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A review by trilobiter
Ghost Stories by Henry James
4.0
If this review were solely for The Turn of the Screw, I would definitely be giving it more stars: it is by far one of the best executed, creepiest stories of its kind that I have ever read. Most of the stories in this collection are similarly clever, well-executed, and even a little scary, but few can match Screw in quality scares. And then there are a few that seem like missed opportunities, failing to make any kind of impression amongst the better tales. I enjoyed The Ghostly Rental, in particular, for its interesting twist on the haunted house concept.
I was concerned after reading the included forewords by James, finding his style to be dense and uninteresting. The flow of his actual stories, however, is generally much more gripping. At his best, James conveys the disorientation of occult encounters, and the paralyzing fear of facing the unknown, with remarkable feeling.
This is not an important factor in my review, but I found some mildly amusing typos on the spine and back cover of the book. The book also includes a section of notes explaining certain archaic terms and cultural references, but I found it to be less comprehensive and helpful than similar sections in other books of this type. So perhaps it's not the most high-end of productions; it's still worth a read for fans of ghost stories.
I was concerned after reading the included forewords by James, finding his style to be dense and uninteresting. The flow of his actual stories, however, is generally much more gripping. At his best, James conveys the disorientation of occult encounters, and the paralyzing fear of facing the unknown, with remarkable feeling.
This is not an important factor in my review, but I found some mildly amusing typos on the spine and back cover of the book. The book also includes a section of notes explaining certain archaic terms and cultural references, but I found it to be less comprehensive and helpful than similar sections in other books of this type. So perhaps it's not the most high-end of productions; it's still worth a read for fans of ghost stories.