Read this immediately after reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Together they fulfil two prompts on my The 52 books Bookclub, of books set in the same universe with different perspectives. As I often do these days, I’m listening to the audiobook while following along digitally on my Kindle. I feel it helps me better retain what I read. The narrator, Dominic Hoffman was excellent and listening to the accents made the tale feel that much more authentic.

Once again, what struck me most was the importance Everett gave to ‘language’ - not just his own as author, but within the narrative, the language slaves use amongst themselves and when talking with white people. The latter he labels ‘Slave’ and it is designed to diminish and demean them in the eyes of their masters to safeguard themselves in what little ways they can against the constant abuse they live with. Apparently nothing scares the white man like a slave who can talk proper English as they do; proved later in the story by a conversation between James and Judge Thatcher. There’s a telling scene at the beginning of the book, in which James is teaching his daughter and her friends the ‘importance of language’ by having them translate sentences from ‘normal’ English to ‘Slave’. Everett uses the dialect Twain used, but the tone though superficially light has dark undercurrents.

The pacing was spot on as well, with the steady buildup of tension as the story progressed. It was fascinating to see how Everett wove his own tale using Twain’s narrative as a building block. So though the basic story remained the same, what was adventure in Huck Finn became a dark and disturbing tale of escape and survival. The encounters that felt light-hearted in Huck became terrifyingly real. The casual way in which abuse was portrayed was chilling. There is a haunting quality to Mr. Everett’s prose that sent chills down my spine even when the language on the page was not overtly violent. I was terrified to read on for fear of what may happen but compelled to read because I had to know. Rape, beatings, shootings, lynchings - all were mentioned with the terrible nonchalance with which they must have occurred at the time. No overtly dramatic prose - just cold, hard, heartbreaking words. Brilliant writing!

There is a singular matter-of-factness to Jim and his friend’s encounters with white adult males that is absolutely terrifying. The episodes with Daniel Emmett and the Duke and the King were particularly difficult. They laid bare the evil bones of slavery and what seemed relatively harmless from a child’s point of view in Huck Finn took on sinister and dangerous tones when seen from Jim’s. He is compelled to constantly conceal his intelligence, his rage, his desperation, his loneliness, his fear, his guilt and often his very humanity. He must by needs also keep a constant check on his tongue, his speech, his very thoughts - all of which is terrifying and humiliating but crucial for survival. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit that even in these harshest of circumstances there is a semblance of hope. There is a form of friendship even if it often feels transactional. Sammy, Young George, Norman - friends, of a kind, all of whom suffered much but helped when they could. Trust is rare and precious and Jim and his ilk have precious little of it and yet they persevere. With Huck, Jim shares a deeper bond, a smidgeon of ‘affection’ even, if one may call it that although there is an inherent and inevitable unpredictability too. They share what trust a young boy and a slave may share - fragile yet on occasion comforting - to us as readers and to them. Huck’s character isn’t very different from Twain’s original, except perhaps for less mischief. He is brave and loyal but inconsequential because he’s a child and doesn’t have many rights either although he isn’t classified as ‘property’.

There’s an interesting twist toward the end that changes everything for the reader but not much for the characters. The interactions between Huck and Jim in the aftermath of the revelation are singularly authentic. There is guilt and anger and distrust. How could there not be? Meanwhile, America is on the brink of civil war as Jim fights his own internal demons. Is murder an acceptable form of justice? Is it evil to end evil? In the journey from Jim to James, these are some of the questions he grapples with, but the times and the answers are at best ambiguous. Yet there is no ambiguity in the love he feels for his wife and daughter and his desperate attempts to find them. It is impossible for us humans untouched by the horrors of slavery to truly understand the darkness that enveloped James’ life and the lives of the thousands of slaves like him. The abuse and indignity that humans inflict upon one another are inconceivable. Our ability to choose evil is incomprehensible. And yet, somehow, here we are, still surviving. Perhaps there is a reason. Perhaps in time, it will be revealed.

This is a brilliant book. It is deep, dark and disturbing but brilliant. Reading it after reading Huck Finn considerably enhanced my reading experience. Dominic Hoffman further improved it with his brilliant narration. It moved and angered me and forced me to think. I loved the way Everett illustrated the power of words - how they can unite, divide and redeem. It has left me with a massive book hangover of the best sort. James as a character has left an indelible mark on my soul. What more could one want from a book? This one has become a new favourite. Highly Recommended ♥️

Just a few of my favourite quotes: