Everett takes an old classic from the shelf and dusts it off. He rebinds it with a razor-sharp eye on the horrors of slavery and life as a slave, of a grace and compassion that was sorely missing in Huckleberry Finn. He breathes life into James, turning him into a real person, with hopes, goals, loves and losses. He toys with racist attitudes, shows a duality to James: the performer and the performance, the dutiful intelligent family man and the character his oppressors want him to be. James does more than Tipp-Ex Huckleberry Finn of its problematic elements; it addresses them, flips them, examines them, and asks the reader important wider questions on the subject of racism and slavery, the boundaries of oppression. This is an important piece of work, with a lot to say. With James he has created an iconic character, polished from history's neglect. Percival Everett is a literary titan, and James only further cements his brilliance.

I devoured this book. It's heartwrenching, suspenseful and action packed. I've not read Huckleberry Finn but loved his naive and hopeful character. James is brilliant, brave, and tenacious in the face of adversity and the horrors of the slave trade. There were so many moments that made me sad and angry, there were moments that made me so frustrated that the world has learnt nothing from history. I loved this book, it's compelling, thought provoking and so well written. Highly, highly recommend.

“With my pencil, I wrote myself into being”… this is the story of Jim, an enslaved Black man who escapes on a home-made raft with a White boy called Huckleberry Finn after discovering he is to be sold and separated from his family. Told entirely from his point of view, we are shown a glimpse of what it must have been like to be a slave, of the constant dehumanisation and degradation, the way in which people were literally treated as livestock. The story of Huckleberry Finn’s adventures with the ever loyal, humble Jim who is easily fooled is well known, but this Jim is shrewd and intelligent, self-taught, and aware of how to play the ‘game’, subtly subverting expectations. As he grows more aware of the injustices in society, so does his sense of righteous anger. Surely this is a book that only Percival Everett could have written, with its use of the language used of its time that is now offensive and insulting? There were many moments that made me uncomfortable, that were painful and distressing to read. Yet, just like its origin book, it is also entertaining and warm, and we are invested in what will happen to James, and to Huck as well (a character trapped by his own circumstances). It is eye-opening, thought-provoking, one that makes you turn the pages, whilst making you angry and also sad, but always full of hope and the sense of progress. The last chapter had me inwardly cheering for James, and for the future that I wanted him to have. Taking a classic and making it something very special in its own right takes such skill, and it was so right that this was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

This is the book Percival Everett was put here to write. One of those rare authors, who never disappoints, this is his masterpiece. James brings to life the story of Jim, The escaped Slave from Huckleberry Finn. Mirroring most of the originals plot from Jim's perspective, this is more than just a retelling. It is a powerful, immersive and erudite novel. This is what fiction is meant to be and Everett understands this inherently. A story that you can't look away from and a story that forces you to think and keep thinking long after the last page. Filled with the authors brilliant signature of eviscerating humour and sometimes surreal writing, this is also a slight departure for Everett in that there is a strong thread of deep love that runs through the novel. It is very much a page turner in which you the reader will often be unable to turn the page because of the gravity of the subject but you do and in doing so experience a true work of brilliance along the way.

Pre-reading James, I was absolutely thrilled that Orbital had won the Booker. I still adore Orbital and think it a worthy winner… but god if any book could knock it from the top spot, it would be James! I just recently read The Trees (which I think’ll be my favourite book this year) so I was almost anxious to read James in case I didn’t love it as much. Stupid. James was beautiful and funny and utterly devastating, with some of the most compelling characters I’ve read in a long time. Everett is an extremely talented and VARIED writer, and now I can’t wait to read the rest of his works.