Blackwater, Part V: The Fortune

The Caskey family saga is nearing its conclusion, as we take a look at the fifth book in this horror tale set in the backwater town of Perdido, Alabama...

The Fortune picks up right where the previous story ended.  James Caskey is dead, and while he was never a strong man, never one to really take the reigns of the family after the death of Mary-Love, he was most certainly loved by all of the Caskeys - and so his passing is a major loss for the family.  Author Michael McDowell continues to build on the undercurrent of terror that has been the backdrop of this series since the first book, when Oscar first discovered Elinor during the flood.  In the beginning, the terrors lurking beneath the surface were only hinted at, as readers knew there was something different about Elinor and that the Perdido River hid something very sinister that made the parents keep their kids away from the rushing waters.  With each passing book in this series, the horrors have become more defined and more real, and the revelations regarding just who, or rather what, Elinor is has become plain.  And the fact that Elinor has passed on those terrifying genes to her younger child, Frances, was revealed in the previous book, The War.  And now, with the Great War coming to a close, the Caskey family is about to find their lives are changed yet again - but whether it's for the better or for worse remains to be seen.

McDowell has created such a diverse cast of characters for this series, and in this book, they each have a chance to truly shine with those differences.  Queenie, who has lived most of her life poor, finds herself welcomed into the family and is allowed to remain in James' home, where she had been staying as his companion.  Grace and Lucille has established a comfortable life for themselves across the border in the Florida panhandle, raising young Tommy Lee together.  Miriam has firmly established herself as the head of the Caskey lumber company, having taken complete charge, while her father, Oscar, does less and less to the point where he finally retires from the family business.  Sister is still insistent that she does not want to ever see Early Haskew again, and after a fall down the stairs, decides to make herself a bed-ridden invalid that can never return to married life again.  Danjo has moved off to Germany, where he lives with his wife, Fredericka.  And Malcolm - well, Queenie has resolved herself to the fact that he son was likely killed in the war, since she hasn't heard from him in years.  And then there's Frances.  Despite her fear over what happens whenever she goes in the water, she has found happiness in her marriage to Billy Bronze - but that happiness quickly turns to fear when she finds out that she is pregnant!  Will her child turn out to possess the same ability to change form that she inherited from her own mother, Elinor?  Well, it turns out she is actually pregnant with twins, and when her mother helps her actually look insider herself to communicate with her soon-to-be-born babies, she finds out the awful truth!

The title of the book refers to more than just the Caskews' current financial status.  They have always had money, and they have always found the means of making more money.  But Miriam realizes with the war ending, they will need to go back to producing for more than just the military.  With the help of her brother-in-law, Billy, she soon finds herself investing in another venture - oil!  Yes, you read that right.  It seems that the swamp land that surrounds Grace and Lucille's farm in Florida hides an enormous amount of the black gold - a face that Elinor conveniently reveals after she buys up all of that land and places it in equal shares among the family members.  No one ever really asks how Elinor is so sure there is oil there, but if there's one thing Miriam has learned over the years: she may never really have her mother's love, but she will always have her mother's truth - and if her mother says there is oil there, then she can be sure there is oil there.  And there is!  More oil than just one well could possible handle.  The Caskews suddenly find themselves overflowing with more money than they could ever possibly spend, including Queenie, who is unable to even fathom the amount of wealth that she now possesses.  With Billy expertly handling the family finances, and Miriam handling the business end of things, it seems life is perfect for the Caskews.  But with fortune, there is always a price to pay...

Frances finally gives birth - but knowing what she knows about the babies inside her, she sends everyone away except her mother and Zaddie, who has learned to keep silent regarding the things she sees and hears.  And this time she sees something beyond belief - for after giving birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl (Lilah), Frances then births a creature that is indescribable!  Of course, Elinor quickly hides that child, and she and Frances take it (her) down to the Perdido, where they set her free to live and grow in the muddy waters of the rushing river.  Frances thinks she is glad to give rid of the monstrosity, but soon finds herself longing to hold that daughter in her arms - and before long, Lilah is forgotten, and Frances must be with her child of the water, Nerita.  And when the unthinkable happens - another young child disappears under the waters of the Perdido, Frances comes to an unsettling truth about herself and her new daughter - and she makes a decision that will forever change the Caskew family.

Looking back at these first five books, I have to wonder why McDowell seems to utilize children as the feeding ground for his water creatures.  The mentally challenged youngster from the first book, whose death was so utterly tragic.  And now this innocent young child who should not have been swimming in the river in the first place with his friends.  And the graphic nature of these deaths (not graphic in the description, but in the actual death itself - I mean, in this book, Frances admits that her daughter took the boy and at part of him, but saved part of him for Frances - and she liked it!) makes it all the more difficult to read.  Perhaps that is the purpose - because the death of a rapist does not instill the same amount of fear as the death of an innocent child who cannot defend himself.  A rapist is seen as getting what he deserves.  But an innocent?  Particularly, a child?  That kind of death is horrific, and the fact that Elinor and Frances and, now, Nerita can literally murder a child without any guilt, without any mercy - well, that's the worst kind of horror there is.

The Caskew family has undergone so many changes throughout these first five books, and it was all setting the stage for the next, and final, chapter of the Blackwater series.  I can hardly wait to see what McDowell has in store for the big finale!

RATING:  9 barbecue-stained aprons out of 10 for proving once again the true horror does not have to be in-your-face or filled with insane amounts of blood-and-gore - rather, it can be the subtle build-up of tension and suspense, leaving you on the edge of your seat wondering what exactly is this all leading up to?