Blackwater: II The Levee continues the Caskey saga, focusing on the processes revolving around building the levees that will prevent another flood. The entire family with the exception of Elinor believe that they are a great way to protect Perdido and ensure that the losses that occurred with the first flood don't happen again. During this endeavor, Caskey family dramas continuously unfold, strengthening already looming tensions between the family members. Sinister events continue to take place, making the reader wonder if/when these will all come to a head and affect the Caskey family directly.

The second novella in the Blackwater series is a slower go than the first. Instead of focusing on the supernatural elements within the Caskey family, McDowell instead highlights small town politics that encompass the seemingly never-ending work of building the levees that serve to protect Perdido. There are some eerie events that transpire but, these are few and far between compared to Blackwater I: The Flood. While these happen towards the end and tie together the building of the levees and the underlying darkness that has been rooted in both books, I still wish there was more OOMPH in the middle chapters. Because I have become invested in the Caskey family and their characters, I enjoyed this! If you're more of a plot-driven reader, this will probably be one of the more lackluster books in the Blackwater series for you but, it's necessary for the plot and the spooky ending does make it better.