Writing style
Atmospheric · Descriptive · Direct
The flood
Horror · Gothic
- Print length
- 189 pagesAvon, 1983
Description
During the worst flood in Perdido, Alabama’s history, rescuers discover Elinor Dammert alone in an abandoned hotel. Her past is unexplained and her behavior unusual, yet the town readily accepts her. Elinor soon marries Oscar Caskey, head of Perdido’s most powerful family, placing her inside a household dominated by his controlling mother, Mary-Love. While others welcome the newcomer, Mary-Love senses a formidable rival and suspects that Elinor’s origins conceal something sinister. Their struggle shifts the balance of power within the Caskey family as the flooded landscape retains an ominous presence. Opening a larger family saga, The Flood combines Southern Gothic domestic conflict with supernatural horror rooted in inheritance, ambition, and the dark waters surrounding the town.
Reading profile
About this profile
Collected’s assessment, not reader ratings. Complexity runs from 1 (least demanding) to 5 (most demanding).
- Writing
- How much attention the sentences and language require.
- Ideas
- How much interpretation or abstract reasoning the book asks of you.
- Structure
- How much you need to keep track of speakers, timelines and connections.
- Background knowledge
- Prior knowledge needed to follow the book, beyond what it explains.
- Emotional intensity
- Emotional pressure, from gentle (1) to intense (5). Separate from difficulty.
Pace
Moderate
Tone
Atmospheric · Dark · Eerie · Unsettling
Structure
Linear
Focus
Atmosphere · Character · Relationships
Emotional intensity
4 / 5
Reading complexity
1–5 · higher means more demanding- Writing
- 3 / 5
- Ideas
- 2 / 5
- Structure
- 2 / 5
- Background knowledge
- 1 / 5
Themes
More by Michael McDowell
Apple BooksBook details
For the print edition listed above.
- Publisher
- Avon
- Language
- English
- ISBN
- 9780380814893
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