Author : Henry James
What is it about : A private tutor arrived at a stately manor, to provide tender loving care to a pair of impossibly adorable brother and sister, aged around eight to ten. She gradually realised that all was not well as aberrations, ghostly appearances and mysterious sightings were spotted throughout the grounds. Moreover, she discovered that the children-in-care actually were well aware of these horrid presence and that the housekeeper informed her these beings appeared to look like those of the late tutor and the male servant. The story came to an abrupt crescendo when the elder child died in her arms.
Some thoughts after having read the book : Henry James' book started the genre of : private tutor/nanny arrived at a remote home on a sunny day, seemingly innocent children welcomed their latest recruit, the tutor/nanny experienced abnormal situations, children turned nasty, tutor/nanny fought back and succumbed to unknown forces. James' narrative was full of suspense, edge and unexpected sudden turns of events. The masterful pen stroke right at the almost last sentence of the book was un-forgettable.
Would I recommend this book to you : Be very very patient, be prepared to skip the paragraphs of often cumbersome English (the style of the book or a sign of those times) but let the book take you through a chilling journey. One of the original and best in this genre.
