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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

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wickenden's review against another edition

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5.0

Wonderful language, wonderful dialog, full of my childhood.

kylehazelton's review against another edition

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3.0

Hemingway really liked this book, and I only gave it three stars. Hemingway would probably give it 5 stars, and I think there has been better books since this one.

Is it funny, sure.
Does it approach various topics with the candor and a wit of boy that don't get stung by bees, you betcha.
Did I get the version that is for a major fan of the book in which I felt compelled to look at every note, yes and the jury is still out on how Huck wrote the book though it was probably narrated to someone else who then wrote it down for him.

Strong takeaway is what superfan Ernie Hem already said about the book, you must stop where Jim is stolen from the boys. The rest is cheating.

I just read this to give James by Percival Everett some context.

sinta's review against another edition

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3.0

I understand why this is a Great American Novel TM. The vernacular, the picaresque adventurism, the presence of the Mississippi as a character in itself. The grappling with the contradictions and moralities of the time, despite Twain introducing the book with:

“PERSONS attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.”

As he said later in life, it becomes truly a battle between a good heart and an ill-trained conscience, where heart wins. I also laughed out loud a fair few times.

But then he has to go and bring Tom Sawyer back into it. I KNOW that a generous reading is that it is a self-reflexive jab at the adventurism and how it makes light of slavery and Jim’s humanity. But that feels awful generous. Especially for a man who fought for the Confederates for a bit of fun. But maybe he realised the error of his ways? Maybe…

seetasaur's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I appreciate this book much more as an adult than I did when I was 14. The social commentary throughout is much more interesting than Tom and Huck’s hijinks at the end.

ksraines217's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I remember loving this book when I read it in elementary school. While it was still a mostly fun read, I can identify issues as an adult that I couldn’t as a child. I’m glad to have reread it before I read James for my book club.