spellbinding, fantasy, beautifully written book well done Bridget Collins.

The main characters are Emmett and Lucian a true love story, couldn't put book down (kindle) had an impact on me.

Well done

I was sent a copy of The Binding by Bridget Collins to read and review by NetGalley.
I absolutely adored this book. I couldn’t stop reading but I didn’t want it to end! Beautifully written, descriptive (but not flowery or twee) and compelling, The Binding is an immersive and passionate tale. The story is written in the first person throughout, which quite cleverly means that the reader is totally involved from the start. I will be very surprized if this novel doesn’t turn out to be my favourite book of 2019! Read and enjoy!

A beautifully written book. It enthralled me from beginning to end. The story and characters have been so well written you feel a bond with them. This book is a must read.

This book is absolutely captivating I could not put it down!

Review: I think I’ve spoken about quite how much I love this gorgeous book more than a few times now, and when I received my Netgalley ARC I was incredibly excited to actually sink my teeth into the story. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t love the content as much as the cover, but this book managed to massively exceed my expectations.

Bridget Collins is an incredible world builder and does an amazing job of interweaving the fantasy element of bookbinding with normal life. She knows when to give information and when to withhold, and so the first part of the book is the reader (and Emmett) slowly uncovering the mystery of binding memories to books. You learn how binding can be used to protect others from their own dark pasts, but also how binding can be used for darker more insidious means.

The concepts of binding and binders are so well executed. There’s different moral codes, binders using their gifts in different ways, some following tradition and others only using their skills to get rich. The depth that Collins goes into gives real richness to the fantasy element, and by slowing drip feeding me the information she had me desperate to read on and uncover more.

The second part of the book contains a rather unexpected love story that really dragged me into the book, I was hooked from this point on and couldn’t put the book down. I was so invested in the happiness of the couple that I found myself desperately racing towards the end, I needed to know that Emmett Farmer would be with his true love, and it made what was already an unsettling concept even scarier. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone by going into too much detail here, but I promise you that Bridget writes starcrossed lovers beautifully.

The characters, like the book, are incredibly well written; all are flawed and well crafted, so whenever anyone was introduced you inevitably have a strong reaction.

The book is also so easy to read, despite its details, it flows wonderfully and the pacing is perfect. It’s so well written that I floated through it absorbing all of the sumptuous detail and revelling in the depth of the imaginative storytelling; someone told me this book would be long, but it didn’t feel it, and when I’d finished I just wanted more.

Honestly, it’s been a while since a fantasy as hit me quite as hard as this one! Not only is the concept incredibly unique, but it’s also executed so fantastically that I’ll be thinking about this book for weeks. Collins world is so complex and irresistible that I was dragged down into its depths, and I still don’t want to leave.

Recommend: Yes, thousand times yes. This is the first arc I’ve ever read where as soon as I’d finished it I went out and bought the beautiful hardback.

Stars
★★★★★

This book was as beautiful and captivating as its cover. And as dark.

It is difficult to shed too much light on the plot without spoiling the intricate spell the author weaves; lacing information with emotion from start to finish. I felt like I was following a golden thread of Emmett’s story as it twisted and turned, from present to past and back, drawing me breathlessly on in the hope that he and I could escape eventually unscathed.

I loved it.

The general feel of the novel is magical realism, in a world where books have a much greater significance and darker role than in our own, and the binder’s job is a reviled and yet sacred calling. However, despite this theme this is less a fantasy book and more a story about love and pain, memory and suffering. The author uses historical precedents of how healers and others who were ‘other’ were treated, used and abused by society to hold a mirror up to humanity’s inhumane behaviour.

The Binding uncovers deep truths about our darker feelings: we fear what we don’t understand; we despise what we revile in ourselves; we hate the people we most need, for they see our vulnerabilities exposed. This fear, hatred, revulsion leads people to commit atrocities in the name of ‘what is right’. Of course, some people are just straightforward bad, and they are here too – sadistically gleeful at the infliction of misery. So trigger warnings here for violence, sexual abuse, incest and suicide. Only when there is dark can we see the light.

This is an exquisitely well-written book about what we do to each other in our greed and selfishness, and also about the redeeming power of love and kindness. Highly recommended for fans of Sarah Waters’ historical fiction or… anyone really. You should all read it!


‘Emmett,’ said Pa, without turning round. ‘There’s a letter on the table. You’d better read it.’
I slid it towards me. The writing blurred into a shapeless stain on the paper. ‘My eyes are too dusty. Tell me what it says.’
Pa bowed his head, the muscles bunching in his neck as if he was dragging something heavy. ‘The binder wants an apprentice.’
Ma made a sound like a bitten-off word.
I said, ‘An apprentice?’
There was silence. A slice of moon shone through the gap in the curtains, covering everything in its path with silver. It made Pa’s hair look greasy and grey. ‘You,’ he said.

– Bridget Collins, The Binding

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

*** ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 / 5 ***

The extraordinary presentation of this book’s own exquisite cover is testimony to this story’s contents: a handsome façade, offering sanctuary to unremembered things our hearts and minds wish to forget.

"The Binding" acts as a literary gatekeeper to those who are ‘bound’, an action offering eternal reprieve to those plagued by painful memories by erasing such encounters from their lives. When a memory is extracted it is reverently scribed into a tailored, handcrafted tome bearing only the title of the subject’s name before being safely shelved from prying eyes.

Don’t be fooled by how enchanting this appears. The circumstances of being ‘bound’ are pretty harrowing in places. I could almost hear its spine creaking under the weight of soul-condemning denials, the sickening violation of those without the freedom to defend themselves or their memories, and the uncertain consequence of confronting raw and tender truths.

Despite the despicable motives and perpetual foulness of certain abusive characters the text commanded me to read on as its perfectly choreographed words danced across each page. A mesmerising concept, beautifully written.

I had no expectations about The Binding before reading it. I think it helped me to enjoy it all the more.
It is mesmerising and astonishing in places, full of heart and warmth in others and has intrigue, mystery and murder elsewhere.
A book and a story told in three parts....all from different perspectives of the same two men and their families. It is full of rich language, wonderful descriptions and amazing characters.
The mystery surrounding book binding and the allure of books catches a reader straight away, the lost memories and sadness make you want to read on and the intense relationship between Lucien and Emmett is spell-binding.
It is such a unique idea that a book is created by taking painful, sad or dangerous moments from a persons life and creating a book entirely for them. The process seems simple enough and the outcome of never having lived through those moments seems innocent,but is it? What happens when the books are destroyed? Can you ever get back those painful moments?
Emmett is a binder and Lucien from the wealthier upper class, their paths continue to cross and a love forms, forbidden and frowned upon by society.
Follow their stories through this amazing book. Be prepared to laugh, cry and feel angry for these two men.

From the very first page of The Binding, I knew I was going to love it. It was the very first book I read in 2019, and it’s set the standard very high. It’s going to take a lot to beat it.

Imagine you could erase grief.
Imagine you could remove pain.
Imagine you could hide the darkest, most horrifying secret.
Forever.

The Binding follows Emmett Farmer as he gradually readjusts to his normal life after a period of illness, until a mysterious letter summons him to work for a far away book binder. Books – and their binding – is something that is not talked about it Emmett’s house, or most houses. It is a frowned upon craft, a hideous thing to do to someone else, and a scandal to know someone who has been voluntarily binded – to have their memory of a specific event removed from their minds and trapped inside a book. They have no recollection that they have been bound, some have no choice in the matter, and some can only hope for the peace that forgetting would grant them. But as Emmett learns more about his new master Seredith, he soon finds a book with his own name on it. His own memories, trapped within the pages. But what was so terrible that he wanted to forget it that badly?

Every single thing about the story was so beautiful, from each word Collins chose to create this world so similar to our own, yet so different, to the characters and their relationships.

What I loved so much about this book was that while it’s labelled as fantasy – and it is – it’s not too fantasy, which suits my tastes perfectly. There is just the littlest bit that sets this world and ours apart, but it still feels like a world you’re so familiar with, that you know your way around. It was the perfect mix of historical fiction and fantasy.

I also loved Emmett, and Lucian, though at times, I was worried where the plot was going. I feared it was going to be tragedy for the sake of tragedy, but my fears were soon put to rest, and I really enjoyed their relationship – the ups and down of them arguing, disagreeing, to slowly getting on, gradually becoming friends, the banter, the laughs and jokes between them. There is so many relationships in fiction where you wonder why these people are together, why they’re friends, why they spend together if not out of necessity – but this was not one of them. They know each other, they like each other, most of the time anyway, and it’s a really strong relationship you can imagine existing in real life.

The pacing was perfect, the switch in points of view was perfect, the execution of making books something to be feared, to be disgusted of, to shy away from, was perfect.

On one hand, this was the perfect standalone. Everything was wrapped up – in a very satisfactory way in my eyes – but, in the most perfect way, you were left wanting more. I need to know more about this world – about Seredith and her past, her business, her relationship with her son and how they grew to be so different, the people who don’t know they’ve been bound until their book burns in a far off city and their memories come flooding back. I needed more about Nell. I wanted more of this beautiful story and the gorgeous writing, and this well crafted world. But not from Emmett and Lucian. Not because they didn’t make for perfect characters for this story. But because they are done, and finished, and can be laid to rest. I want to know about the Crusaders and their fight against Binders, but I also don’t want anything to jeopardize how much I love this world and this book. Does that make sense?

I cannot gush about this book enough. 5 out of 5 stars – I am desperate to go out and pick up a copy for myself.

I loved this book. It’s beautifully written and the imagery is really powerful.

In the world of The Binding, books are a taboo subject, something only wealthy collectors and people with dubious morals own or discuss. Every single volume, painstakingly put together by a gifted Binder, contains not a made up story but the memories of a real person. Once a person has been bound, the memories are gone from their minds and contained within the book.

When Emmet starts work as a Binder’s apprentice after a long illness, he soon discovers the truth behind this dark art, and to understand how complex the world can be when people don’t even know their own secrets.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I have very mixed feelings overall.

I read this book in a day, the writing is flows really well and I found it easy to read. Also the whole book binding with people’s memories interested me! It was that and the gay romance that kept me reading. The gay relationship was good and there was angst but also hope.

We follow Emmett in Part 1 who is sent to be a binders apprentice. He doesn’t want to as he knows it is a craft his parents despise. He believes books to be shameful and people don’t like binders. He is an apprentice to Seredith who wants to protect the books and believes binding people helps them as it takes away bad memories. The people call her a witch and they use her as a scapegoat. I really liked Seredith. We continue to follow emmett and we see his memories during part 2. Part 3 follows Lucians POV which was an interesting switch. The ending I actually quite liked, it gave me hope as the world in this book was quite dark.
There is a strong class divide in this book. The poor try and sell their memories for money and the rich use binders to cover their sins. There is also illegal trading of books. The world in this book is dark. The dark parts of this book could trigger some people. It mentions things like incest, rape, sex and abuse but it doesn’t go into detail which I was thankful for.
Overall I thought this book was enjoyable but also slightly darker then I expected. I also didn’t really connect with the characters, I liked them but I didn’t connect with them. I would probably read this book again.

I had to give up on this book. I was drawn in by the premise, but it just didn’t hold my attention. It is very slow in my opinion. Life is too short to read books you are not enjoying. Not for me, this one but I should point out this isn’t my usual genre.

When I picked up The Binding, it took me SIX WEEKS to read. Not because it’s long or tricky, but for some reason I kept putting it down and not wanting to pick it back up. I’ve tried to explore why in my review, and it really wasn’t an easy process to go through!

Just to give a little more context, the book is split into three parts with two central characters, Emmett and Lucian. Part one is Emmett’s perspective in the present, part two is Emmett’s perspective in the past, and part three is Lucian’s perspective in the present.

The first part of the book drew me in. I wasn’t particularly drawn to Emmett, the protagonist of the story, but by a side character, Seredith. Seredith becomes Emmett’s Master when he takes up his apprenticeship. She’s strong and quietly fierce, not about to take any nonsense in a male-dominated world. We are also introduced to another character, De Havilland, who is probably the most loathsome and hateful man I’ve encountered in a book for a long time. Collins’ writing skill really comes through here as I had to put the book down because De Havilland made me so angry.

The second part of the book is focused on the developing relationship between Emmett and Lucian. There is so much tension in this part of the book. There is expectation, anxiety, fear, lust – I really felt like I was experiencing the story rather than just being a passive spectator. When I was reading I kept thinking “Wow, I wish I’d written that sentence” because Collins’ writing is so evocative.

“Time expanded and shrank to instants and eternities: a spasm of pleasure, sunlight on the ceiling, his fingers digging into my shoulder, half-darkness and the rich smell of wine that was older than we were.”

I think it was in the third part of the book things started to go wrong for me. I found the change of going from Emmett’s perspective to Lucian’s a shock. I felt confused as I still didn’t feel like I understood or knew Emmett, and he wasn’t coming back. It is a very slow burning conclusion. Slow, and honestly, arduous. Like Emmett, I did not feel like I got to know Lucian well, with the exception of the relationship with his sadistic father, which is brutal and harrowing to read.

Overall, this book left me frustrated. There were plotlines that took so long to develop and I became emotionally engaged and involved, for them to just disappear. For example, Seredith is essential to developing Emmett’s moral code as a Binder, but the fact that he is even a Binder or doing his apprenticeship is forgotten.

It’s a very interesting story and it was refreshing to read about love between two people of the same sex, but the plot was a bit all over the place.

Having said all that, one thing is clear – Collins can write. She can really, really write. If she ever publishes anything again I will most certainly read it.

“I tilt my head back. On the horizon, furthest from the moon, the sky is rich with stars.”

This is a good book. Everyone who was abused by their employer and homosexuals were sent to the binder to have the memories removed. The story mainly evolves around Emmett and his family. He is a farmer but the binder in the marshes also known as the witch requests him as apprentice. She is as honest as they come and stores the binding book, once used, in a storeroom and no-one is allowed access. It is a captivating story that slowly draws you in as you turn the pages. A recommended read

I saw this on Netgalley and just knew I had to read it! But…. it took me forever!!! I really enjoyed it, but darn life kept getting in the way! I swear it took me a month (yes I’m overexaggerating!) it actually took me a week to read! I just didn’t seem to have time to read it! It was well worth the read though! It seemed like it was a long haul read, but it wasn’t once I got started and was able to read for a length of time.

This was told from 3 different perspectives. The present as told by Emmett, the past, which is also told by Emmett and then we have the present again told by Lucian.

We start the book (Part 1) in the present with Emmett Farmer telling his story. I find myself quickly invested in Emmett, he’s kind of witty and he loves to help his family on the farm, but he has been very ill for quite some time. He is such a happy go lucky lad and always aiming to please. He is soon on the road to Seredith though. The local-ish binder. When Emmett arrives he is still quite ill, but soon starts to feel better.

Part 2 we find ourselves in the past with Emmett telling the story again. I will not go into detail as I’ll end up giving too much away in regards to the story, which I don’t want to do.

Part 3 is told by Lucian Darnay. Again, I can’t say too much as I really don’t want to give anything away and want a spoiler free review!.

I love the way this book flowed and although Lucian seems to be a bit of a snob and definitely has a few flaws due to being raised into money, I do feel sorry for him as he doesn’t know what on earth is going on.

Ms Collins certainly knows how to tell a story. This was just perfect! And the cover oh my!! Just by the cover I knew I’d be hooked. It’s so pretty! I’m looking forward to reading more books in the future, keep them coming!

The Binding is a richly textured historical fiction novel with elements of magical realism. Set in an imagined past, books aren’t the portals into new worlds that we know them as, they are used to store memories you wish to forget and they are subsequently surrounded by suspicion and fear. Emmett Farmer is plucked from his life on his family’s farm to go and live with the mysterious Seredith, a binder. He has been brought up to believe that books are dark and dangerous and are something to fear but despite this he is now an apprentice working with them day after day.

This is a technically precise novel with intricate plotting which examines quite complex and emotive themes with a delicate touch. I feel that this review may be a little cloak and dagger as I allude to things rather than discuss in depth but this is a book that deserves to be read without any prior preconceptions so it can unfold beautifully.

Split into three acts, The Binding goes back and forth in time unveiling a beautiful and compelling story. I have to admit that I initially struggled with the book and very nearly abandoned it but there was something about the gorgeous writing that meant I persevered. I am so pleased that I did as The Binding turned out to be nothing like I thought it would be and became an immersive and overwhelming read.

Part one is all about the world building and a slow, tantalising build to parts two and three which is where all the action happens. I was blown away by how clever this book is and I understood the first part far more upon reflection. An initial read of the first act left me feeling a bit confused but all becomes clear as the book develops. This is heady, glorious writing with touches of magnificence especially when it comes to the characterisation and historical aspects which are beautiful.

I do need to be clear though, this isn’t a happy book and some of the events in the book and the themes examined may be difficult for some people to read. It is a novel about bad memories being wiped and those memories contain some things that readers may find upsetting or they could be triggers. For me though, the darkness was eloquently written and with pathos which meant that despite some of the subject matter I fell in love with the book and found it difficult to put down. I highly recommend it if gorgeous, immersive reads with a hint of magic are your thing.

The Binding envisages a world where people can forget bad things in their past, by having the memories “bound” into a book. This book is then locked away where nobody can read it.
Only special people, known as “Binders” can do this, and some are more scrupulous than others, some see it as a calling, others treat is as a business, and there is an illegal trade in these books.

Emmet Farmer has been ill, and cannot work on his father’s farm. He is sent to a binder, Seredith, as an apprentice, to learn the bookmaking and binding trade from her. However, things start to change, when a troubled man, Lucian Darnay, comes to be bound, and Emmett recognises something in him.
When Seredith falls ill, life changes again for Emmett, and he starts working for another binder in the City.
When Emmett finds a book with his name on it, his whole world changes again, as he understands his connection with the Darnay family.

I found this book oddly unsatisfying, the idea of binding is compelling, but the execution started well, but became very trite, a lot of people reeling in shock, feeling nauseous, some fights, and finally a very predictable story.

There could have been a better tale.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the opportunity to read this book.

"There's a moment when you start a binding, when the binder and the bound become one. You sit and wait for it. You let the room go silent. They're afraid, they're always afraid... It's up to you, to listen, to wait. Them something mysterious happens. Your mind opens to theirs, and they let go. That's when the memories come. We call that moment the kiss."

Emmett Farmer is working on his family's farm when he receives the news that he is to go to the local bookbinder to become an apprentice. In this alternate historical period, books are not how we know them but the captured memories of people who have been 'bound' and have chosen to forget. I liked the fantasy/magic elements of this story. The concept of binding and the world that Bridget Collins has created is intensely original. My only issue is that I think the majority of the story and the writing style is probably more suited to a YA audience. That said, after a slow start, I did find the story quite captivating and found it hard to put the book down as I was determined to find out what happened.

My Thoughts
NOTE: This book is being advertised as Bridget Collins’ first foray into the Adult Fantasy as opposed to her well known YA fiction. I think this book would be a very welcome and comfortable read for the YA market if you keep in mind these possible Content warnings.
Content Warnings: If you are sensitive to the inclusion of topics such as discussion but not description of sexual assault, potential inability to give consent, consent under duress, or scenes including puppy murder, suicide. this may not be the book for you.

Oh this is a hard one to review without spoilers but I will try my best. This book is part magical realism, part literary fiction and part romance, all told in the most interesting fashion. It is beautifully written, it is lyrical without being flowery and just moves you along with the story.

The book is split into three distinct parts with the first two from Emmett Farmer’s point of view and the third part sweeping us off to the view of another player in the story. Each part seems to have its own pacing and even setting and story that weaves together to make a whole and this is one aspect that keeps this book interesting.

The first section while being the heaviest on the fantasy aspects was slow paced and slightly long winded in my point of view. It is this section, that follows the blurb description, we learn a little about the process of binding and we develop a sense of Emmett as a character. For me while this section while magical just seemed to drag giving me huge amounts of information on mundane aspects while also not giving me the same level not nearly enough on all those fantasy aspects I wanted. It contained one of my most hated troupes which is when all the lead characters problems could be solved if the characters involved within it would just talk to each other!!!! But the magic of the books and the characters of both Emmett and Seredith rescue it, they are just fantastic and i loved reading about them and their craft.

The second section pertains to the memories contained in Emmett’s book, this is a switch in pace and tone, it is a focus on Emmett’s life before his apprenticeship, it is where the focus shifts to a more historical fiction with a splash of romance that is sweet and genuine in feeling. We gain a further set of characters in Emmett’s life that really do feel established. Like Seredith, you get the feel that they have their own long and complicated backstories that if you had a million more pages you would love to explore. This was actually by far my favourite section, which was a nice surprise as I am not a reader of historical fiction.

The final section, switches perspective to a lead player in Emmett’s life. To avoid spoilers I will not mention why or how they know Emmett but their perspective chronicles the aftermath of Emmett receiving his book. This section contains ramps up the pace, which I occasionally found a bit too fast, skipping over important pieces of information to find a resolution, which was slightly disappointing. The ending however, was great. It both had a feeling of being open ended that anything could happen but also was a nice resolution for the story line. While we may have been rushed to get there it as still satisfying.

The only qualms I had is I actually wanted more from certain side characters, they would have interesting hints and tidbits of information about their back stories but we never got to explore them fully. I also wanted more of the binding process and of the binderies contained in the book, the dark side of the bindings was so interesting and I would have loved to have gotten darker and read more on that. However, with that said I loved this book. I loved that even though it was not the full force fantasy I expected, it managed to sweep me into the historical and romantic aspects. Also nice to see some LGBT rep. It is so difficult to talk about what I loved, as all of them would give away big spoilers for some just fantastic moments in the book. All I can say is it really did deliver a magical read just not the magic I expected!

An unusual literary fantasy with a historical setting, the binding meditates on the distance between knowledge and memory. In this world, books are not as we would understand them, but a place where unwanted memories are preserved away from their owners so they can be forgotten. In the midst of this, a young apprentice binder forms a friendship and star crossed love with a young nobleman. This was beautiful and though provoking, occasionally a little odd but always poignant. Hopefully you’ll understand what I mean when I say every sentence felt hand crafted. A lovely, sad book.

The Binding is a dark, intriguing novel that will stay with you weeks after you’ve finished reading. I’ve waited a few days to review it so I could properly get my head around what I wanted to say.

The setting of the book is an historical one which seems very similar to our own world. There is mention of the crusades, the workhouse and the old rigid class system that used to be present in the UK. This made the book a little more atmospheric and chilling for me as the events that happen in the book seem more realistic.

The book is split into three parts and goes back and forwards in time to allow the reader to fully understand the mystery surrounding the main character Emmett. All of the characters are fabulous creations and very varied which makes for very interesting reading. There is a real sense of good v bad in the book with most of the characters falling into one of the two categories. The events that happened in the book meant that I didn’t warm to many of them apart from Emmett who I felt drawn to straight away. He seemed like such a lost, gentle character that I just wanted to reach into the book to give him a huge hug! I wanted to keep reading to check that he was ok.

The concept of the book is very clever and I did love the idea that you could erase a person’s pain. However this is sadly misused throughout the book by a few of the characters which led to some truly heartbreaking scenes that I found quite hard to read at times. I had to put the book down for a little bit and return when I felt strong enough to continue. I think this is a sign of some fantastic writing if an author can make you feel that strongly about something however some readers may struggle with it as this is definitely not a happy book. There is also a scene describing animal cruelty that I couldn’t read and had to skip over as it was quite easy to anticipated.

This is the author’s debut novel and I’d be interested to see what she writes next as she’s obvious got an amazing imagination, though I do hope the next one is a little happier!

Huge thanks to Borough Press for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you like intriguing, emotional historical fiction then you’ll love this book.