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Daisy Miller and The Turn of the Screw
"I'm a fearful, frightful flirt! Did you ever hear of a nice girl that was not?"
This edition contains two of Henry James's most popular short works.
Travelling in Europe with her family, Daisy Miller, an exquisitely beautiful young American woman, presents her fellow-countryman Winterbourne with a dilemma he cannot resolve. Is she deliberately flouting social convention in the outspoken way she talks and acts, or is she simply ignorant of those conventions? In Daisy Miller Henry James created his first great portrait of the enigmatic and dangerously independent American woman, a figure who would come to dominate his later masterpieces.
Oscar Wilde called James's chilling The Turn of the Screw 'a most wonderful, lurid poisonous little tale'. It tells of a young governess sent to a country house to take charge of two orphans, Miles and Flora. Unsettled by a sense of intense evil within the houses, she soon becomes obsessed with the belief that malevolent forces are stalking the children in her care.
The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century and the very first novels to the beginning of the First World War.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1878
100 people are currently reading
1935 people want to read
About the author
Henry James
4,553 books3,940 followersHenry James was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the son of Henry James Sr. and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James.
He is best known for his novels dealing with the social and marital interplay between émigré Americans, the English, and continental Europeans, such as The Portrait of a Lady. His later works, such as The Ambassadors, The Wings of the Dove and The Golden Bowl were increasingly experimental. In describing the internal states of mind and social dynamics of his characters, James often wrote in a style in which ambiguous or contradictory motives and impressions were overlaid or juxtaposed in the discussion of a character's psyche. For their unique ambiguity, as well as for other aspects of their composition, his late works have been compared to Impressionist painting.
His novella The Turn of the Screw has garnered a reputation as the most analysed and ambiguous ghost story in the English language and remains his most widely adapted work in other media. He wrote other highly regarded ghost stories, such as "The Jolly Corner".
James published articles and books of criticism, travel, biography, autobiography, and plays. Born in the United States, James largely relocated to Europe as a young man, and eventually settled in England, becoming a British citizen in 1915, a year before his death. James was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911, 1912, and 1916. Jorge Luis Borges said "I have visited some literatures of East and West; I have compiled an encyclopedic compendium of fantastic literature; I have translated Kafka, Melville, and Bloy; I know of no stranger work than that of Henry James."
He is best known for his novels dealing with the social and marital interplay between émigré Americans, the English, and continental Europeans, such as The Portrait of a Lady. His later works, such as The Ambassadors, The Wings of the Dove and The Golden Bowl were increasingly experimental. In describing the internal states of mind and social dynamics of his characters, James often wrote in a style in which ambiguous or contradictory motives and impressions were overlaid or juxtaposed in the discussion of a character's psyche. For their unique ambiguity, as well as for other aspects of their composition, his late works have been compared to Impressionist painting.
His novella The Turn of the Screw has garnered a reputation as the most analysed and ambiguous ghost story in the English language and remains his most widely adapted work in other media. He wrote other highly regarded ghost stories, such as "The Jolly Corner".
James published articles and books of criticism, travel, biography, autobiography, and plays. Born in the United States, James largely relocated to Europe as a young man, and eventually settled in England, becoming a British citizen in 1915, a year before his death. James was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911, 1912, and 1916. Jorge Luis Borges said "I have visited some literatures of East and West; I have compiled an encyclopedic compendium of fantastic literature; I have translated Kafka, Melville, and Bloy; I know of no stranger work than that of Henry James."
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September 26, 2023
✨This is a review for the The Turn of the Screw ONLY✨
“Of course I was under the spell, and the wonderful part is that, even at the time, I perfectly knew I was. But I gave myself up to it; it was an antidote to any pain, and I had more pains than one.”
Rating: ⭐⭐
❗This review contains spoilers❗
Everything starts out so well...There is mystery, suspense, and that classic eerie atmosphere that only old-ass books can pull off with absolute perfection and yet, that's pretty much where the fun ends. I feel so disappointed, almost guilty, when I read a classic novel and it turns out that I hate it. Not just dislike it, hate it. I know I'm not obligated to enjoy every single classic book there is, but I still can't help feeling like I'm betraying literature somehow. I feel as if I don't appreciate the work that shapes pop culture to this day. I think that mostly comes from how overhyped most classics are, and all the judgement that comes with it. However, I hate it even more when I discover that I like the movie or series more than the book it was adapted from. That sucks most of all.
To begin with, as I have already mentioned, there are some good qualities to this novel. The story is deeply compelling, and it had me hooked from the beginning. The way the plot is developed slowly and methodically to create intrigue and suspense is exquisite. Also, the book itself is quite short, the chapters are no more than 10 pages long making it incredibly easy to read, in spite of the difficult language. Besides, while it isn't particularly scary, not that I have read any books so far that spooked me (still looking though), I still appreciated the effects of the gothic, uncanny atmosphere it has going on. All of these are the premises for a literary masterpiece, which makes it all the more disappointing that the execution flopped.
First of all, there is only a minute part of the mystery that is answered in any way, shape, or form. To make matters worse, none of the conflicts are truly resolved by the end of the book, in fact, they become even worse, in my opinion, as Miles just drops dead in the last line, as he is held by his unnamed governess. On the whole, the ending is tremendously anticlimactic and dissatisfying, causing the rest of the book to become equally inadequate.
In addition, I found the Netflix adaptation to be much more gratifying and entertaining. The plot is more complex and interesting, the mystery and conflict are more suspenseful and striking, and I actually felt fear while watching it. Not to mention, The Haunting of Bly Manor has a satisfying ending that, while bittersweet, is meaningful and has closure. There are also greater, more detailed backstories for every single character, including the house itself, making the whole viewing experience feel more complex and authentic.
Furthermore, similar to the rest of the book, the characters are equally promising in the beginning and remain so for a large part of the story. Ignoring the characters in the prologue as they had little to do with the actual story other than passing it along, the main character and narrator, the unnamed governess, showed plenty of resilience, and bravery in the face of malevolent apparitions that impressed me deeply, although she is frustratingly indecisive as well. Unfortunately, that didn't last long. This governess's behaviour, while normal with Flora, the young girl she takes care of, becomes questionable when it comes to Miles, Flora's 10-year-old brother, in a way that made me really uncomfortable. There are moments when I can't understand if her affection for the boy stems solely from her duty to protect him, or something more. One of the characters in the prologue even stated that he had fallen in love with her while she was his sister's governess and he was a young boy. I looked past that at first, marking it as an innocent infatuation of a young boy, but given the context later on, it makes it all the more questionable. She is definitely nothing like her series counterpart.
Moreover, two other questionable characters in this novel are Peter Quint and Miss Jessel. Neither of them is any closer to their Netflix counterparts than the governess, much less Miss Jessel. Both apparitions are, quite plainly, evil. Their unseemely relationship couldn't be further from their misdeeds. What is truly disturbing about them, however, is that both in life and in death, they have a sickening obsession with the children. It is repeatedly insinuated that Flora and Miles were assaulted by Miss Jessel and Peter Quint, respectively, and their need to possess the young siblings followed them in death. The children even shared a disturbing bond with them, the way victims often share with their abusers and are under their full control long after Quint and Jessel died.
All in all, this is not what I expected and, as it turns out, it is definitely not the classic for me. Even though it sated my curiosity as I have been planning to read this book for a while now, I wish it weren't so disappointing. I definitely would not recommend it.
✨What did you think of The Turn of the Screw?✨
“Of course I was under the spell, and the wonderful part is that, even at the time, I perfectly knew I was. But I gave myself up to it; it was an antidote to any pain, and I had more pains than one.”
Rating: ⭐⭐
❗This review contains spoilers❗
Everything starts out so well...There is mystery, suspense, and that classic eerie atmosphere that only old-ass books can pull off with absolute perfection and yet, that's pretty much where the fun ends. I feel so disappointed, almost guilty, when I read a classic novel and it turns out that I hate it. Not just dislike it, hate it. I know I'm not obligated to enjoy every single classic book there is, but I still can't help feeling like I'm betraying literature somehow. I feel as if I don't appreciate the work that shapes pop culture to this day. I think that mostly comes from how overhyped most classics are, and all the judgement that comes with it. However, I hate it even more when I discover that I like the movie or series more than the book it was adapted from. That sucks most of all.
To begin with, as I have already mentioned, there are some good qualities to this novel. The story is deeply compelling, and it had me hooked from the beginning. The way the plot is developed slowly and methodically to create intrigue and suspense is exquisite. Also, the book itself is quite short, the chapters are no more than 10 pages long making it incredibly easy to read, in spite of the difficult language. Besides, while it isn't particularly scary, not that I have read any books so far that spooked me (still looking though), I still appreciated the effects of the gothic, uncanny atmosphere it has going on. All of these are the premises for a literary masterpiece, which makes it all the more disappointing that the execution flopped.
First of all, there is only a minute part of the mystery that is answered in any way, shape, or form. To make matters worse, none of the conflicts are truly resolved by the end of the book, in fact, they become even worse, in my opinion, as Miles just drops dead in the last line, as he is held by his unnamed governess. On the whole, the ending is tremendously anticlimactic and dissatisfying, causing the rest of the book to become equally inadequate.
In addition, I found the Netflix adaptation to be much more gratifying and entertaining. The plot is more complex and interesting, the mystery and conflict are more suspenseful and striking, and I actually felt fear while watching it. Not to mention, The Haunting of Bly Manor has a satisfying ending that, while bittersweet, is meaningful and has closure. There are also greater, more detailed backstories for every single character, including the house itself, making the whole viewing experience feel more complex and authentic.
Furthermore, similar to the rest of the book, the characters are equally promising in the beginning and remain so for a large part of the story. Ignoring the characters in the prologue as they had little to do with the actual story other than passing it along, the main character and narrator, the unnamed governess, showed plenty of resilience, and bravery in the face of malevolent apparitions that impressed me deeply, although she is frustratingly indecisive as well. Unfortunately, that didn't last long. This governess's behaviour, while normal with Flora, the young girl she takes care of, becomes questionable when it comes to Miles, Flora's 10-year-old brother, in a way that made me really uncomfortable. There are moments when I can't understand if her affection for the boy stems solely from her duty to protect him, or something more. One of the characters in the prologue even stated that he had fallen in love with her while she was his sister's governess and he was a young boy. I looked past that at first, marking it as an innocent infatuation of a young boy, but given the context later on, it makes it all the more questionable. She is definitely nothing like her series counterpart.
Moreover, two other questionable characters in this novel are Peter Quint and Miss Jessel. Neither of them is any closer to their Netflix counterparts than the governess, much less Miss Jessel. Both apparitions are, quite plainly, evil. Their unseemely relationship couldn't be further from their misdeeds. What is truly disturbing about them, however, is that both in life and in death, they have a sickening obsession with the children. It is repeatedly insinuated that Flora and Miles were assaulted by Miss Jessel and Peter Quint, respectively, and their need to possess the young siblings followed them in death. The children even shared a disturbing bond with them, the way victims often share with their abusers and are under their full control long after Quint and Jessel died.
All in all, this is not what I expected and, as it turns out, it is definitely not the classic for me. Even though it sated my curiosity as I have been planning to read this book for a while now, I wish it weren't so disappointing. I definitely would not recommend it.
✨What did you think of The Turn of the Screw?✨
January 30, 2021
Daisy Miller: From the moment the reader is introduced to the character of Daisy Miller, it is clear she is a head-strong, outspoken, sure of herself woman. She is a breath of fresh air and the way she is written in particular added to my overall enjoyment of the story. This was penned in 1878 and I can see why it has stood the test of time. It isn’t your average romance tale and ends rather quite tragically. But, it is also quite a humorous take on a classic romance story. That balance is what made it enjoyable for me.
I really do like how Winterbourne really doesn’t seem know what to make of Daisy, it is his interest in her that drives the story.
The Turn Of The Screw: I am very familiar with the story of this old ghost tale, and with Netflix’s The Haunting Of Bly Manor freshly in my mind, I thought it the perfect time to set upon reading this. At times I did feel perplexed by the skittish narrative, as the young governess descends into paranoia and despair.
The governess is certain that the estate is haunted and desperately wants to spare her young pupils of any harm.
The verbosity can be distracting from the overall story at times, this made it harder for me to follow than the usual pieces of classic literature I’ve read. I have been spoilt by the ghost stories of MR James. I definitely do think this would have benefited from being slightly shorter in length as well.
The intrigue and subtext made it slightly more enjoyable, and upon finishing it, I felt torn between which rating to give it.
In conclusion, I give Daisy Miller 4 stars and The Turn Of The Screw 3 stars.
I really do like how Winterbourne really doesn’t seem know what to make of Daisy, it is his interest in her that drives the story.
The Turn Of The Screw: I am very familiar with the story of this old ghost tale, and with Netflix’s The Haunting Of Bly Manor freshly in my mind, I thought it the perfect time to set upon reading this. At times I did feel perplexed by the skittish narrative, as the young governess descends into paranoia and despair.
The governess is certain that the estate is haunted and desperately wants to spare her young pupils of any harm.
The verbosity can be distracting from the overall story at times, this made it harder for me to follow than the usual pieces of classic literature I’ve read. I have been spoilt by the ghost stories of MR James. I definitely do think this would have benefited from being slightly shorter in length as well.
The intrigue and subtext made it slightly more enjoyable, and upon finishing it, I felt torn between which rating to give it.
In conclusion, I give Daisy Miller 4 stars and The Turn Of The Screw 3 stars.
July 16, 2017
" Dar domnișoara Miller nu făcu această remarcă pe un ton de protest; părea perfect satisfăcută de tot ce o înconjura. Declară că hotelurile sunt foarte bune de îndată ce te obișnuiești cu ele și că Europa e un deliciu. Nu era dezamăgită- nici gând. Ori de câte ori își pusese o rochie din Paris, se simțise ca în Europa."
" În ciuda acestui fapt, în tot restul zilei am pândit din nou un prilej de a mă apropia de colega mea, mai cu seamă când, spre seară, am început să-mi închipui că se străduie să mă evite. Am reușit s-o prind, îmi aduc aminte, pe scară; am coborât împreună și când am ajuns jos am reținut-o, apucând-o de braț."
" În ciuda acestui fapt, în tot restul zilei am pândit din nou un prilej de a mă apropia de colega mea, mai cu seamă când, spre seară, am început să-mi închipui că se străduie să mă evite. Am reușit s-o prind, îmi aduc aminte, pe scară; am coborât împreună și când am ajuns jos am reținut-o, apucând-o de braț."
December 11, 2017
“Of course I was under the spell, and the wonderful part is that, even at the time, I perfectly knew I was.”
The Turn of the Screw is one out of four books that I'm supposed to read for my Anglo-American Modernism class. The others are The Good Soldier, Heart of Darkness and Nightwood. I'm excited to read all three of them, but before I do that, I better finish this review.
I must say that I loved this short novel. I didn't have any expectations towards it and when I first realized that this was going to be a spooky ghost story, I was all in.
The story strongly reminded me of The Woman in Black, but better. (I loved the film, but the book didn't do it for me.) Let's see: a grand, old estate, weird and scary children, random and frightening apparitions - this has it all.
If this was a TV show, there would be quite a lot of mind-wrecking cliffhangers. Luckily all I had to do was turn the page and keep reading. When this was first published; however, in several perdiocals from January to April 1898, people had to wait a week or two until they could continue reading. Quite like waiting on the new Game of Thrones episode, isn't it?
Now, while this was a more stylised and formal version of English, I had a few difficulties understanding everything that was said, which flattened the reading experience a bit. But James style of writing pulled me in anyway and I couldn't stop reading.
I love to think about the unreliable narration and the what if's and did it really's. That's what keeps a reader going and pondering about a story, long after they read it.
Maybe I'll watch a film adaption or two (there are quite a few as it seems). I wonder what they made of this story.
Find more of my books on Instagram
The Turn of the Screw is one out of four books that I'm supposed to read for my Anglo-American Modernism class. The others are The Good Soldier, Heart of Darkness and Nightwood. I'm excited to read all three of them, but before I do that, I better finish this review.
I must say that I loved this short novel. I didn't have any expectations towards it and when I first realized that this was going to be a spooky ghost story, I was all in.
The story strongly reminded me of The Woman in Black, but better. (I loved the film, but the book didn't do it for me.) Let's see: a grand, old estate, weird and scary children, random and frightening apparitions - this has it all.
If this was a TV show, there would be quite a lot of mind-wrecking cliffhangers. Luckily all I had to do was turn the page and keep reading. When this was first published; however, in several perdiocals from January to April 1898, people had to wait a week or two until they could continue reading. Quite like waiting on the new Game of Thrones episode, isn't it?
Now, while this was a more stylised and formal version of English, I had a few difficulties understanding everything that was said, which flattened the reading experience a bit. But James style of writing pulled me in anyway and I couldn't stop reading.
I love to think about the unreliable narration and the what if's and did it really's. That's what keeps a reader going and pondering about a story, long after they read it.
Maybe I'll watch a film adaption or two (there are quite a few as it seems). I wonder what they made of this story.
Find more of my books on Instagram
June 26, 2025
mmm... no me encantó al final :(
March 3, 2017
Dupa cum spuneam: "Daisy Miller" - 4 stele. Istoria unei tinere care pacatuieste prin naturalete si va plati scump atractia fata de flirt. M-a impresionat, am simtit-o.
"O coarda prea intinsa" - 2 stele. Ce-i drept e drept, n-am stat niciodata sa ascult povesti de groaza la gura sobei. Poate asta-i problema. Poate daca as fi citit nuvela asta acum vreo 25 de ani, ar fi avut vreun impact asupra mea. Si inca nu-mi vine sa cred ca James a tintit o audienta matura. De ce spun asta? Pentru ca totul, de la cap la coada, mi-a sunat extrem de fals, pompos, exagerat. Asa cum ai povesti ceva de speriat unor copii, cu voce voit ingrosata si ochii holbati in mod fortat. Ca sa-i impresionezi mai bine. Ca sa te creada. Ca sa le dai cosmaruri noaptea.
Well, nene James, no effect here. Povestea avea potential: o guvernanta care ajunge sa aiba in grija niste copii posedati si stradania ei de a-i scapa de malefica influenta. Suna bine, nu? Da. Dar...
Inca de la inceput, naratiunea e pusa intr-un cadru fortat: un personaj frumos, inteligent si sensibil (cum altfel?) care, cu foarte multe precautii pentru persoanele slabe de inger si cu toate asigurarile ca povestea e adevarata, citeste unor prieteni, adunati in jurul unui camin, povestea intamplarilor traite de guvernanta in casa de la tara a nobilului care o angajase. Documentul din care citeste e chiar jurnalul femeii.
Bun. In primul rand, limbajul plin de arabescuri si pretiozitati mi-a taiat cheful. Apoi, totul a fost prezentat atat de ... super-mega-extra. Guvernanta era atat de curajoasa, si copiii erau atat de frumosi, si fantomele erau atat de ingrozitoare... incat piticii mei interiori au inceput, unul dupa celalalt, sa dea ochii peste cap. Iar piticul cel mai tupeist a exclamat: "Da' ma leshi?" (iertati-l, e ardelean).
Cireasa de pe tort a fost finalul. Dupa ce femeia reuseste (nu se stie cum, pentru ca din desfasurarea actiunii nu rezulta deloc asta) sa il smulga pe baietel din ghearele fantomei care il poseda, copilul moare. The end. Si piticii striga: "Poftiiiim??? Unde-i cadrul initial? Ce parere au spectatorii, prietenii din salon, despre cele auzite?" Nu se stie. Probabil autorul s-a lasat dus de farmecul propriei scriituri si a uitat de unde a plecat. Habar n-am. Stiu doar ca nuvela asta a fost o mare dezamagire.
"O coarda prea intinsa" - 2 stele. Ce-i drept e drept, n-am stat niciodata sa ascult povesti de groaza la gura sobei. Poate asta-i problema. Poate daca as fi citit nuvela asta acum vreo 25 de ani, ar fi avut vreun impact asupra mea. Si inca nu-mi vine sa cred ca James a tintit o audienta matura. De ce spun asta? Pentru ca totul, de la cap la coada, mi-a sunat extrem de fals, pompos, exagerat. Asa cum ai povesti ceva de speriat unor copii, cu voce voit ingrosata si ochii holbati in mod fortat. Ca sa-i impresionezi mai bine. Ca sa te creada. Ca sa le dai cosmaruri noaptea.
Well, nene James, no effect here. Povestea avea potential: o guvernanta care ajunge sa aiba in grija niste copii posedati si stradania ei de a-i scapa de malefica influenta. Suna bine, nu? Da. Dar...
Inca de la inceput, naratiunea e pusa intr-un cadru fortat: un personaj frumos, inteligent si sensibil (cum altfel?) care, cu foarte multe precautii pentru persoanele slabe de inger si cu toate asigurarile ca povestea e adevarata, citeste unor prieteni, adunati in jurul unui camin, povestea intamplarilor traite de guvernanta in casa de la tara a nobilului care o angajase. Documentul din care citeste e chiar jurnalul femeii.
Bun. In primul rand, limbajul plin de arabescuri si pretiozitati mi-a taiat cheful. Apoi, totul a fost prezentat atat de ... super-mega-extra. Guvernanta era atat de curajoasa, si copiii erau atat de frumosi, si fantomele erau atat de ingrozitoare... incat piticii mei interiori au inceput, unul dupa celalalt, sa dea ochii peste cap. Iar piticul cel mai tupeist a exclamat: "Da' ma leshi?" (iertati-l, e ardelean).
Cireasa de pe tort a fost finalul. Dupa ce femeia reuseste (nu se stie cum, pentru ca din desfasurarea actiunii nu rezulta deloc asta) sa il smulga pe baietel din ghearele fantomei care il poseda, copilul moare. The end. Si piticii striga: "Poftiiiim??? Unde-i cadrul initial? Ce parere au spectatorii, prietenii din salon, despre cele auzite?" Nu se stie. Probabil autorul s-a lasat dus de farmecul propriei scriituri si a uitat de unde a plecat. Habar n-am. Stiu doar ca nuvela asta a fost o mare dezamagire.
October 13, 2016
Oh dear. i didn't love this and i wanted to so so much. It had such a slow build up that when things started to happen my mind was already wandering. i do appreciate i haven't been 'in the zone' recently with my reading and haven't given this the proper attention it deserves. But still. I did on the other hand love Daisy Miller (the book and the character) and likened the book a lot to the stuffy, humorous, pretentious and foreboding characters from 'Washington Square.' It made the whole book worthwhile to me.
January 22, 2020
This sucked, man.
November 13, 2020
★★★☆☆ (3,5/5)
Compré esta pequeña edición dispuesta a leerla durante la noche de Halloween de este año. Hace mucho que quiero descubrir relatos terroríficos y decidí leer uno de los más famosos y aclamados del último siglo. Debo decir que este libro recoge dos textos y la nota que le ponga será global.
«Daisy Miller» (★★★☆☆) nos brinda un breve pero conciso escrito que contiene un análisis preciso de los estadounidenses en el extranjero, la tristeza de no saber hacer frente a la existencia, dando más importancia a la idealización que tienen en sus mentes. A pesar de tener varias escenas y diálogos memorables, no me ha removido ni ha supuesto una gran sorpresa.
«Otra vuelta de tuerca» (★★★★☆) es una de las más célebres historias góticas de fantasmas, su mayor valor recae en las múltiples interpretaciones que tiene. Las apariciones de fantasmas y la locura del ser humano se entrelazan logrando un conjunto armonioso en el que el lector finalmente puede decidir qué creer.
Sin lugar a dudas me quedo claramente con la segunda obra, la capacidad de Henry James a hacer sentir un terror psicológico (bastante suave, no temáis) es innegable. Su lectura es ligera y sencilla pero no carece de una poderosa y atractiva narración. Vale la pena detenerse a observar, a dar rienda suelta a la imaginación para poder tener una sensación envolvente durante su lectura.
En conclusión, su cercanía con la infancia, la madurez y la muerte hacen de este un escrito espeluznante dotado de tintes ideales para adentrarse en el género del terror: unos niños huérfanos, una institutriz recién llegada, una mansión y unas presencias estremecedoras. Ha sido una grata experiencia conocer a este maravilloso escritor que sigue siendo un verdadero referente en la actualidad.
Compré esta pequeña edición dispuesta a leerla durante la noche de Halloween de este año. Hace mucho que quiero descubrir relatos terroríficos y decidí leer uno de los más famosos y aclamados del último siglo. Debo decir que este libro recoge dos textos y la nota que le ponga será global.
«Daisy Miller» (★★★☆☆) nos brinda un breve pero conciso escrito que contiene un análisis preciso de los estadounidenses en el extranjero, la tristeza de no saber hacer frente a la existencia, dando más importancia a la idealización que tienen en sus mentes. A pesar de tener varias escenas y diálogos memorables, no me ha removido ni ha supuesto una gran sorpresa.
«Otra vuelta de tuerca» (★★★★☆) es una de las más célebres historias góticas de fantasmas, su mayor valor recae en las múltiples interpretaciones que tiene. Las apariciones de fantasmas y la locura del ser humano se entrelazan logrando un conjunto armonioso en el que el lector finalmente puede decidir qué creer.
Sin lugar a dudas me quedo claramente con la segunda obra, la capacidad de Henry James a hacer sentir un terror psicológico (bastante suave, no temáis) es innegable. Su lectura es ligera y sencilla pero no carece de una poderosa y atractiva narración. Vale la pena detenerse a observar, a dar rienda suelta a la imaginación para poder tener una sensación envolvente durante su lectura.
En conclusión, su cercanía con la infancia, la madurez y la muerte hacen de este un escrito espeluznante dotado de tintes ideales para adentrarse en el género del terror: unos niños huérfanos, una institutriz recién llegada, una mansión y unas presencias estremecedoras. Ha sido una grata experiencia conocer a este maravilloso escritor que sigue siendo un verdadero referente en la actualidad.
September 16, 2020
Right, well, this fully concludes my efforts with Henry James. I've read Washington Square and The Portrait of a Lady, which were okay; the Bostonians, which was painful; The Wings of the Dove, which was fucking unreadable; and now this.
'Daisy Miller' is at least kind of interesting. It comes the closest to James just letting it all hang out about flirty 'loose' women who are far more enticing to his kind of hero than any other kind of woman. And then he kills her. It's Henry James; he hates joy. Moving on.
Like probably most people in the world, I was spoiled for the concept of 'The Turn of the Screw'. The actual execution of this famous ghost story is laughably bad. It starts as a framing story - an actual person who 'knew' the governess telling the tale around the fire - that's just abandoned and never picked up at the end. Then we have the angel children and the weird troubling apparitions and then what I read as the governess' descent into manic paranoia and then ... THAT ENDING? WHAT? If I didn't know what was supposed to be happening there, I would not have a CLUE.
And then we get the execrable Jamesian prose, like such:
"They harassed me so that sometimes, at odd moments, I shut myself up audibly to rehearse - it was at once a fantastic relief and a renewed despair - the manner in which I might come to the point." (There is nothing Henry James dislikes MORE than coming to the point.)
"As they died away on my lips I said to myself that I should indeed help them to represent something infamous if by pronouncing them I should violate as rare a little case of instinctive delicacy as any schoolroom probably had ever known."
WHAT, BRO, WHAT THE FUCK.
He cannot write children for shit. Miles talks like a forty-year-old aristocrat who's fallen off his horse one too many times.
That is it. There's such a thing as a surfeit of Henry James and I've had it. The only James I'm reading from now on is William.
'Daisy Miller' is at least kind of interesting. It comes the closest to James just letting it all hang out about flirty 'loose' women who are far more enticing to his kind of hero than any other kind of woman. And then he kills her. It's Henry James; he hates joy. Moving on.
Like probably most people in the world, I was spoiled for the concept of 'The Turn of the Screw'. The actual execution of this famous ghost story is laughably bad. It starts as a framing story - an actual person who 'knew' the governess telling the tale around the fire - that's just abandoned and never picked up at the end. Then we have the angel children and the weird troubling apparitions and then what I read as the governess' descent into manic paranoia and then ... THAT ENDING? WHAT? If I didn't know what was supposed to be happening there, I would not have a CLUE.
And then we get the execrable Jamesian prose, like such:
"They harassed me so that sometimes, at odd moments, I shut myself up audibly to rehearse - it was at once a fantastic relief and a renewed despair - the manner in which I might come to the point." (There is nothing Henry James dislikes MORE than coming to the point.)
"As they died away on my lips I said to myself that I should indeed help them to represent something infamous if by pronouncing them I should violate as rare a little case of instinctive delicacy as any schoolroom probably had ever known."
WHAT, BRO, WHAT THE FUCK.
He cannot write children for shit. Miles talks like a forty-year-old aristocrat who's fallen off his horse one too many times.
That is it. There's such a thing as a surfeit of Henry James and I've had it. The only James I'm reading from now on is William.
May 22, 2024
A respeito apenas à novela Daisy Miller dessa edição da L&PM (a pobre editora perdeu cerca de 900 mil livros na enchente de Porto Alegre), já que reli A volta do Parafuso na edição da TAG no fim do ano passado.
Daisy Miller parece uma espécie de sobrinha da Condessa Olenska da Wharton, extremamente espontânea e por isso vilanizada pela alta sociedade.
Novelinha que dá pra ler numa sentada, mas que é bem triste pela violência de gênero que testemunhamos.
Podemos agradecer que muita coisa mudou em 150 anos, mas ainda há resquícios desse tipo de violência nos misóginos de plantão, taí os redpill que não me deixam mentir.
Plus: Hoje faz 50 anos de estreia da adaptação do Bogdanovich para o cinema, um filme que teoricamente destruiu a carreira dele, mas ultimamente tenho visto muita gente chamando para revisitá-lo.
Daisy Miller parece uma espécie de sobrinha da Condessa Olenska da Wharton, extremamente espontânea e por isso vilanizada pela alta sociedade.
Novelinha que dá pra ler numa sentada, mas que é bem triste pela violência de gênero que testemunhamos.
Podemos agradecer que muita coisa mudou em 150 anos, mas ainda há resquícios desse tipo de violência nos misóginos de plantão, taí os redpill que não me deixam mentir.
Plus: Hoje faz 50 anos de estreia da adaptação do Bogdanovich para o cinema, um filme que teoricamente destruiu a carreira dele, mas ultimamente tenho visto muita gente chamando para revisitá-lo.
September 27, 2021
I did not read 'Daisy Miller' because I've no interest in it, so these four stars are solely for 'The Turn of the Screw'.
I love a good short story, and I love horror, so it stands to reason I love a good ghost story. I've read a fair share of Victorian and Edwardian ghost stories, and, though entertaining, I usually don't find them very good. They're predictable and not very scary, and read like an anecdote a friend tells you at a party (though if a friend actually told you such a story at a party, it would be creepy because it would have actually happened and to someone you know).
'The Turn of the Screw' has its faults. The governess needs a paragraph for every sentence spoken, every gesture made, because she finds them all so meaningful. In a way, this story could have been shorter. But unlike so many of the ghost stories of its time, 'The Turn of the Screw' has two things going for it: depth and ambiguity.
What is really going on? Are the ghosts real, or the invention of a sexually-repressed and bored governess whose sole desire, though she can't admit it, is to see her employer whose sole demand is that she never, ever bother him? What exactly happened to the children, and, for that matter, to Miss Jessel?
This is what makes this story good, and what makes it worth rereading.
I love a good short story, and I love horror, so it stands to reason I love a good ghost story. I've read a fair share of Victorian and Edwardian ghost stories, and, though entertaining, I usually don't find them very good. They're predictable and not very scary, and read like an anecdote a friend tells you at a party (though if a friend actually told you such a story at a party, it would be creepy because it would have actually happened and to someone you know).
'The Turn of the Screw' has its faults. The governess needs a paragraph for every sentence spoken, every gesture made, because she finds them all so meaningful. In a way, this story could have been shorter. But unlike so many of the ghost stories of its time, 'The Turn of the Screw' has two things going for it: depth and ambiguity.
What is really going on? Are the ghosts real, or the invention of a sexually-repressed and bored governess whose sole desire, though she can't admit it, is to see her employer whose sole demand is that she never, ever bother him? What exactly happened to the children, and, for that matter, to Miss Jessel?
This is what makes this story good, and what makes it worth rereading.
September 2, 2020
Daisy Miller 3.5🌟
Otra vuelta de tuerca 5🌟
Otra vuelta de tuerca 5🌟
October 19, 2024
i'm just not a henry james girl
December 6, 2022
Churlish as it may be to say, given Henry James's and these novella's standing, but the style is very dense and wordy and makes for a slow read. The Turn of the Screw is a decent ghost story, while Daisy Miller struggled to hold attention.
January 27, 2023
Feels hard to judge books that weren’t written for contemporary audiences. Engaging in parts but at times a hard slog, I think that’s just classics tho generally (at least for me).
August 6, 2024
Overall, this was mid. I enjoyed daisy miller and how she doesn’t conform to society as well as seeing her from Winterborne’s perspective. Raised an eyebrow a few times at her dying from ‘Roman disease’ when her Italian companion is described in terms of his ‘race’ and otherness.
The Turn of the Screw was a bit of a word vomit. Maybe I’ll try reading this again after watching the Netflix show but probably not because there are other things I want to read.
The Turn of the Screw was a bit of a word vomit. Maybe I’ll try reading this again after watching the Netflix show but probably not because there are other things I want to read.
May 16, 2020
I read Daisy Miller completely but it is too dated and the story didn’t impress me. Turn of the screw was boring and I couldn’t even understand what the author was saying as his English is too complicated. It again started with a woman and her love for a man. I DNFed this novella as I lost interest after trudging through Daisy Miller and her lovers.
Daisy Miller is a woman with lot of boyfriends and she likes flirting. The main protagonist likes her and tries to “protect” her from other men. *eyeroll*. And then one day she dies. End of story. I didn’t even understand the point of this long drawn story.
Daisy Miller is a woman with lot of boyfriends and she likes flirting. The main protagonist likes her and tries to “protect” her from other men. *eyeroll*. And then one day she dies. End of story. I didn’t even understand the point of this long drawn story.
May 17, 2013
Overburdened by density of language. Dull characters. Just too damn stuck up.
October 16, 2018
First published in magazine form in 1878, Daisy Miller is a novella that must strike modern readers very differently from their counterparts a hundred and forty years ago. Now, the very idea of a young lady seeking the company of pleasant young men seems unremarkable in Western society, but then for one such as Daisy to do so unchaperoned, and especially against all advice and convention, would have been regarded as not only unrespectable but also reprehensible.
In the outraged reactions of those who observed Daisy's unconventionality James may have expressed closet anxieties over his own acceptance as an American in Europe, for he had only recently settled in England; his many extended stays in Europe -- which included Switzerland and Italy -- had given him plenty of opportunity for observing how New World visitors were received in the Old World. But of course Daisy Miller is much more than autobiography dressed up as fiction.
In Switzerland the faintly effete Frederick Winterbourne makes the acquaintance of a young compatriot from New York State, Randolph, on the shores of Lake Geneva; Winterbourne is much struck by Randolph's sister Daisy who, despite appearing diffident intrigues him very much. Winterbourne is aware of a need for propriety but his piqued curiosity contrasts with the blunt attitude of his aunt Mrs Costello: she is of the opinion that Daisy, along with her mother and brother, is 'very common' and therefore to be shunned. The Miller family have a European courier, Eugenio, who familiarity with the trio also elicits the contempt of Mrs Costello. Against his aunt's advice Winterbourne takes the young lady unchaperoned to visit the Castle of Chillon.
The play of characters in this Victorian drama can be plotted on a graph with a pair of axes: one axis runs from restrained to exuberant, the other from natural to cultivated. Opposites sometimes attract and Daisy's natural exuberance clearly draws Winterbourne's attention, his own aloofness being a product of an upbringing which prized social restraint.
From the shores of Lake Geneva in summer we shift to Italy in winter, where Winterbourne again encounters Daisy Miller and her family among the American colony in Rome. Here he discovers Daisy exciting disapproval from his friend Mrs Walker because not only is Daisy displaying inconduite but she is associating with Giovanelli, an Italian of no social standing, in flagrant violation of cultured American mores. Winterbourne is finally persuaded that she is beyond the pale when he spots her alone with Giovanelli in the Colosseum one moonlit night.
Some of James' contemporaries would have thought that Daisy deserved what was coming to her, that the tragic denouement was only fitting given her insouciant behaviour. But James is more subtle than a superficial reading might suggest: what is the novel judging, Daisy's waywardness or Winterbourne's late rush to judgement? Daisy's innocence or her being treated as an outsider by Americans abroad? It's clear that James is positing the clash of different worlds and different ways of thinking.
Those clashes fit into a carefully plotted timeline, replete with significant names and places. We travel eastwards, from Schenectady, New York to Vevey and Chillon in Switzerland for the first two chapters, which take place in June. For the next two chapters we're wintering in Rome, in January, and even here the action moves steadily eastward from near the Villa Borghese to the Palatine, then the Colosseum, before heading south to the Protestant cemetery on the banks of the Tiber.
The movement through space is therefore paralleled by the change of season, signposted by James' choice of names. Daisy is a common or garden flower, entirely fitting for someone called 'very common' or 'uncultivated' by her detractors. It is also primarily a spring and summer plant, immediately identifiable, leading to Mrs Walker, Winterbourne's married friend, remarking that elle s'affiche, 'she advertises herself'. 'Miller' may also be seen as a derogatory term, as millers were frequently seen as rogues or swindlers in the days when farmers took their grain to be ground into flour.
Winterbourne however sees Daisy as a refreshing change; true, she is more a 'flirt' than a coquette, but he finds her diverting enough. One can imagine him seeing her as one of the goddesses or nymphs treading the floral meadow in Botticelli's celebration of Spring, La Primavera.
Ironic then that the snooty courier who looks after the requirements of the Millers in Europe is Eugenio, whose name means 'well-born'. Eugenio it is who in Rome introduces Daisy to Giovanelli, a young man whose name clearly derives from Italian giovane, meaning young. However, in Rome it is winter, and however much Daisy wants to keep her freshness, and youth, and innocence, the time proves awry: Winterbourne (whose name refers to a stream which flows during wet seasons) turns against her; his friends have already given her the cold shoulder. The promise of Roman carnival dissipates in the sickly atmosphere, the chilly contagion of Swiss Calvinism finds its consummation in the cimitero dei protestanti.
If Daisy Miller is an indictment, I don't think James saw it as leading to a condemnation of the sensitive young woman who seemingly lacked sense; more it was uptight folk who thought themselves better for being 'cultured' and who looked down their noses at those who didn't act comme il faut. Winterbourne, the ostensible stand-in for the author, in fact proves a cad, dallying with Daisy's expectations: James ultimately shows him up for what he is, someone who 'studies' hard at getting himself 'a very clever foreign woman', preferably one who is -- unlike Daisy -- older than himself. Is that less reprehensible than Miss Miller looking for pleasing companionship?
This edition of Daisy Miller is paired with The Turn of the Screw and supplemented by an essay, first published in 1964, by Carol Ohmann: in this she argues that the novella's apparent unevenness arose because James began writing it "as a comedy of manners and finished it as a symbolic presentation of a metaphysical ideal. He began by criticising Daisy in certain ways and ended simply praising her."
It ceases therefore to be a study as advertised in the first edition and more a warm evaluation of Daisy's natural qualities. In this respect I'm sure we moderns will be more inclined to agree to sympathise with Daisy than many Victorian readers did.
In the outraged reactions of those who observed Daisy's unconventionality James may have expressed closet anxieties over his own acceptance as an American in Europe, for he had only recently settled in England; his many extended stays in Europe -- which included Switzerland and Italy -- had given him plenty of opportunity for observing how New World visitors were received in the Old World. But of course Daisy Miller is much more than autobiography dressed up as fiction.
In Switzerland the faintly effete Frederick Winterbourne makes the acquaintance of a young compatriot from New York State, Randolph, on the shores of Lake Geneva; Winterbourne is much struck by Randolph's sister Daisy who, despite appearing diffident intrigues him very much. Winterbourne is aware of a need for propriety but his piqued curiosity contrasts with the blunt attitude of his aunt Mrs Costello: she is of the opinion that Daisy, along with her mother and brother, is 'very common' and therefore to be shunned. The Miller family have a European courier, Eugenio, who familiarity with the trio also elicits the contempt of Mrs Costello. Against his aunt's advice Winterbourne takes the young lady unchaperoned to visit the Castle of Chillon.
The play of characters in this Victorian drama can be plotted on a graph with a pair of axes: one axis runs from restrained to exuberant, the other from natural to cultivated. Opposites sometimes attract and Daisy's natural exuberance clearly draws Winterbourne's attention, his own aloofness being a product of an upbringing which prized social restraint.
From the shores of Lake Geneva in summer we shift to Italy in winter, where Winterbourne again encounters Daisy Miller and her family among the American colony in Rome. Here he discovers Daisy exciting disapproval from his friend Mrs Walker because not only is Daisy displaying inconduite but she is associating with Giovanelli, an Italian of no social standing, in flagrant violation of cultured American mores. Winterbourne is finally persuaded that she is beyond the pale when he spots her alone with Giovanelli in the Colosseum one moonlit night.
Some of James' contemporaries would have thought that Daisy deserved what was coming to her, that the tragic denouement was only fitting given her insouciant behaviour. But James is more subtle than a superficial reading might suggest: what is the novel judging, Daisy's waywardness or Winterbourne's late rush to judgement? Daisy's innocence or her being treated as an outsider by Americans abroad? It's clear that James is positing the clash of different worlds and different ways of thinking.
Those clashes fit into a carefully plotted timeline, replete with significant names and places. We travel eastwards, from Schenectady, New York to Vevey and Chillon in Switzerland for the first two chapters, which take place in June. For the next two chapters we're wintering in Rome, in January, and even here the action moves steadily eastward from near the Villa Borghese to the Palatine, then the Colosseum, before heading south to the Protestant cemetery on the banks of the Tiber.
The movement through space is therefore paralleled by the change of season, signposted by James' choice of names. Daisy is a common or garden flower, entirely fitting for someone called 'very common' or 'uncultivated' by her detractors. It is also primarily a spring and summer plant, immediately identifiable, leading to Mrs Walker, Winterbourne's married friend, remarking that elle s'affiche, 'she advertises herself'. 'Miller' may also be seen as a derogatory term, as millers were frequently seen as rogues or swindlers in the days when farmers took their grain to be ground into flour.
Winterbourne however sees Daisy as a refreshing change; true, she is more a 'flirt' than a coquette, but he finds her diverting enough. One can imagine him seeing her as one of the goddesses or nymphs treading the floral meadow in Botticelli's celebration of Spring, La Primavera.
Ironic then that the snooty courier who looks after the requirements of the Millers in Europe is Eugenio, whose name means 'well-born'. Eugenio it is who in Rome introduces Daisy to Giovanelli, a young man whose name clearly derives from Italian giovane, meaning young. However, in Rome it is winter, and however much Daisy wants to keep her freshness, and youth, and innocence, the time proves awry: Winterbourne (whose name refers to a stream which flows during wet seasons) turns against her; his friends have already given her the cold shoulder. The promise of Roman carnival dissipates in the sickly atmosphere, the chilly contagion of Swiss Calvinism finds its consummation in the cimitero dei protestanti.
If Daisy Miller is an indictment, I don't think James saw it as leading to a condemnation of the sensitive young woman who seemingly lacked sense; more it was uptight folk who thought themselves better for being 'cultured' and who looked down their noses at those who didn't act comme il faut. Winterbourne, the ostensible stand-in for the author, in fact proves a cad, dallying with Daisy's expectations: James ultimately shows him up for what he is, someone who 'studies' hard at getting himself 'a very clever foreign woman', preferably one who is -- unlike Daisy -- older than himself. Is that less reprehensible than Miss Miller looking for pleasing companionship?
This edition of Daisy Miller is paired with The Turn of the Screw and supplemented by an essay, first published in 1964, by Carol Ohmann: in this she argues that the novella's apparent unevenness arose because James began writing it "as a comedy of manners and finished it as a symbolic presentation of a metaphysical ideal. He began by criticising Daisy in certain ways and ended simply praising her."
It ceases therefore to be a study as advertised in the first edition and more a warm evaluation of Daisy's natural qualities. In this respect I'm sure we moderns will be more inclined to agree to sympathise with Daisy than many Victorian readers did.
March 2, 2019
3 stars!
Daisy Miller - 4 stars
The Turn of the Screw- 2 stars
Average rating: 3 stars!
I found Daisy Miller to be nice short read. I was immediately drawn in and at the end it had me contemplating on Daisy, who she really was and what she truly felt for the protagonist. It addresses societal perspectives on young women quite well while being under 100 pages.
It feels quite odd reading The Turn of the Screw after Daisy Miller. While Daisy Miller was direct and deliberate, The Turn of the Screw was so dense and sluggish. Its a horror novella so I do understand the idea of wanting to use time to build suspense and tension but, the novella is bogged down by superfluous dialogue from the governess character. At a certain point it became too much and only served to drag out the story as needlessly as possible. However, considering that The Turn of the Screw was a serial publication I'm not so surprised for James' desire to draw out the story as far as he could.
Daisy Miller - 4 stars
The Turn of the Screw- 2 stars
Average rating: 3 stars!
I found Daisy Miller to be nice short read. I was immediately drawn in and at the end it had me contemplating on Daisy, who she really was and what she truly felt for the protagonist. It addresses societal perspectives on young women quite well while being under 100 pages.
It feels quite odd reading The Turn of the Screw after Daisy Miller. While Daisy Miller was direct and deliberate, The Turn of the Screw was so dense and sluggish. Its a horror novella so I do understand the idea of wanting to use time to build suspense and tension but, the novella is bogged down by superfluous dialogue from the governess character. At a certain point it became too much and only served to drag out the story as needlessly as possible. However, considering that The Turn of the Screw was a serial publication I'm not so surprised for James' desire to draw out the story as far as he could.
December 31, 2024
I only read The Turn of the Screw portion of this novel and was thoroughly disappointed. I didn’t already know the premise of the story going into it and am still kind of confused as to what I just read.
The first good chunk of it was very suspenseful and I was hooked! I kept wondering what the crazy plot twist would be that makes this a classic…turns out, there wasn’t one. Was anything real? Was she actually just delusional and mean? Why is she so obsessed with Miles? I can’t believe the ending. What even was that.
Moral of the story, I think this was a great premise but executed very poorly. The language was challenging and superfluous but I could’ve accepted that if it had been more rewarding. Overall, meh.
The first good chunk of it was very suspenseful and I was hooked! I kept wondering what the crazy plot twist would be that makes this a classic…turns out, there wasn’t one. Was anything real? Was she actually just delusional and mean? Why is she so obsessed with Miles? I can’t believe the ending. What even was that.
Moral of the story, I think this was a great premise but executed very poorly. The language was challenging and superfluous but I could’ve accepted that if it had been more rewarding. Overall, meh.
November 4, 2019
Otra vuelta de tuerca es estupenda y muy recomendable.
Daisy Miller no me gusto demasiado, aburridilla.
Daisy Miller no me gusto demasiado, aburridilla.
December 7, 2021
I don’t know which I like more daisy miller or the turn of the screw
Both left me with a lot to think about
Both left me with a lot to think about
November 7, 2025
Hysterical lesbian sees dead (?) people, blames children.
3.5? Less spooky than I was expecting, but an intriguing study in uncertainty and all that goes unsaid. Henry loves a sentence, never met a clause he didn’t want to embed. Some masterful writing, thorny but compelling.
3.5? Less spooky than I was expecting, but an intriguing study in uncertainty and all that goes unsaid. Henry loves a sentence, never met a clause he didn’t want to embed. Some masterful writing, thorny but compelling.
April 24, 2021
More like 2,5 Stars.
Daisy Miller: 3 Stars
The Turn of the Screw: 2,5 Stars
Daisy Miller: 3 Stars
The Turn of the Screw: 2,5 Stars
September 24, 2012
The Turn of the Screw is a classic horror story written by Henry James. It tells a story of a young governess and who watches after two children. While taking care of them, she begins to encounter a couple ghost-like beings. Written purely for entertainment, the author walks the reader through this woman’s terrifying experiences. This book is geared towards teenagers and adults who like a traditional ghost story.
Being that this book is a ghost story, one of the most prevalent themes is that of ghosts. When the governess first arrives at Bly, she recalls hearing the faint “cry of a child” and the sound of “a light footstep” outside her door. As the story progresses, she begins to see a man and woman around the house. Although it is confirmed that the people see keeps seeing are dead, she makes a point to mention that they look very real and human like as opposed to looking ghostly.
This book would definitely be considered to be a description. It is explaining certain events that the narrator was told about. He is recalling what happened from a written journal left by the governess who had experienced these occurrences. The story he is reading has such great detail, that the reader can picture exactly what is happening and feel like they are there.
This book was very good. It kept you on the edge of your seat most of the time and made the reader want to keep reading. I liked how when I was reading it, I felt like I was right there, experiencing what was going on. It was unlike any book I have read before considering after reading it, I was sad it was over. It leaves the reader wanting more.
Daisy Miller is a short story written by Henry James. It follows a young American, named Winterbourne, traveling Europe and meeting another American named Daisy. Winterbourne becomes very fond of Daisy, but he isn't sure if she feels the same way about him. Written for entertainment, Henry tells the story of a young man and woman who become great friends. This book would be best for teenagers or adults who like stories about love and friendship.
One obvious theme in this book is love. In the beginning, Winterbourne has an immediate attraction to Daisy. However, he is not sure if she feels the same way about him. He later finds her with another man who she claims to be engaged to. Not sure if she is telling the truth or not, he decides to leave the matter alone and move on. Later, when Daisy dies, he finds out that she really did care about him.
This book is considered to be a narration. It tells the story of Winterbourne through a chronological series of events. It shows the reader how Winterbourne and Daisy meet, how they become close, and how Daisy ends up passing away. There are not a lot holes for the reader to fill in. They are told the whole story from beginning to end.
In my opinion, this book was just okay. It wasn't very exciting and didn't keep my attention very well. I had to really focus to understand what was going on. I wouldn't say this book was awful but I would not recommend it to anybody. Compared to other books written by Henry James, this was not one of his best works.
Being that this book is a ghost story, one of the most prevalent themes is that of ghosts. When the governess first arrives at Bly, she recalls hearing the faint “cry of a child” and the sound of “a light footstep” outside her door. As the story progresses, she begins to see a man and woman around the house. Although it is confirmed that the people see keeps seeing are dead, she makes a point to mention that they look very real and human like as opposed to looking ghostly.
This book would definitely be considered to be a description. It is explaining certain events that the narrator was told about. He is recalling what happened from a written journal left by the governess who had experienced these occurrences. The story he is reading has such great detail, that the reader can picture exactly what is happening and feel like they are there.
This book was very good. It kept you on the edge of your seat most of the time and made the reader want to keep reading. I liked how when I was reading it, I felt like I was right there, experiencing what was going on. It was unlike any book I have read before considering after reading it, I was sad it was over. It leaves the reader wanting more.
Daisy Miller is a short story written by Henry James. It follows a young American, named Winterbourne, traveling Europe and meeting another American named Daisy. Winterbourne becomes very fond of Daisy, but he isn't sure if she feels the same way about him. Written for entertainment, Henry tells the story of a young man and woman who become great friends. This book would be best for teenagers or adults who like stories about love and friendship.
One obvious theme in this book is love. In the beginning, Winterbourne has an immediate attraction to Daisy. However, he is not sure if she feels the same way about him. He later finds her with another man who she claims to be engaged to. Not sure if she is telling the truth or not, he decides to leave the matter alone and move on. Later, when Daisy dies, he finds out that she really did care about him.
This book is considered to be a narration. It tells the story of Winterbourne through a chronological series of events. It shows the reader how Winterbourne and Daisy meet, how they become close, and how Daisy ends up passing away. There are not a lot holes for the reader to fill in. They are told the whole story from beginning to end.
In my opinion, this book was just okay. It wasn't very exciting and didn't keep my attention very well. I had to really focus to understand what was going on. I wouldn't say this book was awful but I would not recommend it to anybody. Compared to other books written by Henry James, this was not one of his best works.
November 12, 2023
Antes de ler o livro eu já conhecia a história através de suas várias adaptações, mas a experiência de ler a obra foi extremamente perturbadora e conseguiu me surpreender. Já Daisy Miller foi uma obra que me pegou totalmente de surpresa já que o livro acaba e você se vê inicialmente perdido, pra depois pensar a respeito do poderia ou não ter acontecido e achei isso genial.
February 20, 2009
HARD book to get through. Numerous times I had read pages and could not remember what the point of those pages was. Even now, after just finishing the story I have no idea what the point of this book was about. I cannot summarize for another was the story was even about.
Read
August 27, 2018Daisy Miller was not bad, if glaringly outdated, but I really had to drag myself through The Turn of the Screw, which sucks because I was looking forward to that one. James’ writing is TOO extra. I feel like he was a real “well, actually” kind of guy.
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