This is a rich and inventive book which goes far beyond a simple retelling of "Huckleberry Finn" from Jim's POV. This story winds through multiple generations of Jim's family as they tell and retell Jim's story, from the kidnapping of his enslaved wife and children, his voyage on the Mississippi, battles in the Civil War, and time spent as an agent of the Underground Railroad. Jim is the main character here, and his courage is front and center. His story is retold in scenes set in the 1930s, 1980s, and 2020s, as grandparents speak to grandchildren, show family photos, and stress the important of memory, retelling, and writing. History is not always told by the victors, Jim's great-great-great-grand daughter says, but by those who take the time to put pen to paper and record it.