Review by lostgwennel - James

lostgwennel 's review for:

James by Percival Everett

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

How strange a world, how strange an existence, that one’s equal must argue for one’s equality, that one’s equal must hold a station that allows airing of that argument, that one cannot make that argument for oneself, that premises of said argument must be vetted by those equals who do not agree.

Well-crafted, intelligent, emotionally full, funny and satirical. It’s hard to put into words how cleverly Everett shows the injustices of a society that allows and is built on slavery - not just the abuse but the lack of dignity, even if a black person passes as white, even if they’re passing as white while pretending to be black to entertain white people, even if they escape to a free state, etc

It plays with language and code-switching in such a cool subversive way. And obviously the theme of writing, storytelling and names was powerful. I really really loved the relationship between James and Huck.

I didn’t feel any particular way about the plot twist, but it provided some commentary on racial identity that struck to the heart of the story.

Content Warnings