Amanda M. (tapcat16) reviewed on 8/31/2010 + 150 more book reviews

A gentleman tells the tale of a naive governess responsible for two young children who starts to see ghosts haunting them. But are there really ghosts or is the governess insane?

I almost gave up on this book due to how irritating I found the governess, but I'm glad I didn't. The ambiguous ending left me far more thrilled than most traditional ghost stories do. Additionally, once I realized James probably intentionally wrote the governess as an annoying result of the restrictive Victorian society, I developed a far greater appreciation for the tale. Once you know you're not necessarily supposed to sympathize with a character, they become far less annoying. I recommend it to those who enjoy ambiguous tales and Victorian settings, but if you're looking for a traditional ghost tale, look elsewhere.

Check out my full review.

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