Based around the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 comes a riveting story by Athol Dickson, River Rising, a mighty novel penned, displaying the true disparity between true racial equality and religious faith. It’s a time when Negro, n—–, or a colored man were terms still used for African-Americans.
Reverend Hale Poser returns to Pilotville, Louisiana, in his later years to find his roots. He’d been raised in an orphanage farther north for his childhood years. He’s a black man with distinctive robin egg’s shade of blue eyes, making him stand out amongst the people of his color. Though the Civil War has long ago set slaves free, and this town is tolerant between the races, its segregated when they worship–the whites gather in a white church and the blacks in a black church–a phenomenon that Reverend Poser would like to see changed. True unity between Christian believers.
The basic story opens when James and Rosa Lamont give birth to their daughter Hannah after Reverend Poser prays over Rosa during her difficult, extremely painful labor. A miracle is claimed when the baby is born peacefully. Yet days later Hannah is missing. The town’s people, black and white, unite in searching for the baby, but after five days they cease. Though the area around Pilotville is swampy and dangerous, two men continue searching, James Lamont and Reverend Hale Poser, though they are cautioned to cease their search. Who has taken Hannah? In fact, who has taken the many children missing over the years?
The unusual physical characteristics of the author’s characters take on a life of their own, and are used to later qualify certain actions throughout the book. The character of Hale Poser is the one who catches my heart with his simple faith and transparent openness. He’s adamant that he does not perform miracles, but that it’s the Lord who does, giving the glory to the Lord. But when circumstances change horrifically, and Hale feels he’s lost his faith and ability to perform miracles, will he succumb and give up on God? The brutality is horrendous and despicable.
Two other characters that catch my attention, because of their power and authority over the people of Pilotville, are Papa DeGroot and Wallace Pogue. Both men are highly respected in the town. How that power is used is part of the mystery of the story line. Something seems amiss surrounding the circumstances of the missing baby, yet these two men exert their authority discreetly differently–one for good and one for evil. It’s the influence of both that reeks havoc in the town.
The diction of the people is typical bayou language for the time era, making the story credible and interesting. The author’s use of descriptive language brings the world alive, creating a setting that is vividly ‘seen.’ I was thoroughly captivated with the historical aspects, the mysterious plots, and the deep characterization. One cannot read this book without it touching your heart in some way. The issues have always torn me apart.
My only concern is how God is explained to have come down in the person of Jesus. He was Jewish, and the color of His skin should not make a difference to any of the races, though I can see how it is important to the people in Athol’s book for specific reasons.
