I'd heard rave reviews about this ... and I was easily caught up in it. It's one that I did as a quick pleasure read. I think if I was reading it for book club, or for school, it's one I'd take more time on, delve deeper. There's a lot there for discussion and consideration. I absolutely acknowledge that would likely bump it up. As is, I made some notes/highlights (there are many saved on GoodReads). It's definitely a book I'll remember reading. I reread Huck Finn just a couple years ago (an in-depth look, as I was helping my son with his school class). While I think someone COULD read this without having a knowledge of Huck Finn ... I think it's better with an understanding of the original. One can see the contrasts so much more. 

I went with the audio edition, and the narration was very good. It starts off with "The Notebook of Daniel Decatur Emmett" ... which are basically lyrics to songs. These are all "patter speak" in delivery. If reading, I'm pretty sure those preface pages would have been ones I'd just give a quick glance at, but not read word for word. In audio, it's said word for word, and it went on a little (a lot) long.  There was more singing (patter speak) later in the book. I think I would have enjoyed hearing it actually sung in the audiobook. 

Because I didn't read this for a class or book club ... I would have really appreciated some discussion questions included in the Kindle copy (I grabbed it as well as the audio, I like to have my books in both formats). I know I could likely find some online - I may have to look. Lots of discussion possibilities. Right in the second chapter, as Jim gives the children "language lessons" actually defining how they regularly talk to each other (more educated) and how they "slave talk" around the masters, referring to it as being bilingual, two separate languages, "translating" not just an accent or way of speaking.  "The more they choose to not want to listen, the more we can say to one another around them." Even today - I remember the Grey's Anatomy episode where Miranda teaches her son how to deal with a police encounter (don't talk back, make sure your hands are visible, etc). Some of the "don'ts" here in the language lessons (never speak first, don't make eye contact, let them name the trouble) "White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we don't dissapoint them." " ... the better they feel, the safer we are."

Of course black concerns are a major part of the book, here addressing the most simple idea of being in one place as slave, being a free man in another. The reasons WHY the North is against slavery "How much of the desire to end the institution was fueled by a need to quell and subdue white guilt and pain?"  The absurdity of the performances in blackface ... a black man pretending to be a white man pretending to be a black man (Victor/Victoria - a woman pretending to be a man posing as a female impersonator). The educated Jim who can read and write and has imaginary conversations with great authors ... "Which would frighten you more? A slave who is crazy or a slave who is sane and sees you clearly?"  "I had never seen a white man filled with such fear. The remarkable truth however, was that it was not the pistol, but my language, the fact that I didn't conform to his expectations, that I could read, that had so disturbed and frightened him."

Religion was another topic ... "There's religion but there's no God ... Religion is just a controlling tool they employ and adhere to when convenient."   Interesting thoughts on reading/writing as well ...

I'm not sure if I cared for the twist regarding Huck and Jim's relationship ... I don't remember much about Huck's mother to figure out how possible that could have been. 

There were three parts, with chronological chapters that restarted in each section. First person, Past tense.   No proFanity, but 69 uses of the N word.