James by Percival Everett [ONLINE] - option 2

"A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, told from the enslaved Jim’s point of view...Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light." - Publisher's description

"Because this is a Percival Everett novel, it luxuriates in language...he is the code switcher’s code switcher...What sets James above Everett’s previous novels, as casually and caustically funny as many are, is that here the humanity is turned up — way up. This is Everett’s most thrilling novel." -NYT

"Everett provides what Twain could not: Jim's deep interior life. The entire story is narrated in his voice. Getting inside James's head is a remarkable experience." -NPR

From our Novel Lovers:

• Martha: "Much more than a retelling of Huck Finn from Jim’s perspective, it is a challenge and facedown of the most horrifying aspect of American history. Told with as much respect and admiration of Twain as condemnation of his era, Everett’s masterful storytelling is the star of the show. [I listened to] the audio version of the book immediately after reading. I’m not sure which experience was better, but both were breathtaking. Highly recommended."
• Dave: "The current practice looking back at history with our 21st century mindset is masterfully explored by Percival Everett. His themes are universal, his main character is admirable yet must project weakness, and the dialect twist is brilliant."
• Joan: "Brilliant. Although at first it feels predictable, it veers from the Huck Finn story and becomes quite another novel. The audiobook is fabulous, letting you read faster, because the parts in dialect are in your ears (easy to understand) instead of having to decipher them on the page. The narrator is Dominic Hoffman, who also superbly narrated Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and Deacon King Kong. He gives each character a distinctive voice, inflection, and rhythm."