The New Inheritors

Wascom’s satisfying third novel set on the Gulf Coast (following The Blood of Heaven and Secessia) explores the intricate details that can populate a family’s history. Isaac Patterson’s life began in troubling fashion, as he was narrowly rescued from a cult in Florida and shepherded to an orphanage by a neighbor. Isaac is adopted into the Patterson family, where he easily finds his place among the ranks of two older brothers and doting parents. In 1914, his passion for painting and the sea eventually leads him to the arms of the spirited Kemper Woolsack, partial heir to a family shipping business in New Orleans. Their young love and marriage bring them immeasurable joys, and it’s these memories that they must cling to as the looming war threatens their family’s place in this world. The novel spans seven decades and also tells the story of other characters, such as Red Woolsack, Kemper’s youngest brother, whose interests give in to violence and hate, and their oldest brother, Angel, whose grandfather, also named Angel, appeared in both of Wascom’s previous novels. Wascom’s writing is often melodic, but the narrative scope sometimes feels unwieldy. Nevertheless, the novel is a winning blend of history and family dynamics. (July) Correction: this review originally misidentified one of the characters.