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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery
It pains me to give this the same rating as Adventures of Tom Sawyer, when it's so obviously the superior book. The thing is, though, the vastly superior book has been weighed down by adding some of the most ANNOYING characters known to man. There's a wonderful story in here, about an abused child and a runaway slave forming a real connection and both growing and changing as they explore the antebellum American South. Twain's writing is good, giving Huckleberry a real voice, and Huckleberry's moral development is just beautiful and subtle in the best way.
However. If I thought Tom Sawyer was obnoxious in his book, I now fucking HATE that kid. The last, like, quarter of the book is just a series of ways Tom Sawyer plays cruel, pointless pranks on the two main characters, whom the reader has grown to love and who we KNOW have been through enough shit already without this kid piling on more. I think one chapter of Tom Sawyer bullshit would've been more than sufficient to prove the point of "this privileged kid is a clueless pain in the ass", but it DRAGS ON for FUCKING FOREVER until you want to reach into the book and strangle him. And then there's the king and the duke, two characters who also far overstayed their welcome. They were fine at first, but I think they could've been around for one or two wacky hijinks and then left, please. I understand that Twain knew that these characters sucked, and that was part of the point, but it made the reading experience excruciating.
I do almost want to add back on that fourth star solely for the part where Huckleberry rips up the letter, though. And I've heard there's a book out there writing the story from Jim's perspective, and THAT sounds good, that's going on my TBR when I find it, because Jim clearly held hidden depths that you can see the corners of as an adult reader and it adds a lot to the book. (The part where he hides a spoiler-upsetting-thing from Huck and pretends to be fine to protect him? For example? And where he gives Huck a piece of his mind after Huck plays that prank on him? There's a lot going on that we don't see, and Twain shows a lot of restraint keeping it in the child perspective, but yes I'd love to read a Jim perspective).
However. If I thought Tom Sawyer was obnoxious in his book, I now fucking HATE that kid. The last, like, quarter of the book is just a series of ways Tom Sawyer plays cruel, pointless pranks on the two main characters, whom the reader has grown to love and who we KNOW have been through enough shit already without this kid piling on more. I think one chapter of Tom Sawyer bullshit would've been more than sufficient to prove the point of "this privileged kid is a clueless pain in the ass", but it DRAGS ON for FUCKING FOREVER until you want to reach into the book and strangle him. And then there's the king and the duke, two characters who also far overstayed their welcome. They were fine at first, but I think they could've been around for one or two wacky hijinks and then left, please. I understand that Twain knew that these characters sucked, and that was part of the point, but it made the reading experience excruciating.
I do almost want to add back on that fourth star solely for the part where Huckleberry rips up the letter, though. And I've heard there's a book out there writing the story from Jim's perspective, and THAT sounds good, that's going on my TBR when I find it, because Jim clearly held hidden depths that you can see the corners of as an adult reader and it adds a lot to the book. (The part where he hides a spoiler-upsetting-thing from Huck and pretends to be fine to protect him? For example? And where he gives Huck a piece of his mind after Huck plays that prank on him? There's a lot going on that we don't see, and Twain shows a lot of restraint keeping it in the child perspective, but yes I'd love to read a Jim perspective).
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Tom Sawyer is a better character, but refreshing my memory on Huck’s adventures was a good idea. I find I’m far more sympathetic to him as an adult than I ever was as a child.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It’s so meh
Hope Tom Sawyer is enjoying his adventure in hell (Not you, Huck. Never you, Huck).
adventurous
emotional
funny
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank goodness for audiobooks! I listened to the version read by Elijah Woods on Audible, and that's the only way this New England yankee could understand all the dialects! Interesting social commentary, great wit and humor at times, but in the end I wanted to punch Tom Sawyer in the face. Glad to check a classic off my reading list.