Henry James was one of the greatest literary figures of the 19th century and his works are considered mini masterpieces of the time. He was born in New York City into a wealthy and intellectual family. Young James was tutored in the many learning centers of Europe and also studied at the Harvard Law School for some time. But he liked his literary pursuits to the study of law. James preferred living in Europe than in America and even renounced his American Citizenship for its refusal to enter in to World War I. He was a regular contributor to literary magazines and started his first novel “Watch and Ward” in his early twenties. His masterpieces like “Daisy Miller” and “Portrait of a Lady” quickly followed. His protagonist are complex individuals battling personal and provincial prejudices and many a time bring about the complexities of American and European lives. Henry James died at the age of 65 and his ashes are interred at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The other house is a dark murder mystery by Henry james and a one of a the kind from his stable. James never wrote a dark tale again and none of his upright characters ever could commit murder. This tale of raw passion between three women and a man resulting in the death of a child is somewhat disturbing in its essence.
The tale starts with two houses separated by a river, one being East-Mead, presided by the matronly widow Mrs. Beever along with her slow witted son Paul, the other house is the Bounds where the newly wedded couple, Tony and Julia Bream live. Julia is often haunted by the abuse at the hands of her stepmother and dies while giving birth to her child. On her death bed she extracts a promise from Tony that he would never marry and give her daughter a stepmother. Tony in his grief promises and brings up Effie his daughter on his own.
Rose Armiage is Julia's childhood friend, who nurses a deep love for Tony. She views Effie an impediment for her goal as Tony is duty bound not to bring in a step mother. Tony loves Jean Martle a simple girl next door. She too returns his ardor and understand his predicament. Rose is engaged to Denis Vidal a energetic world traveler. She keeps Denis on tenterhooks, by not accepting or rejecting his proposals, trying to woo Tony for a commitment. Rose in love almost becomes deranged when she realizes the presence of Jean Martle in Tony's life and love turns into lunacy.
Rose drowns little Effie and tries to frame Jean for the act. But an alert doctor and couple of inquiries actually help others to zero in to the culprit. But here lies the agony and twist in the tale. Rose is sent away with Denis and everything is hushed up. Tony and Jean get to marry as the only obstacle in their way is removed by Rose.
This dark tale without a trace of justice for poor Effie is dreadful and scary. Rose's lunacy horrifies even the toughest of men and even Tony's sense of justice “Her doom will be to live” does not hold water. Sometimes the reader is forced to believe that Tony is relieved about the murder as no sense of attachment is shown towards the child. This book was also pillaged by the critics for tis lack of depth and lack of relationships. You can read it for once but there are better books written by Henry James.
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