We read The Turn of the Screw last October in honor of Halloween. My group praised this title for length, but found the writing a bit too stuffy for pleasure reading. I read this book in high school, but didn't really enjoy it until I read it last year.
Many of my group members had also read the book before, but I find that's not always a bad thing. After reading it, group members had collected ideas and anecdotes about the book over the years. When everyone came together, the discussion was rich with remembered essays, read-alikes, and interpretations they'd come across in their adult lives. I really enjoy discussing read-alikes at the end of our discussion sessions. We all leave with something to rent, research, or just plain Google Image Search.
Main topics we discussed:
- Was this all in the Governess' head? Why or why not?
- What role did the uncle play in the plot? Why was he so distant? What if he had been more present?
- Would this story work today?
- What factors in this piece contribute to the 'scariness'. Is it the idea of ghosts? The unknown? Being thought of as crazy?
- What outside factors contribute to the understanding of the plot? What was life like at that time? How isolated were they? What social expectations was each character under?
I would suggest this as a book club pick. Many of the 'scary' titles had already been reserved for other book clubs. We also shy away from genre fiction in my group, so anything too gory wouldn't have really fit with us. This was a sleeper hit, and an excellent way to enjoy the season without going overboard.
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