James

James by Percival Everett

James is inspired by The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It takes the viewpoint of the slave Jim, who flees his owners when he finds out he is to be sold and separated from his wife and daughter. Huck is also on the run, fleeing the return of his abusive father. Their stories intersect and the two form a bond, but we follow Jim’s journey rather than Huck’s.

We follow Jim, or James as he prefers to be called, through his ordeals as he seeks refuge and makes a plan to rescue his wife and child. These are dangerous times for African Americans in general, with slavery and the associated brutality and inequality common in many states. The Mississippi River is a constant in the story, both as a guiding landmark, a source of sustenance, a mode of travel and a fierce hazard. There is also the background of the coming Civil War between North and South.

James, unlike most of his contemporaries, can read and write, and when he obtains a pencil and steals a notebook from a captor, he begins to ‘write himself into being’ by noting down his story in his own words. He follows the stereotype of being ignorant and uneducated and speaks in the ‘language of oppression’, a southern form of pidgin, when talking to others as a way to remain inconspicuous and protect himself from retaliation. There are touches of dark humour throughout as James notes the irony of his situations, for example when he is bought by a traveling band of minstrels to act as a white man pretending to be black.

I have not read Huckleberry Finn, but I will check it out now to see the contrast between the two stories. I enjoyed this book for its sensitive and nuanced portrayal of this man’s life during this horrible time in history. There are a few unexpected twists in the story as well.

I’d recommend this book if you like historical fiction and stories of courage and survival. James’ story is one that should be told and read. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2024.

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Robyn