A review by booksrockcal
James by Percival Everett

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is a masterpiece. it 100% lives up to the hype that has surrounded it. I received this book through my subscription to Ann Patchett’s First Edition club and I read it for book club. I shouldn’t have waited for book club- it is so good  The book reimagines and retells the Huck Finn story from Jim- or James’s - viewpoint. It is not necessary to read or re read Huck Fin before reading this book although I did. This book is funny like Twain’s telling of the story- Twain used irony and satire to make people of his time question their views on slavery- Everett uses violence to demonstrate that slavery was a wrong and horrific system in every way. This book shows the sickeningly dreadful condition and system of slavery through its brutal effects on people and families- there is no sugar coating, there are no good masters and while there are moments of hilarity, they are overshadowed by the moments of terror, horror, dread, and fear that literally made me sick to my stomach. The book is at the same time beautifully written- I listened to a Libro FM audio and read the book alternatively and the narrator was terrific. A top 10 book of the year for sure.