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The Turn of the Screw

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The Turn of the Screw

By: Henry James
Narrated by: Emma Thompson, Richard Armitage - introduction
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About this listen

Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy winner Emma Thompson lends her immense talent and experienced voice to Henry James' Gothic ghost tale, The Turn of the Screw.

When a governess is hired to care for two children at a British country estate, she begins to sense an otherworldly presence around the grounds. Are they really ghosts she's seeing? Or is something far more sinister at work?

Having performed in films based on some of the greatest works in literature - including Sense and Sensibility, Howards End, Much Ado About Nothing, and Henry V - Thompson is no stranger to the classics, and she lends a graceful eloquence to this moody, macabre story. Joined by listener favorite Richard Armitage, who performs the prologue, Thompson reinvigorates this psychological thriller of life, death, evil, and the unknown.

Public Domain (P)2016 Audible, Inc. Classics Ghosts Gothic Horror Haunted Scary Fiction Paranormal Fantasy British Literature

Critic Reviews

"[Narrator] Emma Thompson gives the performance we expect from an Oscar winner. Most listeners don't think of Henry James as a passionate writer, but passion is there, and Thompson brings it out - and adds some of her own.... Thompson's reading will teach new listeners how to read the text - and perhaps James in general - and to understand why he's considered a genius." ( AudioFile)
All stars
Most relevant
Emma Thompson gave an amazing performance. I was enthralled by the dialogue and left deep in contemplation over the events that transpired in this book. Loved the use of an unreliable narrator.

Classic

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This was my first read/ listen of The Turn of the Screw and Emma Thompson's narration really made the story come to life.

Emma Thompson is perfection!

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No one wants to admit to being a Moron, but it was just too hard work for my brain. I understood the words and the story, but it was hard work. if your able to keep up with the story, then I would recommend this book. Interesting story and a great performances.

confusing rating

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Wonderful gothic story with superb performance from Emma Thompson. Loved every minute of the narration

Amazing

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The narration was excellent but the author, as always, finished weakly. It is always disappointing when a strong story has no real ending.

Typical James

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Enma Thomson's reading of this horror classic is possibly the best reading of a book I've ever had the pleasure to hear. Richard Armitage's narration at the beginning is also malifilous and intoxicating but it is Thompson who is something to behold.

A creepy tale told with flowing, languid prose that had this listener rapt and sighing with both the beauty of Jame's words and the horror of his story as with all the best horror tales this is left largely to your imagination and with that, there is no limit but the one you impose on yourself.

Thompson is Electrifying

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An expert rendering of a bizarre but extraordinarily gripping story. I am sure the ghost of Henry James loved it!

Emma Thompson brings a classic to life

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I really enjoyed this audiobook of James's novella. Emma Thompson gives a great reading in a very iconic voice, bringing all of the characters to life and adding the emotion required flawlessly. If you have never read this book before then this short audiobook is well worth listening to.

As a book from the late 19th century, it brings out the attitudes of the time. The class divides between The Governess and Mrs Grose, the illiterate assistant housekeeper. Throughout the book, The Governess treats her as one of the "simple folk". This acts as a timely reminder that the history we read and see is generally written about a very thin layer of society.

The interplay between The Governess and MIles, the 10-year-old boy and the oldest of her charges, is also intriguing. You can see the entrenched beliefs over gender roles and the continual playing for affection and the upper hand between the two of them.

There are several subplots running through the book. The child has been cast out of his school for some reason, and she is there to find out why and to fix the situation. The daughter, Flora, whose relationship with The Governess quickly goes downhill, and the ghosts that appear throughout the story.

Ultimately it's an ambiguous book where the reader is the one who makes up their own mind about the story. I really enjoyed this for a number of reasons, and will likely read it again in book form at some point in the future.

An outstanding performance by an iconic actor

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Emma Thompson did her best with an overdramatised story.
In my view, the ebb and flow was missing, therefore what should have been ghoulish, terrifying encounters lacked impact.
I’ve just finished Portrait of a Lady and the comparison could not be more stark.
I also think perhaps the author struggled with the female voice as narrator, although I am by no means a Henry James expert!

Disappointed

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Poor little Miles. Such a brave lad and companion. He was taken. We become what we fear most as Oscar Wilde said.

The monster

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