Credit to Goodreads for alerting me to James by Percival Everett when it was featured in the new releases section back in March. And then I saw it several other places, with plenty of praise and positive reviews. I was hesitant to go for a reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain due to my own complicated feelings about that book, but clearly I moved past it decided to read it.
The Situation: Jim lives as a slave in Missouri, working for Miss Watson, where he also lives with his wife and daughter. When he overhears of a plan to be sold and separated from his family, he decides to take the risk of escaping on his own. When Huckleberry Finn, a young white boy in Miss Watson's care, decides to also run away and fakes his own death in order to avoid his abusive father, Jim finds himself with an unlikely, and somewhat troublesome, companion and partner. Jim cares for Huck and wants to keep him safe, but also knows that a dead white boy and a missing slave will make people assume the worst. But the unlikely pair set out down the Mississippi River, hoping to reach the Free States.
The Problem: Traveling down the Mississippi River is dangerous for many reasons. The water is treacherous, and travelers cannot risk being too visible. No one will believe that Jim is Huck's slave, since the young boy is still a minor, and Jim could easily be recaptured, sold by an enterprising stranger, or simply killed. The two of them come up against their share of troubles, including bad weather, snakes, the constant search for food, as well as other wanderers who do not have the same goal of wanting to set Jim free. And if that was not enough to deal with, Jim must constantly be sure to hide just how intelligent he really is, as well as what he knows about Huck.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel that is a reimagining of the Mark Twain classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but told from Jim's point of view. From the plot summary, it is pretty clear that the main story is more or less the same: Jim runs away, and Huck fakes his own death to get away from his father. Together, they make a trip down the Mississippi River that is full of adventures and mishaps. This story not only highlights Jim's intelligence, but also just how much those who are not slaves do not know or understand. The same intelligence and compassion that Jim must rely on in order to survive must also often be hidden, even from the little boy Jim has decided to protect.
My Verdict: I imagine that retellings and reimaginings are difficult to do, especially of incredibly well-known literary works of which almost everyone in the U.S. knows the general story, and many were assigned to read at some point (whether they actually read it is a different issue entirely). And this is not simply the original story, but told from Jim's point of view. The Jim in this book makes decisions, is incredibly intelligent, and must use what he knows to be true in order to survive this adventure. It is important for Jim to abide by certain rules from society in order to survive, but there are other rules - rules that he is attempting to teach his daughter - that slaves keep that others know nothing about. The sharp observations, wit, and dark humor set this book apart, and it also incredibly easy to read, despite its subject matter.
Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert (sort of)* The moment near the end of the book when I realized my least favorite part of Twain's novel has been left out. Readers will know it when they get to it...
Favorite Character: Just as with the original novel, I pick Huck. He has his faults, and is after all only a little boy who loves adventure. But he is loyal to those he sees as his friends, and often is smarter than many of the adults he encounters.
Recommended Reading: I recommend Tiffany D. Jackson's The Weight of Blood, a retelling of Stephen King's Carrie.
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