Percival Everett reimagines—no, inverts-- the classic saga of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that resides in every American’s consciousness. Huck Finn and enslaved Jim’s adventures have been in print for 140 years. If you didn’t read it in American schools, you’ve likely still been affected by its content. Everett reappropriates that story, turns it upside down and inside out, and leans formidably forward by making this a story and POV of Jim, with Huck at his side. I am in awe and in thorough admiration of Percival Everett’s skills and fierce talent. My personal favorites, The Trees (shortlisted for Booker in 2022), and Telephone (a finalist for the Pulitzer in 2021) combine laconic protagonists, subversive wit, and tragic events. In James, he has made Twain’s classic his own historical fiction, and I applaud it as the contemporary bookend of Twain’s classic. He improves upon it by giving Jim agency. I predict that they will be teaching both books side by side in the coming years. “White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we don’t disappoint them…The only ones who suffer when they are made to feel inferior is us.” This is Jim, teaching his daughter and other enslaved children a lesson in coded speech. Although they speak eloquently amongst themselves, they communicate submissively to the white folks, which enhances their survival in a world where they are nothing but chattel. It also illuminates their intelligence as they hide (linguistically) in broad daylight from their ignorant “massas.” Additionally, the enslaved people pretend that God and Jesus are primary in their lives, when in actuality, as Jim states, regarding white folks, “religion is just a controlling tool they employ and adhere to when convenient.” If there really was a God and a Jesus, why would they allow white people to enslave Black people? Is this the kind of world that any God intended? As in Twain’s original, Jim and Huck run off together from Hannibal, Missouri and ride the Mississippi River, beginning in a raft. The main plotline of the original text is captured, but comically and dramatically turned on its head. Jim leads a double life—one that he owns, and one that meets white people’s expectations. In fact, there are those that are more threatened by a Black man with eloquence than they are by a Black man with a pistol. Intelligence is Jim’s stunning subterfuge. He has a rich interior life, and in dreams, he debates slavery and philosophy with the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, and John Locke. As an autodidact who enriched himself in Judge Thatcher’s library, Jim spends stealth nights in there poring over the judge’s books. His quick wit, thoughtful compassion, and deep humanity also become his ammunition in a hostile world. As the plot progresses, Jim and Huck grow closer, and more revelations are gradually disclosed. The major twist is foreshadowed early on, so it doesn’t come out of nowhere, and it changes the complexion of the story. As others have already noted, this is the novel that Everett was born to write. In his hands, his heart.

A brilliant retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but from Jim’s perspective. I love how it stays connected to the original book while giving us a completely new way to see the story. It feels so current and relevant, making you think about history in a fresh way and how much it’s true till today. The writing is smart and engaging, and just when you think you know what’s coming, it surprises you. This book is powerful, thought-provoking, well written and a must-read for anyone who loves classic stories told from a new perspective.

Pros: This book is a great twist on the classic book of Tom Sawyer. I can’t remember the last time I laughed out reading. Fantastic story with a lot of the classic characters you’ll remember. I might take like 20 minutes and read the cliff notes of the base novel. Not necessary but will help. Thoroughly enjoyed the read. Cons: I don’t know if it’s a con, but more of personal preference - the n-word is used ALOT. I understand it’s historically accurate for that time, but it was used probably once every 1-2 pages. It’s a word I have separated myself from, so reading it that many was a bit jarring and uncomfortable at times. Potentially the authors intention…but even then did sit well. Again, just my preference.

This book was a good but very hard read. The storyline was one that keeps you turning pages but it wasn't something that I'd choose to read on my own. I read it with my alumni book club. The story was engaging and very realistic (almost too realistic). I've never read Huckleberry Finn so I had nothing to compare it to. The author did a great job telling our history and I'd suggest that anyone read it if they want to learn more about slavery.

It's been decades since I've read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Reading this POV from James (Jim) brought most of it back to me. This is no adventure, it's survival. I was bouncing between anger and hopefulness the whole time I was reading. Truly, I gave myself a headache after reading certain scenes. This story stays true to the original, but gives you Jim's full story. He wasn't just a slave, he was a smart and canny slave. I admired his feats throughout and even felt his sadness when things went south. Over the years I have begun to not like reading slave narratives. The cruelty was just too much to retain, but I'm slowly coming back to reading these stories because WHY NOT. I highly recommend this gem of a book.

This is a nonstop read. Heartbreaking yet spellbinding with imagery and unbelievably rich in a reframing of history. I felt like I was there and at the same time didn’t want to be. It gives voice to so much past evil and oppression. You can’t help but route for James and every black man who was ever a slave and suffered as he did. Injustices continue and it’s a blatant reminder of where we’ve been but how far we still need to go. I read this book on Kindle but it’s one book I want to own and reread over and over. Definitely a must have classic of it’s own.

I read James with interest being interested in history and human nature. It's a fictionalized story, yet truthfully describes the terrors and injustice experienced by a black slave prior to the Civil War. A fairly accurate description of any situation where slavery exist no matter the color of ones skin or the time period in history. The reader is drawn into the raw reality of what injustices & the suppression that where imposed throughout history, not only here in the United States but world wide with slavery and the belief that these individuals were property rather than a person's equal, as a human being. It is a story of survival and determination of one man's life as a slave and the cruelty of those believing they were rightfully entitled to own/control/discard another human being. It's a good read!

Excellently written, both as exciting as an adventure story and as chilling and disturbing as a slave narrative. Highly recommendable.

A quick read when you do nothing else! But a great read as well❤️❤️❤️ Will highly recommend this book to all😘

I first heard of Percival Everett when previews started coming out of American Fiction, the film based on Everett’s Erasure. About that time, I also started noticing adverts for James, his new reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man with whom Finn runs away. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. ‘Enjoy’ feels like a strange word to use for a book that focuses on such a dark side of human history, but Everett is clearly a master of his art. The focus on the use of language is excellent. Everett positions well the dichotomy between how enslaved people spoke with each other and how they spoke with the white men and women who purported to own them. In speaking with white people, they protected themselves by attempting to appear as they were perceived—simple, lacking intelligence. But in private, they were truly themselves, discussing life, love, politics, philosophy, and everything in between. There are some excellent scenes, which have garnered much attention, where James meets with philosophers of old in his dreams. An avid reader, sneaking into his master’s library at night, in states of delirium he discusses the ethics of slavery with several of the European philosophers who had pontificated on the subject. There Everett explores the complexity of the arguments for and against slavery, showing how even those Europeans who were against slavery still had complex and often problematic views. This kind of sequence could have been gimmicky, but Everett pulls it off well. He never lingers too long, and doesn’t lean into it too hard, which is to the book’s benefit. Though, confessedly, I don’t know Huckleberry Finn well, where I understand James diverges from its source material is where I think it is at its strongest. There are times where Finn and James are separated, and this gives Everett the freedom to explore more deeply the themes of justice and the experience of enslavement. Overall, I rate this book very highly. It tackles a difficult topic in a novel and compelling way; and those who read Huckleberry Finn at school would do well to read this as a companion.

There are a couple of premises in the book that were interesting. One in particular at the start and another at the end. Definitely a good read.

Play Video Book well-wrapped and well-received. Thanks and looking forward to read.