Booker Prize review: Percival Everett’s ‘James’ is a caustic tale of America’s shape-shifting racism

Percival Everett is back on the Booker Prize shortlist with James. After the success of his 2022 Book Prize nominated The Trees and the 2023 Oscar-winning movie American Fiction based on his novel Erasure (2001), and Pan Macmillan’s specially-designed new editions of his old books, it looks like the Everett brand is finally getting its moment in the sun and is here to say.

Jim and Huck meet again

Everett’s novel James, an energetic retelling of Mark Twain’s biggest hit The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is his latest accomplishment. Keeping the adventurous spirits intact, James is told from Miss Watson’s slave Jim’s perspective who has fled home due to rumours of Watson selling him off and therefore separating him from his family. A short absence would allow Jim to get his affairs in order and free his wife and children from captivity. Meanwhile, Huck’s circumstances have not changed either – an abusive, alcoholic father has made home hell, making Huck flee to the wilderness. The joint absence of a black and white man is bad news. Huck suspects it while Jim knows it – it wouldn’t be long before Jim is accused of getting rid of Huck. If Jim is lucky, he’ll be spared a quick death for this supposed crime and if he’s not – which is more...

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