📚 BOOK CLUB Book Review 📚
Title: James
Author: Percival Everett
Publisher: Double Day
Genre: Classic/HF/LF Retelling
Today is the day for @bookfriendsbookclub to finally discuss the book James. I read this one early thanks to a listener copy from @librofm + @prhaudio. Narrator Dominic Hoffman was fantastic. Normally I can read a book of this size in just a couple of hours, but this one I paced myself to fully appreciate it.
“If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not learning.”
Honestly, this review only needs a sentence or two. James is an absolute brilliant MASTERPIECE. I have no doubt that it will be a book of the year. I have now challenged myself to go back and read the rest of Percival Everett’s work. He’s a scholar, a gift and just amazing!
James is a retelling of Mark Twain’s The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. I love retellings! I love the creativity. This somehow took a book from the 1880’s and made it fresh and modern. THIS is the book that they should be teaching in school!
While you can certainly read this never having read Huck Finn (or get by with Sparknotes) I think it enhances the experience if you do. If you are unfamiliar, Huck Finn, was a narrative and story on race and slavery in that time of our country. It was told from the POV of a white boy, Huck. While, James is told from the POV of the slave, Jim, who actually goes by James. Who knew? Who knew he could read & write. He was a man that loved his family deeply and would do anything for them. His voice deserves to be told. This is the POV we need!
This is a book I am highly recommended, but I also think it’s the perfect book club pick. It’s going to be a strong conversation.
Timely. Important. Daring. Incredible. Powerful. Riveting. Inventive. Masterpiece. Just James.
Another book I needed all the copies of 🤣
You can purchase this book on Amazon or Bookshop.org
**The Orange cover is the UK version that I purchased from Blackwells.