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A review by kestrel_of_the_pages
James by Percival Everett
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
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? No
5.0
How did I forget to review this last year??
One of my top reads for 2024, James is a cutting retelling of Huckleberry Finn that gives autonomy back to the enslaved characters originally shallowly depicted by Twain. I loved the attention being focused on James' tribulations and travels, which are arguably much higher stakes than the young runaway. The character portrayals stray far away from being caricatures, everyone having their share of traumatic and formative events. The settings feel naturally detailed, rather than labored over (comparing to overly detailed descriptions by GRR Martin), even a year later I can perfectly recall the feeling of the flood, the river boat, the chill of realization during times of betrayal.
Everett gives this story new life as a harrowing adventure full of poignant commentary on race, and the relation between social classes in the late 1800s US.
For bias clarity, I absolutely abhor, maybe even hate, Mark Twain.
One of my top reads for 2024, James is a cutting retelling of Huckleberry Finn that gives autonomy back to the enslaved characters originally shallowly depicted by Twain. I loved the attention being focused on James' tribulations and travels, which are arguably much higher stakes than the young runaway. The character portrayals stray far away from being caricatures, everyone having their share of traumatic and formative events. The settings feel naturally detailed, rather than labored over (comparing to overly detailed descriptions by GRR Martin), even a year later I can perfectly recall the feeling of the flood, the river boat, the chill of realization during times of betrayal.
Everett gives this story new life as a harrowing adventure full of poignant commentary on race, and the relation between social classes in the late 1800s US.
For bias clarity, I absolutely abhor, maybe even hate, Mark Twain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism