The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was one of my favourite books as a kid- I thought the characters were a lot more interesting than in Tom Sawyer, and the story a lot more exciting. As someone who’s not American, of course you miss out on a lot of the nuance ( Princess Weekes’ absolutely excellent video on this book should be made mandatory!). Over the last couple of years, I’ve read John Keene’s Çounternarratives’, that has a devastating short story from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved Black man who’s one of the protagonists, and this book is Percival Everett’s own take on the story, from Jim’s perspective. It doesn’t exactly follow the plot of the novel, which is a good thing because there were some parts that even as a child baffled me-for instance, where a lot of space is devoted to Tom’s plan to rescue Jim even though he knows he’s a free man. I hadn’t read any Everett before I read Érasure’and watched Ámerican Fiction’, which is a major lacuna in my reading I’m hoping to rectify this year. This book is a worthy corrective to Twain’s rather patronising depiction of Jim, as progressive as it was considered for his time. While one can’t call Shakespeare misogynistic for holding the views he seems to espouse through his plays, the context for a book a couple of centuries later, with an enslaved Black character, is very different. This is a difficult book to read, as it should be-the situation for Jim wasn’t as entertaining and adventurous as it was for Huck Finn.
This is a compelling, complicated book that’s very hard to review. Everett’s narrative choice and use of voice is very interesting, and weaves in code-switching very well-it might be called that now but changing your tone and way you speak depending on context is probably as old as language itself. You also get more backstory and more detailing of a lot of the incidents in the book-the bit involving the conmen calling themselves the Duke and the King is frightening in this book, and his descriptions of Jim’s trials after he and Huck get separated make for harrowing reading. It’s also very hard to read of the ever-present threat of sexual violence that Black women faced. The book doesn’t elide the horrible realities of the time with lapses into magical realism but it’s not all misery either, Everett’s very sardonic humour gets to shine through. If you’re thinking of reading one Booker-shortlisted book this year, make it this one and not the ultimate winner.

James is the NOVEL OF 2024 for me as it 's a brilliant novel, thought provoking, intriguing, entertaining and multilayered.
You cannot help feeling involved in a story that talks about the past and the presente, features great characters, and it's told by a master storyteller.
Go and read it, you're in for a treat.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Fascinating novel from one of my favourite authors; feel like there's more beneath the surface that it might seem. Full review below.

At the beginning of the novel, we see Jim, who has secretly learned to read and write, describing the concept of irony to his fellow slaves. We find irony playing out a lot in the novel, right from a black man and a white boy fleeing together for two different reasons and how they form a bond in the end. We encounter irony many times again in the singing troupe that enlists Jim and also when two white con men leech onto them. Another important ironic element is the paternal nature that Jim shows towards Huck, which I feel the writer spoiled by a twist in the tale.

I can absolutely see why James by Percival Everett was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. I haven’t read Huckleberry Finn. I know it’s a classic, but I still don’t feel a pressing need to read it - especially after reading this!

This is James’ story - the slave in Huckleberry Finn. When he finds out that he’s going to be sold to another owner and separated from his wife and daughter, James decides to hide out on a nearby island until he can work out what to do. But things go wrong, he ends up heading towards the free states with Huck Finn, gets separated - and let’s face it, a lot happens.

This made me laugh, worry a lot for James’ safety - I was well and truly captivated by the story. I’m pretty sure this will have filled in a lot of James’ story that’s left out in the original. White society is menacing and dangerous for James, and he’s constantly looking over his shoulder. They’re not bothered that he’s an intelligent, educated man.

I absolutely loved this, and I’ll be happy if it wins the Booker Prize (I could say that about most of the long list, never mind the shortlist!).
James deserves its success.

Exceptional, heart wrenching - a shoo in for this year's literary prizes.
Everett's reimagining of Slave Jim as the fully formed James struggling to maintain identity under enslavement, deeaminv of philosophers whilst he acts the backward illiterate because it makes tne white people feel safer, is exceptional. It is not fpr the faint hearted with the racist language, n- word, brutality that are part-nd-parcel of slavery.

James by Percival Everett

I don't know why it took me so long to get round to reading this one, particularly with all the great reviews I had seen. This Booker prize shortlisted novel did not disappoint. I flew through it in a couple of days and was completely invested in the fate of Jim, a slave, and Huck. It is horrifying and unsettling at times dealing but there is also humour. I highly recommend this one. I have only read 2 from the shortlist so far but I'd love to see this book win!

Thank you to negalleyuk, the publishers and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#Scottish reader #irishbookstagram #bookerprize2024

Percival Everett’s James is a stunning and bold reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, bringing Jim—now James—into the spotlight as a fully developed, complex character. Where Twain’s original treated Jim as secondary to Huck’s adventures, Everett shifts the narrative, offering a powerful critique of racism, slavery, and the historical silencing of Black voices. Through James’ journey to freedom, Everett highlights not only the brutality of slavery but also the resilience and determination of one man to reclaim his life and his story.

James is no longer the passive character from Twain’s tale. He’s sharp, philosophical, and determined, making his daring escape when he learns he’s about to be sold, risking everything to reunite with his family. His encounters with Huck and other characters, including con artists and minstrel performers, showcase both the absurdity and the cruelty of the world around him. The novel’s dark humor and biting satire add depth to its heavy themes.

However, while James is a profound retelling, it’s not without its flaws. Some readers may find the pacing a bit slow, especially during James’ philosophical musings, which sometimes distract from the more action-driven elements of the plot. Additionally, Everett doesn’t shy away from depicting the harsh realities of slavery, which can be difficult to read. But these moments are necessary, grounding the story in historical truth.

Ultimately, James is a profound meditation on freedom, identity, and survival. It’s a gripping, thought-provoking read that challenges readers to rethink a classic and confront the ongoing legacies of inequality. Perfect for fans of literary fiction and those looking for a fresh, powerful perspective on an American classic.

very clever - revealing dialogue and characterisations - playing with the cliches of slave/owner relations in ways we can recognise - while closely connecting with the black man suffering these complexities - sympathy for the boy, Huck, whose drunken father terrorises him; suspecting that a. driven coal-shoveler in a ship they hide out on is responding to an invisible 'master' or 'massa' - and then going to rescue of his family - harrowing life, and expertly, intelligently set out - I got irritated by cliches but that's my fault, I suspect - they were so obvious but then that's probably how it was - I galloped through - resisting the glowing responses of other readers to question some of the pedagogic interludes - to make this a proselytising novel rather than one wholly based on narrative (like it's hard to believe he could trace his family successfully and get them away - but I guess it must have happened sometimes ...it sure serves us to have a happy ending too). i haven't read 'Trees' yet but I will ... just to follow up on an intelligent writer who engages me so successfully.

Ad Pr-Product

James - Percival Everett

I absolutely loved The Trees when I read it earlier this year, so I knew James was going to be another excellent read. I was not disappointing, I will say I didn't love it as much as The Trees but that was a 10/10 read for me, so a difficult one to beet.

James is a retelling of the book Huckleberry Finn but from the view of enslaved Jim. I've never ready Huckleberry so I was going in slighly blind. Jim hears he is going to be sold to a new owner and seperated from his family forever, so he hides until he can formulate a plan. Whilst he does this Huck Finn fakes his own death to escape his abusive father. This begins their dangerous journey down the Mississippi River by raft, with moments of saviour, Jim being sold by others and death experiences for those they meet. However, as war starts to brew, James must face the reality of saving his family and revealing some truths to Huck.

I completely see why this book was nominated for the Booker this year. It is a horrifying, brilliant and funny book all at the same time. Very similar to The Trees, you don't know if the next chapter will terrify you or make you laugh. I cannot wait to dive into more of Everetts backlist.

A wonderful retelling of a classic.
The authors writing is truly beautiful and captivating, a story that is heartbreaking and inspiring and so so important.

A brilliant follow up publication after the success of the trees. Another portrayal of the hardships as a result of racism. There are a lot of trigger warnings - murder, rape, assault, basically all of the terrible things you can imagine. Jim is subjected to the lowest of human horrors just because the other people have more social power than him. Brilliantly written. This author is a gem

The book is a rewriting of Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” from the petspectivve of Jim, the enslaved person who travels down the Mississippi with Huck seeking his freedom after hearing he is to be sold.

And what a perspective it is, exploring race, class and slavery. The book doesn't shy away from depicting the brutality endured by enslaved people, the sexual abuses of women and young girls and the harsh punishments inflcted for minor offences

Everett takes Jim from a seemingly docile and intelligible slave, to the character James who is literate, clever and burning with rage but knows how to survive in cruel world of the antebellum South. Some of the standout scenes for me were Jim teaching young children Black speech as proper English would get them into trouble as white people expect slaves to be barely comprehensible.

Some scenes are hilariously funny but filled with such irony, none less than when James gets involved with travelling musicians performing "blackface" entertainment but he had to wear make-up and dress up as Black man as he wouldn't have been allowed in the auditorium if the audience knew he actually was Black!
I appreciated how Everett rewrites Judge Thatcher as a brutal character, while in Twain's version is the town 'nice-guy' hammering home that is no such thing as a nice slave owner.

I've seen some criticisms that the final art becomes Tarantino-esque but I felt it added urgency to the story and demonstrated the oppressed revolting against the system that shackled them down

This is an eye-opening novel that's deserving of all the praise it's receiving.. Highly recommend it!

Percival Everett is an auto buy and this book exactly proves why. A clever retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from a different perspective. This is a difficult job indeed but the author does it justice. I feel this book does a good job both with and without context of the original material. It is a well balanced read and is a top book for me.

Thank you Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

Having loved The Trees, I was eager to try Everett’s next book. I read James without having much prior knowledge of Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer and still got a lot from this. Folks who know more of Mark Twain’s writing will surely be able to recognise more of the detail and parody, but I would say it’s not essential to real Twain before picking up James. Cleverly satirical, but with heart - Everett has done it again. I think this will make a lot of peoples’ top reads of 24 lists.

I have never read Huckleberry Finn, and I think I would have enjoyed this book much more if I had. This book has its genesis in Twain’s 19th century novel, but this time written from the perspective of the slave Jim.
I would have found the novel quite simple had I not joined a buddy read hosted by @time4reading
The chat about the book definitely delved in deeper that I had seen, so it definitely added to the experience of reading it.
Unsurprisingly the novel addresses the way slaves were treated during this time, and we get to hear their perspective. It’s a good read, but as always with these type of rewrites/different perspectives, it’s hard not to question how accurate it can be for the time, and/or how much of the perspective is derived with the benefit and righteousness off hindsight.

A wonderful retelling of the classic Huckleberry Finn. told through the eyes of Jim a save about to be sold. Cleaver, heartfelt and honest.

Absolutely beautiful and touching story of James. I very much enjoyed this read as Everett balances humour and tragedy incredibly well. Everett educates the reader while absolutely not being on the nose. I can’t wait to read the whole backlist of this author.

I really enjoyed this, a great retelling of the well-known The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn but told from the perspective of Jim, the slave that originally accompanied Huck in Mark Twain's story. Jim is clever but chooses when to show it. It is a very interesting and thought-provoking tale about how people have treated each other. There are also some very funny moments which were well woven into included in an otherwise difficult storyline. Very emotional, highly recommend.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review it if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.