Blackwater

by C.D. Blizzard

"Wildest ride with the biggest kick in the ass." Swamps, alligators, deadly snakes. Illegal fishing, bad booze, and a river they called Blackwater. It's a place where a boy can dream.... The summer of 1965. That's the year Mikey would never forget. It was the year he became a man. He'd been ten-years-old when Uncle Cotton finally managed to convince Mikey's overprotective mother that what her little sissy-boy son needed was to spend the summer with a real man. Mikey was all too eager to comply. In their small Florida community, Cotton's penchant for wildness had made him a celebrity, and there was nothing in the world Mikey wanted more than to get close to all that craziness and experience it for himself. Under the tutelage of this local legend, Mikey steps into a world filled with the sort of adventure he'd only imagined. But, by summer's end, the innocence of youth is tarnished when a single chilling act shatters the boy's idealistic view of his uncle.

296 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 2003

About the author

C.D. Blizzard is an accomplished, award-winning author, with over 50 novels to her credit. She has been writing since the age of 15 and has published numerous short stories, articles, and books. Cassandra is known for her skills in hopping genres. She has written in nearly every genre, including romance, mystery, thriller, science fiction, and mainstream. She writes page turning novels that keep readers avidly engaged. Cassandra also writes under the names: E.J. Deen and Cassandra Ormand.

Click on a genre to see some of her books. Also see her new Kael Jai series website at: http://KaelJai.com

Reviews

[Leonide Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A coming of age story before the time is right, this first-person colloquial-speak story brings you deeply into redneck Florida of the 1950s. Engaging and amusing at times, repulsive and horrifying at others, the story takes you through a 10 year old boy's first summer away from home with his near-legendary wild man uncle. Mikey worships uncle Cotton and strives hard for acceptance into his "old boy's club." Many adventures bring Mikey intense experiences, terrifying to ridiculous. In this man's world of swamps, poaching, tricking game wardens, alligators, hard drinking, cussing, and womanizing, Mikey gets an eye full of things beyond his tender years. He seeks his aunt Ruthie's all-encompassing comfort when things get too rough, while observing his uncle's mistreatment of her. Mikey makes excuses for Cotton time and again, moving between admiration and disgust, until he observes the ultimate horror and no longer idolizes Cotton. Even attending Cotton's funeral many years later, he still feels drawn to this bigger-than-life character and part of him loves Cotton after all.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pure delight to read! It brought back so many childhood happy events, memories and sorrows! First boat ride, fishing trip,camping trip,animal love and endurances of their passing! I found myself laughing out loud so badly that tears were just streaming down my face! The ending wasn't what I expected and yet, "welcome to the real world"!

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t take long for 10-year old Mikey to get the redneck in him after being with Uncle Cotton for a very short time. There was more in store for him than the camping trip Cotton just told the sheriff he, his friend Jimbo, and Mikey were about to embark on. Mikey had no idea what poachin’ was and he didn’t dare ask and risk looking stupid. Although the sheriff and game wardens were having a tough time catching Cotton in the act, they knew he was pretty much always up to something.

Young Mikey idolized the infamous Cotton and found himself emulating him. The way he talked and the way he stood, etc. He considered himself a man at his preadolescent age and almost always looked forward to hanging out with Cotton and Cotton’s friend Jimbo.

Hanging out with Cotton, and Mikey is introduced to things no boy should have to witness or be part of. Poaching deer and fish, and drinking hard liquor, to name a few. The horror witnessed and subsequent guilt thrust upon a 10-year old is a burden no one should have to carry.

I’m sure the author captures the redneck slang accurately, however, the double negatives, the misuse of the word “weren’t” in place of wasn’t, and such tend to be annoying shortly into the story. Even Mikey’s thoughts are hick-speak.

While this was a well-written story, it was rather slow-moving in parts where it was pretty much just daily life happening. I would probably rate this as a 3.5 stars.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average coming of age tale, written colloquially, which was kinda cool. Nothing extraordinary, but not bad, either.