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audrey_clm 's review for:
James
by Percival Everett
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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:
No
I wasn't familiar with the story of Huckleberry Finn before wanting to pick up James so I wasn't sure what to expect. I ended up reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn first which I didn't particularly enjoy. As much as it is presented as an anti-slavery novel and it certainly was at the time it was published, I don't think it has aged very well in terms of how black people are portrayed, especially Jim (or James).
The way Everett managed to give James a voice was cleverly done and impactful. It completely changed the narrative from the original story in a good way. In Huck Finn, the slaves are portrayed as simple-minded but in James, we get to see them interact with each other in an intelligent way. It was so interesting to see how the same events can be perceived completely differently depending on seperate point of views. Language is depicted as an essential tool for James and the rest of the slaves in order to survive in a world where they are expected to speak and act a certain way. It gives them power to withhold their true selves from their oppressors.
The story diverges from the original one about halfway through and as much as I enjoyed how much more serious it gets, I thought that some elements were too far-fetched and different from Huck Finn so I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I did enjoy the darker turn of the story though. It was heartbreaking and difficult to read about but it portrayed the reality of slavery so well and I think it was very important that the novel wouldn't shy away from it.
Overall, I think this novel was absolutely brilliant. It was a very important take on a classic that still had some racist ideas. I don't think it's necessary to have read Huck Finn to enjoy James though, but it made my experience more engaging.
The way Everett managed to give James a voice was cleverly done and impactful. It completely changed the narrative from the original story in a good way. In Huck Finn, the slaves are portrayed as simple-minded but in James, we get to see them interact with each other in an intelligent way. It was so interesting to see how the same events can be perceived completely differently depending on seperate point of views. Language is depicted as an essential tool for James and the rest of the slaves in order to survive in a world where they are expected to speak and act a certain way. It gives them power to withhold their true selves from their oppressors.
The story diverges from the original one about halfway through and as much as I enjoyed how much more serious it gets, I thought that some elements were too far-fetched and different from Huck Finn so I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I did enjoy the darker turn of the story though. It was heartbreaking and difficult to read about but it portrayed the reality of slavery so well and I think it was very important that the novel wouldn't shy away from it.
Overall, I think this novel was absolutely brilliant. It was a very important take on a classic that still had some racist ideas. I don't think it's necessary to have read Huck Finn to enjoy James though, but it made my experience more engaging.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, Blood
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence