22.5k reviews for:

James

Percival Everett

4.52 AVERAGE

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

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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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery

Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape

indianagowland's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective 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

simonerr's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

monty2481's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

brigottabooty22's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional hopeful 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: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery

megankoenig's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark inspiring reflective 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

theklaw4490's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence

readswithfur's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous funny hopeful 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: Yes

megjenfor's review against another edition

5.0

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: No

karin_marcellina's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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