Operation Superhuman Reader: More of the Fantastic and McCarthy

The Turn of the Screw: Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism by Henry James


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book epitomizes the fantastic genre. Told from the personal narratives of a governess, The Turn of the Screw tells the story of a haunting. The governess—who is never actually named—is convinced that the ghosts of a former servant and a governess are trying to take the children. Throughout the book, you're never sure if there really are apparitions inhabiting the estate or if the governess is simply a victim of psychosis: there is evidence for both arguments. Henry James does an excellent job of maintaining suspense and telling you just enough to pique your interest but not enough to answer any of your questions. If you're looking for a classic, 19th-century ghost story, this is a great option!

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Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'll up it to three-and-a-half stars and maybe will give it a higher ranking once I discuss it more in class. This book was bloody. Very bloody. The violence isn't necessarily gratuitous, but it is plentiful. This book takes a look at raw evil and how it affects the coming-of-age of a character known only as "the kid." I don't really know how to respond to this book. I'm glad I'm reading it for a class where I can discuss it with other students, because otherwise I think I'd be lost. This book is often called McCarthy's masterpiece, and I'd like to gain a better understanding of why that is. This book is expertly written, but it's a book that I don't quite get yet.

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