Thankfully, in this case, we're also introduced to someone on the other end of the spectrum. But the world is still cruel. In this novel, the evil, horrible person is real. The good person is not.
Rill Foss and her family, Dad Briny, Mom Queenie, and siblings live on the river in a shanty boat. It's a terrible night when Queenie is giving birth, only to discover she's having twins and something is terribly wrong. Out of desperation, Briny takes Queenie to the hospital and tells Rill to watch over the kids. He'll be back soon.
The only person coming to the boat for Rill and her siblings is Georgia Tann (click that link, woman is EVIL), and she's there to take all of the kids to an orphanage. Filling their heads with lies about seeing their parents real soon, she gets them in the car and takes them far from their home. Rill tries to keep the kids calm, with her own promises of seeing Briny and Queenie soon. But they land in a place of unspeakable horror. I know that phrase is overused, but it's true in this situation.
Kids are abused, tortured, raped, and sold to the highest bidder. And Tann profits off all of them. Rill's family is broken up, either through adoption or death, until it's just Rill and Fern.
In between Rill's story, we are in mostly present day with Avery Stafford, a wealthy lawyer who is the favorite daughter of Wells Stafford (these names, for real), an influential Southern Senator. How are they remotely related to Rill's story? Damn good question that took some time to answer.
Avery really didn't interest me, honestly, none of the Staffords did. Wealthy people who suddenly decided NOT to marry for influence and to march to their own (wealthy) drum usually bore me to tears. Avery is interesting in that she is the catalyst that pulls past and present together. We don't dive deep into the Staffords and for that, I am thankful.
Rill and her life, however, is horrifying and intriguing, made worse knowing it's based on facts.
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