James

I was immediately interested in the idea of this book which reimagines Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim.

It's a similar story - it's adventures and friendship - but more brutal and with more awareness of cruelty.

The pacing was great and I was engrossed until the end.

Wow. War echt toll, und obwohl es - beim dem Thema nicht verwunderlich - teilweise sehr grausame Szenen gibt, fand ich es doch gut lesbar, teilweise sogar mit einem Augenzwinkern. Auch alle Fälle hat es mich sehr zum Nachdenken gebracht über Rassismus, Vorurteile und Unterdrückung und darüber, in was für eine priviligierten Situation ich mich doch befinde.

Ich finde übrigens nicht, dass man die Huckleberry Finn-Geschichten kennen muss, um das Buch zu verstehen, denn die Figur des Sklaven Jim bei Huckleberry Finn ist für mich nur der "Aufhänger", ich denke schon, dass man die Geschichte lesen kann, ohne Huckleberry Finn zu kennen.

Es gibt dem Buch aber natürlich eine zusätzliche Blickrichtung, wenn man die Huck Finn-Geschichte kennt und sieht, wie anders die Geschichte aus Jims Sicht zu erzählen wäre. Huck ist aber nicht die ganze Zeit dabei, die beiden werden etwa nach einem Drittel des Buches getrennt und finden dann erst gegen Ende wieder zusammen. Es gibt da dann auch ein "Geheimnis", das gelüftet wird - das hätte ich jetzt nicht unbedingt gebraucht.

Insgesamt hat mir das Buch aber sehr gefallen, ich vergebe gute 4 von 5 Sternen.

It was really good! It's a retelling of Huck Finn from the perspective of his slave "Jim", the titular James. Given this is the start of Black History Month, this seemed like a particularly timely book.

Slavery was imposed on foolish and wise alike. All that mattered was the color of someone's skin. James gives us a learned and wise slave's perspective on a classic of American literature. With his newly granted agency, he is able to change the course of the story, and reach ahead to our own time to offer vital critiques of our nation, which is still stained by these unforgivable crimes (among many others).

Amazing and harrowing. I haven't read Huckleberry Finn since I was a kid, and I honestly appreciated not having re-read it before jumping into Everett's reclamation. There is so much to talk about here on its own. From the commentary on marginalized language practices, the abominable history of slavery, to the subtle indication that the character James wrote the the actual book held by the reader. I strongly recommend this one.

Initially I wanted to describe this book as a rollercoaster but rollercoasters go up as well. This book is better described as a bungy jump into a coalmine. It starts gloomy and dives deeper and deeper into darkness. It really drives home the reality of slavery and how dehumanizing it is. The idea that slavery was "for some not that bad" is really not entertained here. Nor should it be. As Jim, the main character says: "The difference between a good and a bad master is how many strokes from the whip you get." The book draws some parallels between slavery and the situations current African Americans find themselves in. It shows how we got from then to now, as it were. It is a thrilling story with interesting character arcs. If you're white, like me, it is a bit uncomfortable too, and I like that.

The character of Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has deserved a book of his own since the original was written, and I'm glad Percival Everett was the one to write it. This retelling sticks closely to the events of TAHF for the first half of the book, and then diverges for a different storyline that gives James a more active role in what happens to him. That's fine with me. I want a retelling to add something new to the story I already know, and the story Everett tells allows James to reveal more of himself than he would if he were sitting chained up in a cabin trying to keep his temper with Tom Sawyer.

The changed storyline also allows for some pointed conversations between Huck and James about fatherhood, friendship, slavery, and what it means to be a Black person in the US at the time the story takes place (and by extension, today). Having re-read TAHF in preparation for reading this book, I'm so glad this book was written. The relationship between James and Huck needed explication, as James needed character development, and this book provides it in a very moving way.

A retelling, or perhaps a reimagining rather, of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man that joins Huck for a portion of his adventure.

I really enjoyed this. The book is well-written, and James, in particular, is an agonisingly well-drawn character. The final lines gave me the good kind of chills. Read it, it's very good.

4.5 stars. It's a powerful reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn told from Jim's perspective. Although it's harrowing and at times brutal, somehow there is a fair amount of humor. There are great observations about language and also navigating the world of white people. It really highlights the outrageousness of white supremacy.

Some novels grab you immediately and refuse to let you go until you have read through to the last page. James is such a novel. It's brilliant, astonishing, and packs an emotional wallop. I haven't read Huckleberry Finn in over 30 years, so I have no idea how closely Everett tracked to that book -- but it is irrelevant. As a sharp, funny, heartbreaking examination of slavery and life in nineteenth century America, James stands on its own, whether you have read Huckleberry Finn or not.