The foundation of this book derives from Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer. Jim was a slave associated with both Tom and Huckleberry Finn. This book portrays Jim’s life from his point of view - a runaway slave seeking for a way to find his freedom around 1861.

The story begins with Jim chopping wood, stashing a bit away under his mistress’s porch to warm his family’s cabin. He learns that his mistress intends to see him down the river, taking him away from his family. Jim escapes by swimming to a nearby island and his life unravels from there. The book consists of a series of events as Jim moves down and back up the river, from community to community. Everett constructs each event to show the inhumanity showered upon slaves as well as the attitude of the slave toward their ignorant white masters from the slaves use of slave language to having a black man wear black face to sing in a minstrel show.

The story thrives on the irony of the events and situations. The lack of humanity is more than disturbing. A slave is lynched for stealing the stub of a pencil when slaves were not expected to read or write. As Jim transforms to James, his relationship with Huckleberry is clarified.

It is a small world, but some of the interactions seemed contrived - unreal twists of fate. But the book is certainly well written and provides a unique perspective on life.