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A review by ericaereads
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
slow-paced
2.5
2.5 stars rounded down for the virulent racism and glossy slavery. I do not understand how this book is considered to have abolitionist undertones when that is, like, demonstrably not the case.
Huck's musings on religion, the subtle class commentary, and the "Americana" feels gave it the half star. And, I admit, I did find Huck a compelling character (I spent most of the novel reading him as a trickster character until the last quarter when...Tom came onto the scene (and ruined any chance of me seeing this as an abolitionist text)). And Twain's prose is....Twain's prose. Not my favorite, but I understand why it makes all the elitist literature folks go, "Look! Look at this craft!"
Is this a meaningful "classical" text in 2024? I'm honestly not sure. And I even have the fancy degree and letters behind my name that say I know how to read books. Ultimately I ended this book frustrated, angry, and also going, "How the heck and why the heck was I assigned to read this back in high-school? Literally WTF?"
Huck's musings on religion, the subtle class commentary, and the "Americana" feels gave it the half star. And, I admit, I did find Huck a compelling character (I spent most of the novel reading him as a trickster character until the last quarter when...Tom came onto the scene (and ruined any chance of me seeing this as an abolitionist text)). And Twain's prose is....Twain's prose. Not my favorite, but I understand why it makes all the elitist literature folks go, "Look! Look at this craft!"
Is this a meaningful "classical" text in 2024? I'm honestly not sure. And I even have the fancy degree and letters behind my name that say I know how to read books. Ultimately I ended this book frustrated, angry, and also going, "How the heck and why the heck was I assigned to read this back in high-school? Literally WTF?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery