James is a great novel, easily the best I’ve read recently. For most, rewriting a tale from the perspective of a different character would be an academic exercise. For Everett, it’s a jumping off point for greatness. Everett has the special gift of being able to craft novels that are elegant, profound, and engrossing. Philosophical weight tends to slow a narrative down. But Everett’s books, at least the two I’ve read (this one and Erasure), are page turners. You can’t wait to see how they’ll work out. So, it can be done then, this combination. It’s just rare.
I think this novel would be good even for those unfamiliar with Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. For those familiar with that work, it’s an even richer experience, especially in the earlier parts of Everett’s novel, where the plot of its spiritual inspiration is more clearly and directly felt. From this point forward, any American literature professor worth their salt will be teaching James and Huck Finn as companion pieces.
There’s a lot I’d like to say about it. But the point of my review here is simply to note its excellence in hopes that you’ll read it. If you want to discuss it afterward, reach out.
By the way, I read the audiobook version, narrated by Dominic Hoffman. It’s excellent. I had started with the hardcopy but switched to the audiobook when it became available to me via Libby and the Fayetteville Public Library, both of which I am proud to support via my tax dollars.
This post is based upon my Goodreads review of James.