Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

James by Percival Everett

8 reviews

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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shoshin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

Satisfying yet realistic end for James/Jim. I want to go back and read Huckleberry Finn again now, which I haven't read in years, to see how the two books compare. I think they mostly line up in major plot points, but I want to check. 

The depiction of slavery was very realistic in ways that a lot of people are still unaware of, yet still sanitized because a great deal (but not all) of the violence takes place "off-screen."
The horrific abuse that Sadie likely suffered at the breeding farm, even in only two weeks, wasn't touched on at all, for example. Despite it showing in one instance how exactly so many slaves who were white could be born, it was still a very male-centric viewpoint.
It did an excellent job wrestling with the nature of race in a system where race determines every element of your life. 

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jeggert10's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging funny hopeful 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? No

5.0


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3littlewordz's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

FIVE STARS!!! This retelling of Huckleberry Finn from Jim's perspective was a masterpiece! Instant classic. Everett gave agency to the enslaved James (his chosen name) where the world pushed to strip it from him wherever possible. The story demonstrated the still very much current requirement to code-switch that so many Black people in America feel compelled to do. I never felt a need to re-read Huckleberry Finn but I know I'll revisit James again and again. 

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torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional 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? Yes

5.0


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jessiesnoww's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.25


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zsaleh's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense
  • 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


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franklola's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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