Thus, we reach the penultimate volume in this collection. In it, the group embarks on a high risk mission. While their lives may not be in danger, their careers are. It may seem like small potatoes, but when you have families to support, said potatoes suddenly don't seem so tiny.
While the guards have the best of intentions in allowing Coffey to use his powers to heal a terminally ill woman, it's still a tall order justifying allowing a convicted felon (a child rapist and murderer no less) to roam free, even for a little while. Fortunately, it's discovered that he is, in fact, innocent.
You probably saw it coming, but the reveal plays out well enough. It's very reminiscent of the resolution to a Sherlock Holmes story, where a tiny, easily overlooked detail begins a chain reaction that unravels the once apparently open and shut case. Even the story itself seems to hang a lampshade on this, as a character compares Edgecomb to the detective, though he brushes it off.
Strangely enough, I thought that this story did handled that better than the actual Sherlock Holmes story that King wrote. The detail itself worked much more effectively. It was less noticeable, but still carried enough weight to justify the eventual overhaul in people's assessment of the situation.
The idea that racism played a role is also brought into the equation. While it's true that 1932 was hardly an enlightened age in that regard, the way the story plays out you still find yourself calling BS. If Coffey were white and found under those circumstances, I'm fairly certain that he would still be found guilty. I highly doubt that the authorities would look into something like shoelaces to prove innocence. Given the heinous nature of the crime, they'd still be eager to lock someone up. With that much circumstantial evidence and lacking the modern technology that could disprove the narrative, it's easy to see an acquittal as nothing more than a pipe dream.
Edgecomb's assertion that the real perpetrator is white is also facepalm inducing as he has literally no evidence to support this. Ruling out Coffey is one thing, but barring that, the criminal could be anyone of any ethnicity.
In any event, the crew embarks on their endeavor. With only so much page time, I figured that things might go too easily, but they face enough obstacles that it's believable but doesn't bog the story down.
Chief among the obstacles is Percy, who they have to force into a straight jacket and lock in a closet. It's odd how you almost find yourself feeling bad for the guy given what he's done in previous sections.
I do wonder why they didn't just drug him the way they did Wharton, the other inmate. Not only would it help avoid any repercussions from Percy (which seem inevitable at this point,) but they could use that against him later on, saying that he fell asleep on the job or something to that effect to damage his professional reputation.
This section probably comes closest to falling under the "horror" category. Not only does Coffey's ordeal in healing the warden's wife play similar to something you'd see in "The Exorcist", but he also makes mention of lingering presences in the execution room.
Nothing is really made of it, and rightly so. Having the story turn into a haunted house tale at this point seems ridiculous. Still, given Coffey's spiritual affinity, his words do carry more weight and lend some credence to the notion. On top of that, the idea that those who died there are still present and aware is unnerving on several levels, especially in light of what happened to Delacroix. For such a small moment, it does a really good job of sending a quick chill up your spine.
It is a little strange how Coffey is, only now, moving to center stage. He was almost an after-thought for most of the work and now he's a central component. I'm guessing it was to help maintain the idea that he did it, but it's odd.
It does allow him to finally shine, though. Saving the day was nice and all, but really, it's his pleasant disposition and cooperative attitude that really sells the innate goodness of the character. Almost everybody seems to take a liking to him as the story progresses and it's easy to see why.
This section doesn't end on a cliffhanger, per se, but things aren't exactly wrapped up either. True, the guards are back at the prison, but they still have to get Coffey back in his cell. One of the other guards is even about to voice the opinion that they did it, but Edgecomb, surprisingly genre savvy for this era, tells him to shut up and not to say anything until the cell door shuts.
I'm not sure what other obstacles they could face, but Edgecomb does imply that the night was far from over. I figured that the conclusion would focus on Coffey himself and dealing with the moral ramifications of putting an innocent man to death, but with the final section being the longest of the bunch, it's possible that there's plenty of room for all of that.
Click here to join our patreon campaign
No comments:
Post a Comment