The turn of the screw by Henry James. Retold by Pauline Frances
Fast Track Classics. Evans Publishing, 2009.
(Age 12-16) Recommended reading level 9-12. Pitched at Primary level
readers, this novella seeks to re-tell the ghost story of the same
title written by Henry James. This is not a story that is suited to
reworking as an abridged children's version as it is complex and
demands that the reader analyse the characters and events beyond the
textual narrative. Readers will want to know what is going on and why
things are happening. Most will not be capable of questioning the
faculties of the characters, pondering alternative motives or
appreciating the psychological manipulation that occurs within the
story. There is nothing improper for children in the text, however the
ambiguous nature of the recount and necessity for the reader to
interpret the events and decide for themselves what is happening make
it unsuitable for most children. The situation of a governess caring
for two young children in a large manor house, with only the company of
a housekeeper to help her deal with mysterious happenings may be
foreign and unappealing to children. This is because the setting is
simplistic, yet the events that unfold are extremely complex.
Contemporary readers will be confused by the absence of ghost story
elements that are familiar to them. Modern children may also be
completely bored by the twee conversational language and the unnamed
central character's ridiculously hysterical reactions to events which
are fairly benign compared with most plots. Being seemingly at odds
with existing engaging literature for young children, I considered that
the story may be intended as motivational material for reluctant or
struggling lower secondary readers. Despite being a classic tale, which
demands a more mature examination, it could still be considered
insulting to this audience because the frequent pictures are juvenile.
Few disinclined readers would be interested by the language, setting
and lack of clarity within this book and I find it hard to recommend.
Rob Welsh