James
| Industrial Age |
|---|
 James |
| Content Warning |
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| racial slurs, sexual assault, physical abuse, racism |
American History > Industrial Age > Slavery
"Genius"—The Atlantic • "A masterpiece that will help redefine one of the classics of American literature, while also being a major achievement on its own."—Chicago Tribune • "A provocative, enlightening literary work of art."—The Boston Globe • "Everett’s most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful."—The New York Times
When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.
While many narrative set pieces of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.
Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a “literary icon” (Oprah Daily), and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime, James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.
Emily's Review
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has always been one of my favorite classics, so I looked forward to reading James. Jim deservingly gets his own story, and I think Percival Everett has done him justice.
This book follows the same premise as Huck Finn, but we see everything through Jim's perspective this time. He finds out he's going to be sold, so he runs away to Jackson Island to hide until he can figure out what to do next. He runs into Huck, whom he feels protective of, and the two escape down the river.
Where Huck Finn feels light and often funny with an undercurrent of seriousness, this book takes a more somber tone. Much of the original's humor is lost, but to be fair, Jim doesn't have much to find amusing. But what we get instead is a richer story that is more thought-provoking. I would call this a reimagining rather than a retelling - the author acknowledges the source material, but then forges his own path. It's heartbreaking, honest, and beautifully written.
I recommend reading this alongside the original—I wish I'd done that! It would have been an even better reading experience if the original story had been fresh in my mind. However, you don't need to have read Huck Finn in order to enjoy this book.
Other Similar Books
Other suggestions on the subject of Escaped Slaves.
- Freewater (by: Luqman-Dawson, Amina, Antebellum South, Slavery, Maroon Community, Escaped Slaves, MG)
- Eliza's Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary (by: Nolen, Jerdine, Underground Railroad, Escaped Slaves, MG)
- The Underground Abductor (by: Hale, Nathan, Harriet Tubman, Underground Railroad, Escaped Slaves, MG, UMG)
- History Smashers: The Underground Railroad (by: Messner, Kate, Underground Railroad, Escaped Slaves, MG, UMG)
- The House is on Fire (by: Beanland, Rachel, Antebellum South, Disasters, Escaped Slaves, A)
- James (by: Everett, Percival, Antebellum South, Slavery, Escaped Slaves, A)