Black Days by Jackson Ellis is about Daniel Fassett, who reaches his breaking point after crashing his car into a river on Christmas Eve. He nearly drowns, and falls into a coma for four months, just before he was supposed to retire. Because of this, he loses a big part of his pension. Feeling depressed and short on money, he asks his long-term family doctor and friend, Dr. William Butcher, to help him hibernate through the winter in a homemade coffin kept in a backyard maple sugarhouse. But how the story progresses from here is what makes Black Days a real pageturner.
Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the Black Days’ greatest strengths is the way Ellis vividly portrays despair and isolation. We have a picture of a man whose mental and emotional breakdown is as harsh as the unforgiving winter that surrounds him, so his choice to have Daniel hibernate is both symbolic and literal.
However, while the Black Days’ concept is unique, its execution sometimes borders on the absurd. Daniel’s decision to hibernate is a stretch that demands a significant suspension of disbelief from you. Yet, Ellis manages to keep the story grounded with a seemingly medical backing, especially with the step-by-step procedures in the later parts where more people find out about it and decide to do the same.
Another remarkable thing that Ellis maintains throughout the story is a minimalist approach to characterization, and in this case, Black Days focuses almost entirely on Daniel. This narrow focus works well, as it allows for a fresh look into his psyche. The other characters end up being less developed but still serve to highlight different aspects of Daniel’s personality and the life he’s trying to flee.
Undeniably, Ellis’s writing is both crisp and evocative, and Black Days’ pacing will keep you engaged and tensed. This is a book I read in one sitting, and I can count by hand, just a few books that have had that much of an effect on me. It is thought-provoking and unsettling in a way that makes you wonder the extent a person might go to escape their reality. You will have moments of profound introspection while reading this.
Recommendation
I recommend Black Days to readers who appreciate psychological stories with a touch of the surreal. It is a solid 4/5 star rating for its daring exploration of the darker aspects of the human psyche.
Liz Pena