Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - James

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James by Percival Everett

196 reviews

lizziesz's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I liked it overall, but a couple things stop me from giving it a higher rating. There is a lack of female characters, beyond characters that appear simply to get raped. I'm not sure the code switching resonated with me so much - Jim shouldn't have to be portrayed as highly intelligent to be worthy of basic respect, etc. I wish I had read Huck Finn more recently.

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craftyanty's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional 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? Yes

5.0

You know when someone is so good at what they do they just stand head and shoulders above the others? It's a level very few will reach though so many will spend their lives striving to come close. When you see that person in action, it feels like that person was just BORN to do the thing. Well, Percival Everett is that writer. This novel goes far beyond being a really good book. It is truly a work of art. There is so much nuance and depth to Everett's writing, but he manages to express it in a way that maintains a readability that all readers can enjoy. This is the kind of book one can reread many times over the course of a lifetime, finding something new to connect to each time. It deserves all the accolades it is receiving.

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mmartinko11's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

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

5.0

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seshat59's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

“After being cruel, the most notable white attribute was gullibility.”

James is every bit as profound and excellent as it is lauded in its blurb. While I haven’t read the original Mark Twain Huck Finn story (an oversight to be sure), I feel like I got all the best parts with none of the systemic, historic racism—with Everett’s unique spin on the story as well.

In James, we follow the perspective of Mark Twain’s “Big Jim”—really, James as he makes the choice to run away rather than be sold from his family. He reconnoiters with Huck when Huck fakes his own death at the same time (which is of course not auspicious at all to coincide with James’s runaway attempt). What follows is a journey along the upper Mississippi with and without Huck as James has his own adventures as a runaway, formerly enslaved person who only wants freedom for himself as well as his wife and daughter that he left behind.

The online, pathetic debate about books not being political is only asserted by the most idiotic of people. Anyone who reads this and does not see the oh-so-timely and prescient social commentary is delusional. At this unique time in American history, I found this helped me manage my grief, if only to commiserate with James’ bleak and appropriate estimation of white people.

This, again, was an excellent novel: complex and rife with analogies and metaphors. (I didn’t even address James’ internal debate with hypocritical Enlightenment philosophers!). All the stars.

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jilly1130's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional sad tense

Strong character development? Yes

3.75

Beautifully written, but hard to read.

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sandro_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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

4.5

I only have a passing memory of Huckleberry Finn which I wish I had reread prior to James to better see how they interconnect.

James deserves the praise heaped upon it. It’s just so clever in the way it spins a different take on the old South through familiar characters and how much of our history still reverberates today.

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kshertz's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging funny medium-paced

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

4.0

What a concept. Jim is actually James from Huck Finn and knows all about how to survive in this time of idiocy. The author’s conversation around society and their reverence of Huck Finn is evident. It’s smart, funny and serious all at the same time. I can’t say you enjoy reading it, but it deeply impacts you if you let it. I love the social commentary. An author who says the punchline before you even finish thinking of a possible joke. If Huck Finn is a book that has any relevance to you, it’s a must read.

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polo_g's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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fungirlreads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This was hard to read at times due to the subject matter. But it was an amazing story.

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hellokaley's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I can’t say I was surprised by this one because it is so highly regarded and rated, but it surprised me that I personally enjoyed it so much having only little remembrance of Huckleberry Finn. It’s been years since I have read it and I think a re-read before reading James might have made me enjoy my experience even more.

Overall, I thought this book was very good. It was written and executed well- I stayed very engaged through the whole story. It felt like a real page turner, which felt surprising for a story with such heavy content and themes.

I really liked Jim / James as a character and was on my feet cheering for him at the end.

Many parts of this story are hard to read, but overall I really enjoyed the adventure, the bravery, and camaraderie with James and the people he meets along the way. So glad I read it!

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