Reviews with content warning for Racism - James

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

James by Percival Everett

1087 reviews

cricket_strom's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

skitson's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

A gut-wrenching narrative from the perspective of a slave in Missouri during the 1860s. This story, as a retelling from Jim’s perspective of the tales of Huckleberry Finn, is so important in today’s world—we cannot forget the terrible history of the US and its slavery past, and we need stories that remind us of it so that we may never repeat those atrocities ever again. A powerful tale.

Content Warnings

kindheartedly's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark funny tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

sandysmith's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It was a difficult book to read due to the subject matter, American history, slavery, racism and the start of the civil war. The brutal actions of the slave masters beating, raping or hanging slaves because they can is sensitvely written but with no holding back. It's based on Huckleberry Fynn but told from the slave James perspective, with the white masters all calling him Jim. He is a runaway slave, accused of a murder he didn't commit. James is very intelligent and can read and write. The oppression and hardships of the slaves make this an uncomfortable but must-read book. It is so well written but accessible. Thought provoking and is a brilliant example of modern-day literature.

Content Warnings

prairiedogdale's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

scifiandgaultier's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Beautifully written with a captivating tone. Jim’s brilliance, attention to detail and perseverance lays the foundation for his journey towards autonomy and freedom. Heartbreaking yet hopeful. Now I need to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn...for the first time. 🫣🙃

Content Warnings

laurajordensharris's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

queen_of_hyperbole's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional funny reflective

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

jacquidb's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous challenging dark funny informative sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

twstdtink's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

As soon as I started James, I realized I had never actually read Huckleberry Finn, only Tom Sawyer. So I decided to read both James and Huckleberry Finn side by side, switching between them when their narratives overlapped. In the first half, this worked beautifully, with each filling in details the other only hinted at, adding depth to both. About halfway through, though, the stories diverged so much that they became entirely different stories. Huckleberry Finn is more nonsensical and whimsical, while James is more polished (by modern standards) and takes a more serious tone. The racism in both is jarring, written from the oppressor’s perspective in Huckleberry Finn and the victim’s in James, which makes it feel necessary in the latter and uncomfortable in the former. James is a worthy addendum to the classic and, in my opinion, should be required high school reading.

Content Warnings

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