22.3k reviews for:

James

Percival Everett

4.52 AVERAGE

jessicalh13's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lmckend's review against another edition

5.0

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My book of the year so far.

aliciae08's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous challenging hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This was a wonderfully written book with a plot twist I didn’t REALLY see coming. That said, it took me forever to get through. I think it just wasn’t a book for me.

amandacuff's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

elinkm's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mkxyy's review against another edition

3.25

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It’s a quick and fun read. Everett muses on the importance of language and the written word with the intriguing idea of slave code-switching. However, Everett’s writing is very mundane, making much of the novel fall flat. 

fev_'s review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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“Imagine it all as a state of war,” Locke said. “You have been conquered, and so as long as the war continues, you shall be a slave.”

“When does the war end?” I asked.

“Does it end? That’s the question. Who gets to say that it’s over? A war continues until the victor says it’s over.”

“If I am in a war, then I have the right to fight back. That follows, doesn’t it? I have a right, perhaps a duty, to kill my enemy.”

“Well, now.”

“My enemy is those who would kill me. Am I correct, John?”

“Well, now.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Murder

oef's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark 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: Complicated

stevinicole's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging hopeful sad tense

rachelhumphs's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes