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paigeinabook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Gaslighting, Cursing, Child abuse, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexism, Slavery, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Trafficking, and Violence
honeyvee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
c_lizziebeth's review against another edition
1.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Racism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Physical abuse
emilayday's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Racial slurs and Violence
mmcloe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have a lot of respect for Twain's almost-anthropological approach to depicting dialect (though Jim's was way too over the top sometimes) and the odd little ins and outs of a rapidly shifting American society/understanding of childhood. I think this novel is a serious benchmark in ushering in of a new mode of American prose distinct from the high Romanticism of the books which came earlier.
Twain's attempt at being not racist towards Jim provides an incredibly illustrative example (intentional or otherwise) of how Blackness is (mis)represented through the narrative force of white writing. I'd be interested to see a novel written from Jim's perspective.
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Death and Violence
kelly_e's review against another edition
- 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
2.75
Author: Mark Twain
Genre: Classic
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: December 1884
T H R E E • W O R D S
Satiric • Mature • Colourful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Set in the South pre-civil war, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn tells the story of Huck Finn's escape from an abusive father struggling with alcoholism, and his adventurous travels down the Mississippi with runaway slave Jim. It explores themes of identity and race, of racism and freedom, of right and wrong.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I have a complicated relationship with classics, where I want to read them all, but rarely get much enjoyment out of them. It was time for me to give another classic a go, this time The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and the experience wasn't all that enjoyable. Oftentimes, I couldn't get passed a lot of the language, and some of the over-the-top scenes. I didn't find myself absorbed in the story and passages often felt long-winded and drawn out. I think it is safe to say classics are definitely not my jam, but chances are I'll continue to pick them up every so often.
What I will say is there is definitely value to this book in a historical context, making in an important book for readers. I am convinced my experience would have been different if this had been assigned reading to dissect and discuss, as opposed to picking it up for the simple pleasure of reading.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• classic lovers
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"I couldn't bear to think about it; and yet, somehow, I couldn't think about nothing else."
"If you tell the truth you do not need a good memory!"
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Slavery, Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Violence
Minor: Misogyny
neina's review against another edition
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
ivassavi's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Slavery and Racial slurs
Moderate: Violence