Rain (Blackwater #6)
Published June 1st 1983 by Avon Books, Paperback 190 pages
As the Caskey family and their town of Perdido rode the crest of prosperty in the 60's, matriarch Elinor had a good reason to be proud of her domain. But slowly, silently, unimaginable horrors were creeping into their midst.
At the height of the revelry, at the peak of chaos, in the fearful silence of blackest night, preternatural horror pounced upon the Caskeys. But still Elinor reigned, until her solemn vow of death came true - in the final horror.
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
It's hard to review this final book of the Blackwater saga without spoilers, so I'll just say that it did not disappoint. The plot remains consistent, a blend of mostly-ordinary family affairs and uncanny abnormalities--notably the increasingly restless brood of apparitions and river monsters. Though there was a revealing prophecy early on (Book #1 I believe), the ending still left me surprised and satisfied. I didn't realize how much I loved Blackwater until it was over and I had to return to the real world, with no more pages of Caskey history to follow.
After some reflection I'll post a review of what I thought of the complete 1000+ page saga as a single entity, which is what it really is.
Rating: really liked it
This has to be one of the most satisfying series I've ever read.
A stunning multi-generational epic full of drama, mystery, familial obligations and secrets. Oh, and ghosts! And river creatures! I am so sad to see it end.
I'm verklempt.
Rating: really liked it
I can't believe the Caskey saga is over! :(. This six-book series was an incredible example of Southern-Gothic literature! Blackwater had everything you could want: family secrets, ghostly visitations, river creatures, unexplainable phenomenon, and all of the drama you would expect to see in a soap opera. The conclusion to this series was quite fitting, in my humble opinion, but a part of me wishes that the book would have NEVER come to an end--it was THAT enthralling.
Easily one of my favorite reads of 2015--I can certainly see myself reading it again in the future.
Highest recommendation for the entire series!
Rating: really liked it
I’m finished. Gutted. My journey is now over, and I want nothing more than to restart book one and meet the Caskeys again.
Thanks to this novel’s title and cover I knew how Michael McDowell ended his
magnum opus but didn’t think it would be so emotional or well-wrought or damn scary. The scares herein are some of the most effective I’ve read in a while, maybe because over the previous five books these characters and settings were so well-developed.
What can I say?
Rain is a pitch-perfect finale to one of the finest stories told in horror fiction: one I’d love to see as a miniseries, perhaps on Hulu or Netflix. This is a saga I won’t soon forget, and I already want to visit Perdido once more . . .
Rating: really liked it
The Rain is the final chapter in the Caskey saga. There was not a weak point in this entire series. The drama was sort of like a Soap Opera. Remind me of Dark Shadows a little bit. The saga contained family secrets, river creatures, ghosts and much more. The end was very good in the way it was handled. This was a fine example of Southern Gothic horror from the 80's. I really hated to see the series end. I would have liked to seen one more book, so it could have tied up the loose ends. I highly recommend the series.
Rating: really liked it
The past finally catches up with our brackish heroine and her brood as the vengeful ghosts of the men, women and children who died so that the Caskeys could prosper return to collect their pound of flesh from the surviving members of this wonderfully rendered cast of southern romantics, plotters, fools, madmen and madwomen, and literal monsters. After 800 pages and fifty decades of narrative, it is painful to see so many once spry and capable characters now aged to decrepitude. McDowell treats these characters with a melancholy dignity up until the moment they suffer deaths that are sometimes cruel and undeserved. And with a torrent of water and pathos this long story comes to its satisfying conclusion, and the reader can't help but admire Blackwater's dense web of intrigue and incident, its patient and rewarding characterizations, and the air of insouciance it maintains as it sidesteps the heteronormative status quo by presenting positive portrayals of female autonomy and homosexuality. A superb reading experience.
Rating: really liked it
[ I was a little let down by the ending because Elinor already told us when she goes, she's taking the town with her. (hide spoiler)]
Rating: really liked it
The Caskey family is brought to the 70’s in this final book in the series. Individually this is not a “horror” story, but together there is a horror/ ghost/ paranormal aspect.
If the author based the Caskey’s on a real family I could hardly believe such a family ever existed. The baby swapping alone is mind boggling. This family is the epitome of co-dependency; living next door to each other and staying at each other’s houses. I loved them for their deep familial love of each other.
The narration was phenomenal! The narrator had an individual voice for each character. I felt like the characters were alive and present in the story telling. The narration was fluid, articulate, and even (no sudden screams or voice pitch variations). I was so blown away by this book I am going to do something I haven’t done in years. I am going to start it all over again. I highly recommend this series.
Rating: really liked it
Blackwater VI: Rain - 5 stars...
Ahh the perfect ending to a perfect saga! In this last book,
Rain, the rain & flooding that started the Saga off in 1919 are back again and along with it, the Caskey family secrets and sins are coming full circle...
I think everyone should read the Blackwater Saga at least once. It's truly amazing! McDowell captures the personalities of the Southern characters and matriarchal family perfectly! I'm sad that it's over but I'm really glad there's still a few more books left in McDowell's collection that l haven't read yet so the end doesn't feel quite so final just yet.
Rating: really liked it
"Rain" is the sixth and final book of Michael McDowell's Southern Gothic Blackwater series. "Rain" was a fitting finale to the saga of the Caskey family.
There was not a weak point in the entire series. From the opening scene of Elinor's rescue in "The Flood" to the final dark scene in "Rain", McDowell stayed true to his theme.
I think it says a lot of a series when, finishing six books, you wish there was more. That is where I am with the Blackwater series.
5 STARS
Rating: really liked it
I'm dead. This book killed me. A better review is coming
Rating: really liked it
Finally and sadly The Blackwater saga is over in the sixth installment. It all began in the first book, In an Alabama town there was a flood, two guys on a boat came across a lady and saved her, then eventually the floods went away. Who was Elinor Caskey? And where did she come from? Eventually over time you find out and begin to love her and all that goes on with the Caskeys, the author is a skilled story teller and takes you through the rise and fall of Elinor's presence in an Alabama town.
Rating: really liked it
I loved getting to know the family and how their lives intertwined. A soap opera with a twist.
Rating: really liked it
Mary-Love drops by
never one to let things go
in life or after.
Rating: really liked it
Mini-Review:
4 Stars for Audiobook, 3.5 Stars for Story
4.5 Stars for Narration by Matt Godfrey
3 Stars for Plot & Overall Progression
3.5 Stars for Atmosphere
4 Stars for Caskey Dynasty
Blackwater series was interesting. It's not a horror story. It's more like an extended folktale that spans about four generations of the Caskey family line. I enjoyed the story more when it went into detail about the setting, characters, history and events within the story. The odd summaries to move the timeline felt a little out of place.
In general, there's great atmosphere woven into the books and the pivotal scenes stand out in stark contrast to the rest. I enjoyed how the series began and the way it ended. The Caskey's are an interesting bunch & it was fun to take a peek into their lives.
Blackwater is a dynastic tale with a twist. Not really a horror or fantasy but a mix of suspense, drama, folklore and a bite or two of nightmares.
