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adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Slavery
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery
adventurous
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
I reread this book for the first time in years after reading James by Percival Everett. I was curious how the two books lined up, and couldn't recall after all this time what the major events were in Huckleberry Finn. I had completely forgotten the weird part at the end where Huck pretends to be Tom. I had also forgotten the sheer volume of times the n-word gets used. It was very unpleasant.
James is a book for adults. Huckleberry Finn is a book for children. Both wrestle with race in very different ways, but ultimately, Huckleberry Finn misses the mark badly. I prefer James for a number of reasons.
James is a book for adults. Huckleberry Finn is a book for children. Both wrestle with race in very different ways, but ultimately, Huckleberry Finn misses the mark badly. I prefer James for a number of reasons.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent
Minor: Toxic friendship
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My primary motivation for reading Huck Finn was because James has been one of my most anticipated books of 2024. I figured if I was going to ever pick up Huck Finn again, now was the time.
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I’m pretty sure this was summer reading homework in high school. Without any discussion, I’m not sure what I would have really gotten out of it at that point…probably nothing. I am really glad I chose to revisit it now, though!
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While you definitely don’t have to read Huck Finn prior to reading James, it has given me some context/insight that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. I also think the comparison between the two perspectives is extremely thought provoking and will lead to great discussion (especially for book clubs, buddy reads, etc).
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I was pleasantly surprised by the readability of Huck Finn. It reads like an adventure story, and yet, it explores some BIG themes—slavery, humanity, morality, religion, etc. I also love how this story is told through a (poor, uneducated) child’s eyes. The cruelty, ugliness, and hypocrisy of this time in our country’s history is glaring as Huck repeatedly questions and struggles to make sense of the world around him. All of the “good/moral” members of society condone slavery, and Huck grapples with what might be “wrong” with himself for seeing Jim’s humanity and wanting to help him. As an elementary teacher and a mom, I find this really fascinating! It is important to mention, of course, that Huck doesn’t always make mature choices and doesn’t always treat Jim with respect.
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There are some characters that I found pretty unlikeable and I questioned their purpose, but all in all, I’m glad I read this one and enjoyed it more than I thought I would!
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Check out what I'm reading next on Instagram @LeahsLitReview!
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I’m pretty sure this was summer reading homework in high school. Without any discussion, I’m not sure what I would have really gotten out of it at that point…probably nothing. I am really glad I chose to revisit it now, though!
•
While you definitely don’t have to read Huck Finn prior to reading James, it has given me some context/insight that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. I also think the comparison between the two perspectives is extremely thought provoking and will lead to great discussion (especially for book clubs, buddy reads, etc).
•
I was pleasantly surprised by the readability of Huck Finn. It reads like an adventure story, and yet, it explores some BIG themes—slavery, humanity, morality, religion, etc. I also love how this story is told through a (poor, uneducated) child’s eyes. The cruelty, ugliness, and hypocrisy of this time in our country’s history is glaring as Huck repeatedly questions and struggles to make sense of the world around him. All of the “good/moral” members of society condone slavery, and Huck grapples with what might be “wrong” with himself for seeing Jim’s humanity and wanting to help him. As an elementary teacher and a mom, I find this really fascinating! It is important to mention, of course, that Huck doesn’t always make mature choices and doesn’t always treat Jim with respect.
•
There are some characters that I found pretty unlikeable and I questioned their purpose, but all in all, I’m glad I read this one and enjoyed it more than I thought I would!
•
Check out what I'm reading next on Instagram @LeahsLitReview!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery
adventurous
funny
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Full of stereotypes and racist as hell, but looking past the time-specific problems the storytelling was actually pretty good and I even had fun at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
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
Of the few "Great American Novel" contendors I've sofar read, this is the weakest. It is, still a good book, however. The first two acts in particular are very tight; there's the conflict between Huck and attempts to 'sivilize' him, when sivilization really means adherence to the brutal southern slave society. This plays out until the end of the book, with all its spectacle, and critique of spectacle as a part of this violence, until Tom Sawyer leads us in the greatest spectacle of them all. This this third act is hard to read, infuriating at times; the book, so much about cruelty, makes Huck and Tom Jim's torturers. Especially when it is revealed that Jim has been free for the whole "adventure." This flip does make the whole book kind of ricochet back: Huck Finn the book is an adventure, and it is the spectacle it critiques so heavily. Where that leaves me, I'm not quite sure. I do know that this is an important book, and I believe pretty fervently that it is, despite some blunders, a pretty staunchly antiracist book as well. This is my third time reading it, first as an adult, and I have to say, it's enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence