Reviews

I last read Huckleberry Finn, what, more than thirty years ago (at what age does one usually read it in school, even?), and remember only the broadest of strokes, only the fuzziest of scenes. Like, the minstrel thing seems to ring a faint bell?

But that said, I recalled enough to see how masterfully this was retold, and I trust that every plot point was matched to a tee. This book was brilliant for the way it humanized Jim and the other enslaved, highlighting the ways Jim had to navigate the journey from a different perspective. Plus there's a little revenge satisfaction!

[I don't know about the implication that Huck is Jim's biological son, tho.

cassielaj's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is a bonafide masterpiece. Immediately an important piece of the American literary canon. Percival Everett takes one of the most famous books in American history and flips it on its head. He keeps the sense of adventure that audiences have loved in Huck Finn for many years while giving voice to a previously unheard character. The Jim/James that Everett introduces is intelligent, witty, curious, complex, emotional, and three-dimensional in a way that Mark Twain and his contemporaries never would’ve considered for a Black man. The characters he meets along his journey, Huck included, are fascinating and real, and his questions and insights about his life circumstances are sharp and poignant. I was riveted, and I’m going to be thinking about this one for a while.

Content Warnings