Scan barcode
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Slavery
Moderate: Child abuse
duarshe's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
So I've explained a lot of times my problems of speed and lack of attention span while reading classics, and that's the reason why I combine reading the book with listening to the audiobook. With The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn it was no different, but listening to the audio was not only a good idea because it helped me get through it faster, but also because it added to the experience of the Southern accent and the characters' sassiness and attitude. I loved Huck's coming-of-age story in this book and the climactic moment in which, by deciding to save Jim after he's been sold by the king, he is also deciding to choose his own personal values apart from the ones that his society has been telling him to be the correct ones. It is obvious that, while still being able to see past Jim's race and being loyal to him, there are many moments in which we still see present the racist prejudices of the time that have become intricate in the people of the period. Needless to say Jim has become one of my favourite characters of all time. He was both a fatherly figure and a friend to Huck, and his loyalty and love for him were constantly present from the beginning of their journey till the end (just as Huck growing love for him). And, even when Tom Sawyer made him waste his precious time to fulfill the kid's romantic and fantastical plans and schemes to help him escape, he was always an angel about it and even gave up the opportunity to be finally free to be able to save Tom's life. I swear Tom Sawyer had me at the edge of the sit every single page, that kid needs some serious reality check (although he was hilarious, I'll give him that). Literally, what do you mean he was free all along? Without a doubt, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn might be one of my favourites classics to date, which I actually didn't see coming.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Child abuse
emmacb's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A real adventure, I really enjoyed the parts where they were floating down the river as trying to imagine something so far out of my experience was a lot of fun. It was also an interesting peek into life at the time from an admittedly somewhat quirky kid's perspective!
However, the use of the n word was, once again, a LOT. I gave some serious thought to putting this book down but after reading about it a little I decided to finish it (mostly in private because I was terrified of someone reading it over my shoulder)!
One particularly interesting article mentioned how this book was both racist and anti-racist. Now the content is definitely pretty racist but at the time of it's writing it was controversial for being so 'abolitionist' which is one of the better demonstrations of 'context of the time it was written' I've seen.
That said, I think all the articles I read were by white people so need to try harder to find some own voices perspectives which may change my thoughts.
However, the use of the n word was, once again, a LOT. I gave some serious thought to putting this book down but after reading about it a little I decided to finish it (mostly in private because I was terrified of someone reading it over my shoulder)!
One particularly interesting article mentioned how this book was both racist and anti-racist. Now the content is definitely pretty racist but at the time of it's writing it was controversial for being so 'abolitionist' which is one of the better demonstrations of 'context of the time it was written' I've seen.
That said, I think all the articles I read were by white people so need to try harder to find some own voices perspectives which may change my thoughts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse
amalas_bookstop's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I enjoyed Hucks perspective just a little bit more than Tom’s, however the language was still hard for me to read. I am very glad I finished it, I won’t pick it up again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Child abuse, Racial slurs, and Slavery
Minor: Death of parent
thecriticalreader's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
I somehow made it through the American public school system and college without having The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as my assigned reading. I’ve never had a desire to read it, but I saw that Percival Everett recently came out with James, a reimagining of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. I thought I should read the source material it’s referencing before starting that book.
Now, I’m normally someone who vehemently defends classics against charges that they’re boring, but I have no defense for Huckleberry Finn. I found this to be an excruciating read. The plot is a bunch of episodic nonsense strung together with lies, incredibly unbelievable coincidences, and general shitty behavior. I didn’t like the characters or the satire. There were a lot of scenes I found to be straight-up unpleasant in their casual violence (also, lots of animal abuse!). Throughout most of the book, I liked Jim’s character and thought that he was actually supposed to be written to subvert racial stereotypes, but by the end, I realized that was just wishful thinking. The racism in this book is a product of its time, sure, but I think we’ve reached the point where we can let this book go as a beloved American classic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Slavery, Racial slurs, and Child abuse
reading_ladies_blog's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Racial slurs
kreglow's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Medical content, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, Deportation, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Child abuse, Classism, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, and Racism
sha's review
adventurous
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Slavery, Racial slurs, and Racism
singalana's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Aluksi irralliselta kokoelmalta sattumuksia vaikuttava romaani nivoutuu lopussa yhteen ehjäksi seikkailukertomukseksi, joka koskettaa monia yhteiskunnallisia teemoja, jotka ovat relevantteja yhä tänäkin päivänä.
Kirjan tapahtumat sijoittuvat noin parikymmentä vuotta ennen Yhdysvaltain sisällissotaa, jolloin orjuus oli voimissaan. Kirjan päähenkilö Huckleberry Finn on lähtöisin kurjista oloista, ja hänen isänsä on väkivaltainen alkoholisti. Kirjan alkupuolella neiti Watson yrittää sivistää Huckia, mutta poika ei sivistyksestä juuri piittaa. Hän karkaa lautalla alas Missisippijokea, seuranaan neiti Watsonin karannut orja Jim. Jim on taikauskoinen, mutta lojaali ystävä. Matkallaan Huck ja Jim kohtaavat huijareita ja epäoikeudenmukaisuutta, mutta myös ystävällisyyttä.
Huckleberry Finnin seikkailut on päältäpäin katsottuna seikkailu- ja veijariromaani, mutta sisimmässään kehitysromaani, joka kuvaa Huckin suhdetta “sivistyneeseen” yhteiskuntaan ja oikein tekemiseen. Yhteiskunnan lakien mukaan Huck tekee väärin auttaessaan Jimiä tämän pakomatkalla, mutta sisimmässään Huck tietää että Jim on hyvä ihminen, eikä halua saattaa tätä takaisin orjuuteen.
Mark Twainin kirjoitustyyli, etenkin repliikit, ovat usein pitkiä ja polveilevia. Hänen henkilöhahmonsa ovat monitahoisia ja mielenkiintoisia, sekä usein hyvin inhimillisiä kaikkine vikoineen. Kirjan kielenkäyttö ja asetelma tuntuu nykylukijasta rasistiselta, mutta täytyy muistaa että kirja on aikansa tuote, ja teoksen pohjavireenä on kuitenkin kritiikki vallitsevaa yhteiskuntajärjestystä kohtaan.
Huckleberry Finnin seikkailuja lukiessa voi aluksi erehtyä luulemaan tarinaa suoraviivaiseksi seikkailukertomukseksi, mutta mikäli keskittyy pintapuolisesti vain seikkailuaspektiin, jää paitsi Mark Twainin taitavasta yhteiskunnallisesta kritiikistä.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Slavery, Gun violence, Alcohol, Child abuse, Antisemitism, Racism, Alcoholism, and Death
selimhannah's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Child abuse, Racism, and Slavery