"An imaginative retelling of the American classic “Huckleberry Finn”, putting Jim, the runaway slave who travels with Huck, at the centre of the story."
It takes a brave writer to revisit a classic, it takes a genius to revisit the classic and write a novel that’s even better than the original.
That’s precisely what Percival Everett has done with James, an imaginative retelling of the American classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
In this updated story, which has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Jim is now James, as he writes his story with a purloined pencil. He can read and write, but hides it from Huck as they travel the Mississippi River.
Everett turns Huckleberry Finn on its head. In this version of the story, James is an adept code-switcher, speaking one way in front of white people and another when he’s with slaves. In a scene early in the book, James is seen schooling the slave children on use of a “slave filter” to make themselves sound inferior and keep themselves safe. It is only through the resourcefulness and intelligence of James that the pair survive their river journey.
Originally written by Mark Twain in 1884, Huckleberry Finn—a children’s book for adults, as Twain described it—sits firmly in the canon of American literature. It continues to be one of the most banned books in America for its use of racially-charged language, but has also drawn criticism for its portrayal of Jim.
Everett is now enjoying a huge winning streak. His last book,The Trees also was shortlisted for the Booker. Earlier this year, his novel Erasure was adapted into the Oscar-winning film, American Fiction. The accolades James is justly receiving is undoubtedly bringing his work to the attention of even more people.
It isn’t necessary to have read Huckleberry Finn to understand and enjoy James. But I would argue, in fact, that “James” is a far better book than its source material. It should join its inspiration on the list of classics in American literature.
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
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An enthralling and ferociously funny reimagining of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, told from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. Written by Booker Prize-shortlisted Percival Everett, his novel Erasure is now released as the critically acclaimed and Oscar-winning film American Fiction, and James is set to be the literary event of 2024.
The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson’s Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town. Thus begins a dangerous and transcendent journey by raft along the Mississippi River, towards the elusive promise of the free states and beyond. As James and Huck begin to navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise.
With rumours of a brewing war, James must face the burden he carries: the family he is desperate to protect and the constant lie he must live. And together, the unlikely pair must face the most dangerous odyssey of them all . . .
From the shadows of Huck Finn’s mischievous spirit, Jim emerges to reclaim his voice, defying the conventions that have consigned him to the margins.
James features in the following genres: Audiobooks of the Month, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Fiction, Fiction: narrative themes, Literary Fiction
James is available in Paperback, Hardback, Audiobook
James was written by Percival Everett and published by Mantle
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