Title: These Wounds Bleed Black
Author: E.C. Millington
Genre: Fantasy/Thriller/Historical; Some swearing
Link to book: https://www.wattpad.com/story/250670687-these-wounds-bleed-black-wattys-2021
First impressions
Wow. This book caught my attention from the start. From its well-balanced and stark cover to its summary, to its intro material, Millington puts out all of the stops. The "Author's Note" in particular stands out, and I suggest you take the time to read it before starting the novel. It is always fun to learn about the origins of a book, and the idea behind These Wounds Bleed Black will have you drooling to get started.
Chase Witherson (a.k.a. Ghostshadow) is a compelling, charismatic narrator, and the idea of a superhero experiencing trauma that affects his work and outlook on life makes Chase very relatable (not the "being a superhero" part, but the "going through trauma and grief part). The side characters are also intriguing and add interest to the story.
Plot Critique
Let's start with what could be improved and then move on to the strengths, and this book has a lot of strengths - to the superhero level, if I may. Overall, the plot moves slowly. The prologue is much longer than a traditional prologue, and a reader needs some stamina to finish it in one sitting. Ten years pass between the prologue and chapter 1, in which the reader finds Chase talking to a therapist. The session doesn't go well, and Chase leaves early, literally disappearing through a wall (which is pretty awesome). Chapter 2 delves into Chase's mind and emotions deeper. By chapter 3, I would have liked to have the pace quicken a little, maybe see Chase as Ghostshadow go after a bad guy, before returning to his ruminations and reflections. As it is, by chapter 3, I knew that Chase is in a bad spot mentally and emotionally, and having to read more about that right away makes the plot drag. Chapter 4 is the same way, though it was nice to get a flashback and more information about the ten years that have passed. My suggestion: Keep what is there, but adjust it and put some direct, fast-paced action in the middle to break up the deep reflections.
Another part that bothered me as a reader is the occasional POV changes. For the most part, the story is told in 1st person, but it sometimes switches to 3rd person from a different character's perspective, which was jarring for me. Either make the POV switches very obvious, or stick to one would be my suggestion.
Okay, now let's get to what this book does well. Millington's writing style is downright poetic and lovely to read. The characters and settings are described so well, it's like I am actually in the room experiencing everything. There were many times I just stopped and reread a line a few times for the sheer pleasure of hearing the language flow like water. The book also uses different mediums to convey the story, forcing the reader to put the pieces together in order to begin to grasp the whole. I love books that don't outright tell the reader everything, but forces the reader to synthesize. It takes some getting used to, but Millington places the pieces masterfully. It reminds me a bit of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.
The characterization is another big strength, and is the main reason I wanted to keep reading. Taking a character who is dealing with deep loss, shame, and regret and really exploring the thoughts is difficult, but Millington traverses that terrain like an experienced guide. As a reader, I understood why Chase is feeling what he is and how hard life is for him at the moment, and I want to read more to find out how Chase's journey will end.
Overall, These Wounds Bleed Black does so much right, it's worth the time it takes to read it. Here is the link if you are interested: https://www.wattpad.com/story/250670687-these-wounds-bleed-black-wattys-2021
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