The turn of the screw by Henry James

I didn’t like it much, honestly. First half was really really boring. A few people are talking about ghost stories, and a man promises to tell one, and he reads a manuscript written by a woman, a governess. She accepted the job to take care of the young nephew and niece of a rich man who had no interest in raising the children or in anything to do with them. She becomes friends with the housekeeper Mrs Grose, and is immediately charmed by little Flora. She’s surprised to receive a letter stating that the boy won’t be able to return to his school after summer vacation, but after meeting little Miles she blames the school because he seems to be as charming and adorable as Flora. Things get complicated when she sees a man first and then a woman, and talking to Mrs Grose she becomes convinced that she saw the ghosts of the previous governess Miss Jessel and of a man that used to work there. Mrs Grose describes him as a wicked man, and he and Miss Jessel had a sexual relationship, and now they’re both dead. 

She’s also sure that the children can see them too although they never say a word about it. She’s worried that the ghosts keep coming for them, that Quint wants Miles while Miss Jessel wants Flora. 

Things start moving a little in the last third of the book. Miles plays for her some mesmerizing music and she loses track of time or something, because all of a sudden she realizes she doesn’t know where Flora is, so she calls Mrs Grose and they run after her. She’s sure Flora has gone to meet Miss Jessel and sure enough they find her exactly where she knew she would be. When she sees Miss Jessel there she feels relieved thinking now Mrs Grose will see her too, but apparently the housekeeper doesn’t. They bring Flora home, and to keep her safe, away from the ghost, she tells Mrs Grose to take Flora to meet her uncle while she stays here with Miles. Somehow she thinks she has a greater chance to communicate with him. 

Now, the end is pretty strange, and I’m not sure what to think of it. She’s home talking to Miles when she sees the ghost of Quint at the window. She’s sure he’s there for Miles, and when the boy attempts to turn around and look at him, she keeps him still, looking at her, she hugs him saying that Quint will no longer have any control over him, that he’s free, and sure the ghost goes away, but then she realizes the boy is dead in her arms. 

The end. Just like that. How come the boy died? Why? What happened? Will the ghosts of Quint and Miss Jessel stick around any more? Will they try again with Flora? Nobody knows. This is how it ends. 

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