A Classic Couple: The Turn of the Screw and We Were Liars

In a past Top Ten Tuesday post I shared pairs of classic and contemporary novels that I saw parallels between. One of the spookiest pairs is Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw (1898) and E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars (2014). These books are take place in very different time periods, settings, and under unusual circumstances; however, there are nevertheless several interesting similarities between them.

Short Length || The Turn of the Screw is actually considered a novella and We Were Liars is only 240 pages long, making these perfect for when you need a quick read. It’s impressive how much of an impact these stories can leave in such a small number of pages.

Isolation || Both of these stories take place under circumstances that lack communication with others. In The Turn of the Screw, the new governess is told that she should not contact her employer (the uncle of the children she cares for). Isolation is much more physical for Cadence because she spends each summer on her family’s private island, disconnected from the mainland.  This separation from society allows unusual events to keep occurring without hindrances.

Suspense || These books are PAGE-TURNERS. I read We Were Liars in one sitting and The Turn of the Screw in two. Though the latter has a slower past, the question of what is going to happen next looms overhead the entire time you’re reading.

Ghosts || I’m not going to talk about this aspect in great detail because I don’t want to give away any huge spoilers. Though ghosts serve different functions in these stories, they’re nevertheless add fascinating twists.

Fantasy vs. Reality || What I love about these stories is that it’s often difficult to identify what is fantasy and what is reality. The distinction is fairly clear at the very end of We Were Liars, but I was still confused when I finished reading The Turn of the Screw. I feel as though part of Henry James’ goal in writing this novella is to blur the line between fact and fiction, forcing the reader to really pay attention to every little detail.

Shocking Endings || I never saw either of these endings coming! I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews of We Were Liars in which readers criticize the conclusion for being predictable and unoriginal, but I honestly never guessed what would happen. I think it has a lot to do with what other content you’ve been exposed to; for instance, if you’ve watched a movie with a similar ending before, then you’re more likely to have seen the ending of the book coming well in advance.

What are your thoughts on these books? Are there other books that share these similarities? Have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY