. He also frequently tells the reader about something that was told to him. So you get things like, “Sophie, let me tell you about what Linda told me.” Too much of the story seems force fit into the letter writing format and it just doesn’t fit there.
Sorry for all the ranting, I was just super upset about how much of a let down The Turning was.
I’m a little miffed at this book. I was so excited because the cover is gorgeous and the story sounded super creepy, perfect for this time of year. Well, yes, the writing was exceptional and the plot was engaging all up until the very end. It was almost like the writer was invested and then got bored and quit! I just felt the ending was a throw away and was very disappointed. I gave this 2.5 stars because of the build up and writing style but no more than that with the ending.
I didn’t even know until after reading it that this was a retelling of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. I find that hard to believe. The book takes the basic premise of James’ Turn of the Screw, but it doesn’t follow through with the creepy ending that James’ story has. The Turning literally just ends and the overall story isn’t remotely interesting at all.
The story opens with Jack, a teenage boy who is setting out for a summer job on a remote island to babysit two children, Flora and Miles, whose parents have pasted. The is no internet, TV, or cell phone signal on the island so Jack is ready for his life to be miserable all summer. On the ferry ride, he could swear a seagull is screaming at him, telling him not to go to the island. He encounters an elderly couple that informs him of a criminal investigation that occurred on the island a while ago, as well as a couple that had been murdered while leaving the island on a boat. Jack is creeped out, so he leaves the couple and withdraws until landing. When he gets to the island, he meets the caretaker named Linda. Despite the creepy house painted black, he is pleased at how nice and friendly Linda is. Upon first meeting Miles and Flora, he thinks they are a little strange. They always exchange secretive little glances and Miles often rudely tells Flora to sop talking. The house is a maze, with countless hallways and rooms, but other than that, the island is nice. Jack quickly adjusts to life without technology or constant interaction with outsiders. As Jack becomes more familiar with the island and the few people on it, he is told and learns more from Linda and the kids about the dark history of the island. It turns out that there were two caretakers before him, named Norris and Lucy. Jack learns that they created a troubled relationship with the children, which eventually changed Miles’ behavior and made him unwelcome for a second year at his boarding school. Jack is curious as to how that happened, because the two caretakers had left the island and that news seemingly had no effect on the kids. But then, Jack starts seeing ghosts. The ghosts of Norris and Lucy.
Yeah, that’s the end. That’s it!
It started off great, I’ll give it that. It was setting up for a very creepy, suspenseful read about a potentially haunted island with mysterious little kids. It had an edgy dark Gothic style that you rarely see in YA. But the problem is, toward the end of the book, it still felt like it was leading up to something. The final part was too quick, there was no transition. It felt almost as if the author set a goal for herself in terms of how long the book could be, and then she was writing… and then was like “I need an ending!” so she went back like ten pages and put in a half-assed transition from the set up to the ending.
Another thing I did not like about The Turning was the format. I’ve loved some books that use a letter writing or diary format, in fact, some of my favorite books have unreliable narrators so they often use a letter or diary format. Unfortunately for The Turning, the use of letter writing just isn’t well done. Jack doesn’t write at all like a teenager – I mean AT ALL. It is really disconcerting. He also frequently tells the reader about something that was told to him. So you get things like, “Sophie, let me tell you about what Linda told me.” Too much of the story seems force fit into the letter writing format and it just doesn’t fit there.
Sorry for all the ranting, I was just super upset about how much of a let down The Turning was.
May 3, 2013
Choosing a rating for this one was hard. Two stars feels so harsh, yet three stars feels far too generous.
Jack is a teenager hired to babysit two children for the summer on a remote island with no phones or television. Thus, to communicate with his father and girlfriend back home, he has to rely on writing letters. The epistolary format kept the book interesting, though I think it compromised some of the character depth.
The good: I've never read The Turn of the Screw, but this novel made me want to. Not sure how many teens would walk away feeling the same, but hopefully at least some will investigate the original. There were some kind of tense moments toward the middle that verged on being creepy (I'm not easily scared). Linda and the children were intriguing characters. I also liked how quickly the book read.
The bad: Jack is pretty annoying, and I felt bad for Sophie. The ending seemed oddly rushed and while I was satisfied with the main conclusion, I was left scratching my head about exactly what was true about the kids and what wasn't.
Overall, I enjoyed this retelling a lot more than Ten. I would recommend it most for reluctant readers and boys.
Jack is a teenager hired to babysit two children for the summer on a remote island with no phones or television. Thus, to communicate with his father and girlfriend back home, he has to rely on writing letters. The epistolary format kept the book interesting, though I think it compromised some of the character depth.
The good: I've never read The Turn of the Screw, but this novel made me want to. Not sure how many teens would walk away feeling the same, but hopefully at least some will investigate the original. There were some kind of tense moments toward the middle that verged on being creepy (I'm not easily scared). Linda and the children were intriguing characters. I also liked how quickly the book read.
The bad: Jack is pretty annoying, and I felt bad for Sophie. The ending seemed oddly rushed and while I was satisfied with the main conclusion, I was left scratching my head about exactly what was true about the kids and what wasn't.
Overall, I enjoyed this retelling a lot more than Ten. I would recommend it most for reluctant readers and boys.
January 2, 2016
Jack's summer job is to hang out with two eerily well-behaved children on an isolated island--no TV, phones, internet, cell service, nothing. Despite his early misgivings about the job (including the seagull screaming at him to turn back on the ferry over), he enjoys it--but there's still something weird. Then he starts seeing the man. And then the red-haired woman from the ferry. And then learns that they're both dead, and the mysteries keep on coming.
A retelling of The Turn of the Screw (which I haven't read), this has all the flavor of a gothic horror/ghost story, a good choice for the Halloween season. Easy read-alikes are the source material, Shirley Jackson, Long Lankin, and The Shining, as we see Jack uncover more and more of the island's history and his slow personality shift. Would recommend to 8th grade and up looking for something creepy for the gloomy fall nights.
A retelling of The Turn of the Screw (which I haven't read), this has all the flavor of a gothic horror/ghost story, a good choice for the Halloween season. Easy read-alikes are the source material, Shirley Jackson, Long Lankin, and The Shining, as we see Jack uncover more and more of the island's history and his slow personality shift. Would recommend to 8th grade and up looking for something creepy for the gloomy fall nights.
Read
December 3, 2015Graded By: Erin
Cover Story: Almost Spooky
BFF Charm: Nay
Swoonworthy Scale: 0
Talky Talk: Epistolary Expectations, Unfulfilled
Bonus Factors: Henry James, The House On the Hill
Relationship Status: You're the Billy Lewis To My Reva Shane
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Almost Spooky
BFF Charm: Nay
Swoonworthy Scale: 0
Talky Talk: Epistolary Expectations, Unfulfilled
Bonus Factors: Henry James, The House On the Hill
Relationship Status: You're the Billy Lewis To My Reva Shane
Read the full book report here.
November 6, 2012
I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn't. The character building was fantastic, but the writing and delivery were all wrong for our modern setting and the social constructs that society operates under.
The neverending, almost formal, letter format via which the narrator tells the story is the killing blow for this novel.
Potential fantastic....delivery epic fail.
The neverending, almost formal, letter format via which the narrator tells the story is the killing blow for this novel.
Potential fantastic....delivery epic fail.
July 20, 2012
Creepy, strange ghost story based on The Turn of the Screw. The epistolary format felt a bit forced, though, and the ending wasn't as much of a twist or an ambiguous ending as I wanted, it really just kind of ended completely abruptly. But teens will like the cover and the synopsis, so they may try it.
May 26, 2017
I enjoyed this book. I'm not a critical reader, I just enjoy the story. I love stories told through letters, but it wasn't very believable that that much detail and dialogue would be written in a letter. That being said, this was a fun story! It had a cop-out, cliffhanger ending, so it wasn't a satisfying ending, but would be great as the first book in a series.
July 27, 2012
Not terrible, but not great, and never hit that shivery note of dread that I look for in a good horror story. Frankly, I'd rather read Henry James - and I'm not sure I've ever put those words together in a sentence before.
September 2, 2014
I seriously LOVED this book so much and was all ready to give it 5 stars, and then I got to the end. The ending was horrible. Every good weird novel needs a twist and this novel had tons of suspense leading up to........nothing.
January 11, 2013
Great book. I never would have thought of this idea. The book makes me shiver its so creepy in a good way!!!
January 16, 2015
Had potential but didn't measure up. May have made a decent B horror film, but the format (letters to the girlfriend back home) made it dull, and the ending was especially unsatisfying.
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