I had never read this one and found it worthwhile, if mostly because of its place in American literature.
Not a favorite, and there were plenty parts where I just blew through it. But entertaining.
A sequel to Twain's novel Tom Sawyer (also never read by me); Huck has some money, is living with an aunt, runs into problems with his alcoholic father. Escapes the father by faking his own murder and getting to an island in the river. A slave named Jim (familiar to Huck) escapes upon hearing of a plan to sell him downriver, is thought to have murdered Huck, escapes to the same island. They meet up and decide to head downriver to Cairo, from which they will get Jim to a free state.
But they sail past Cairo in foggy conditions. Keep heading south, which is risky. Encounter the King and the Duke - a couple grifters preying on river towns - Twain spends quite a bit of time with those two. Jim eventually is captured and held for return to his owner.
Huck ends up with Tom Sawyer's relatives somewhere pretty far south; then Tom shows up; they work out an elaborate plan to free Jim. All ends well.
Twain clearly knew the river; antebellum South descriptions are good; it's a useful way to think about slavery.
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