This was my book group read for the summer and I read (or listened) to it during my book group holiday from our home in Belfast to the Isle of Wight. I listened on the flight over as well as on my two early morning runs that I did on the trip so that was fun!
This is a retelling of the Huckleberry Finn story but from the perspective of Jim the slave. I kind of remember the plot of Huck Finn (I should really have re-read it before tackling this), I’m sure I read it at school (a LONG time ago!!) and it’s one of those stories that is just out there in our western cultural heritage.
I found the book to be very emotive in many ways, for example reading about the way James schooled the other slaves to hide their intelligence and appear stupid and meek because if the white folks felt threatened by them they would treat them worse, and of course the violence and casual de-humanising that was almost normal.
There are many stories about the terrible atrocities of slavery and racism but it was still shocking and hard to read some of the scenes of brutality and callous treatment of people of colour by white people and even by people of African ancestry but with pale enough skin to pass as white.
I didn’t see the ending coming, although I should have looking back, which is the mark of a story very well told.
I really liked the narrator’s voice!
Sarah Wray Writer 