Reviews with content warning for Fire/Fire injury - James

I loved this book, and was immersed the entire way, rooting for James as the true hero in a world imagined by Mark Twain, perfected by Percival Everett.

There's so much depth beyond the adventure, and so much that needed to be said from the other side of the story. Most haunting to me was the reality of being chained without the chain, always existing within context of White slavers, named by them, tortured by them, unable to take steps without them. The contrast between James and Huckleberry, a child who has more power than a grown man, was devastating. The symbolism of a pencil and paper, the sacrifice that comes with having a voice, made me emotional.

This is set to be a modern classic, and I hope you read this for the beautiful storytelling, and the focus on Black history and the evils of slavery.

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rkibler24's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This was a wonderful retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of James (We know him as Jim). The narrator for the audio version was fantastic. I listened mostly in the car and never wanted to get to my destination! This is a difficult book to read on account of all the details about the treatment of slaves, however, it is a masterpiece of storytelling and a book everyone should read!

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amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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rascali's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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tea_time's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This was my first Percival Everett book and I was absolutely blown away! This story was tragic, action-packed, funny, and redemptive all at the same time and it's hard to put into words how I felt about as I was reading it. I think it will have to sit with me for awhile. I will say that I believe it's a book that everyone needs to experience.

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