I enjoyed the premise of this book and having really enjoyed the film "eternal sunshine of the spotless mind" where people voluntarily have their memories erased I was interested in the concept of "binding" and loss. However, I didn't feel the author quite lived up to expectation for me and I wasn't convinced by the story in the end.

The binding at the centre of this neo-Gothic story set in an alternative pre-industrial Yorkshire is a magical act in which someone takes away painful memories from a tormented individual, writes those memories down in the form of a narrative, binds the story into a book and locks it away in a vault, leaving the subject with no recollection of the original painful experience or of the binding process.

It's not an entirely straightforward premise. I struggled with the idea that an entire book could be written by hand in an afternoon. However, it has allowed the author the imaginative space to generate a powerful story of transgressive love and to tell it rather cleverly from the points of view of the individuals concerned, both before and after their memories have been taken away. As a result, the reader watches in painful fascination as the characters discover themselves by peeling away layers of misunderstanding

Bridget Collins writes beautifully with an almost a cinematic attention to detail and the kind of narrative patience that one rarely sees these days. Atmospheric and provocative, with a powerful sense of place, The Binding is a story of love struggling to recognise itself in a society concerned only with the protection of privilege.

This book was not what I was expecting, I thought it would be a lot more fantasy than it was. I was intrigued by the book because I had heard lots of people rave about it and then I saw the cover and was basically in love!

It started really slow, had pacing issues and took me a long time to actually get into the story. I often had to put it down and come back to it to keep reading it. But I did find the concept of what books are in this world really interesting. It’s not like books we know and it made me want to know more. I was initially drawn in, thinking that it would be amazing to have a painful memory taken away but as I read the story it made me reconsider as it leaves a void in the person. The story was interesting but it just wasn’t a book that kept me hooked. I felt the different storylines didn’t quite merge together well and felt a little disjointed, with the fantasy element taking a back seat to the romance in the second half of the book.

I feel like this book wasn’t for me but I know that others will definitely enjoy this.

Spoiler free review.

The idea that books are taboo and the means to erase memories is a wonderful concept that carries the themes of memory and true love contrasted with deceit, betrayed hearts and minds and social injustice throughout the pages of the novel.
The non linear narrative works exceptionally well in this book, and having finished the second section I started to re-think all that I had read in the first section and was tempted to return to the start of the book and re-read it to see if I experienced it differently with my new knowledge.Well, perhaps I would have done if I could see the pages through my flood of tears!
There are no shocking twists in this book, and I had guessed the direction in which it was heading, but the emotional pull of the novel really cast a spell on me and I enjoyed every last minute of it.

I eagerly await the next book from this talented author and my thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Imagine a world where books are frowned upon, where if you read one, you were automatically judged as a particular type of person. The likelihood is that if you're reading this review, you wonder what sort of world that would be, and more likely, you'd realise you'd be ostracised immediately, because after all, the probability is you love books.

But what could be in a book that carries such judgment, criticism and scorn? Not just a person's memories... but a part of a person themselves.

This book had great potential, I was spellbound from the beginning. I'm not saying that by the end I was disappointed, I just felt that it became a bit predictable. I felt it could have been more. Both Emmet and Lucian are great characters, rich, full of depth and full of life (well mostly...). The story is clever, rich and intriguing, but I still feel there could have been more.

It's an interesting premise though, would you put part of yourself into a book if you could free yourself? It's something that has been playing on my mind since I've finished the book. Which for me, is always a good sign of a good book.

I don't think I've ever been drawn into a book as quickly as with this one. Such a simple beginning yet it had me immersed in the world immediately. I wanted to know more about books, about binding, about everything and where it would all lead....
Then just when I thought I was sure where the book would go, the author switched gears and sped off in another direction taking me on a totally different journey.

I can't say too much without spoiling it but if you want to soak into an interesting tale with love at its core, you should definitely check this one out.

What an extraordinarily mesmerising tale! With its unique concept, this book is spell binding. The tone of the book changes course midway but loses none of its magic. With questions of morality sprinkled throughout this book is thought provoking and entertaining from start to finish.

This was a very strange story about binders who were able to take people memories and bind them into books. It could be used to ease peoples lives, for example removing the memory of losing a loved one or by devious people to hide evil that they do to employees or servants etc. These books are supposed to be safely stored but unscrupulous people sell the for monetary gain because they can be read as a novel. The story revolves around two young men and their families who are caught up in these nefarious practices. Fascinating story.

After a deceptively gentle start this imaginative love story worked its way under my skin, burrowing into my heart - the sort of book I'd undergo a binding for, just for the delight of discovering it fresh all over again. Wonderful world-building and characterisation coupled with beautiful prose make for a breathtaking story superbly told.

I really enjoyed this book that follows the trials and tribulations of Emmett Framer as he tries to discover the mysteries that will lead him towards his destiny to become a "binder". The book is set in what seems to be the Victorian era (trains are mentioned but mostly horse and carts/carriages are used and rich men wear top hats) but it is a different world to ours as some people are born being able to "bind" others in a book. Binders can lay hands on people and if they agree their memories can be bound in a book and they leave with no memory of the events they have shared. The bound book is kept in a vault.. Used well the binder is able to take away only traumatic memories and can help people, but there is an illicit trade in books and in people willing to sell their memories for cash. Reading a book is a visceral experience so much more than the fake experience of reading a novel, people are drawn to it and binders are often feared and reviled.

The book is divided into three parts. In part one, Emmett is living on his family farm (he is described as a young man and also an adolescent) recovering from a terrible illness where he suffered from a raging fever as well as murderous and self harming rages and is very weak. He has always believed his destiny is to take over the farm but his parents tell him he must become apprenticed to the binder (an elderly woman) who lives alone out on the Marshes. Although Emmett can read and write he has never read a book, he purchased one at a fair as a child and his father beat him, he has lived a sheltered life and has no concept of what being a binder involves or its purpose and the binder sets him to learning the manual end of bookbinding, gluing end covers and making marbled paper and the like rather than revealing what she does to people who call on her and go down to the vault. She assures Emmett that she will teach him in time and that he is a "born book binder" but Emmett is confused by the strange flashes and dreams that he has. Part two is a flashback to Emmett's life on the farm before his illness when he played out with his sister in the field and woods of their neighbour, a Lord who is letting his property fall into ruin. There they meet the Lord's nephew who becomes a kind of frenemy of Emmett's, but who has captured his sister's heart and mind as she would like to escape the farm to a life of greater luxury. Gradually Emmett discovers more about himself and his emotions and we learn why he has been so ill. In Part three the action shifts tot he present, Emmett is now living in the city, Castleford with the son of his old master who is also a binder, but a wealthy one. Emmett crosses paths again with his friend and their lives become quite perilous.

This book is great, there is a bit of magic, Dickensian vistas (the lonely marshes, the bustling town grimy and foggy) and skullduggery. The narrative flows and as I was reading it reminded me of the best YA fiction in it style of story telling, so I was not surprised on finishing the book to read the brief bio on the author , who is an acclaimed YA writer.

The book ended with a lot of promise for a sequel

I’ve seen lots of hype over this beautiful book on social media and it definitely didn’t disappoint. A fantastic historical novel which I really enjoyed and would thoroughly recommend

I really loved this book and though I had moments where I wondered where events were headed, I was pleasantly surprised how the story unfolded. The world with a craft called Binding in it is an interesting one, and never descends into bog standard fantasy fare. I found myself caring about even secondary characters because simply put this is a book where the stories of every single person matters. It really is a rollercoaster of emotions, seeing how such a skill can be used in fantastic and awful ways. I did find that pacing tripped up a bit when we swapped to Lucian's perspective- I understand the decision but even so much preferred Emmett's and maybe would have preferred straightforward storytelling. It's a small gripe, overall The Binding is enchanting.

I adored this book.
More than anything else, for me this is a book about the power of memories and the simple joy we get from them and often take for granted.
The love story was beautiful and the mechanic of the Binding was unique and powerful, yet to me it was the realising all the moments I keep within me that are so utterly priceless, and the gladness I feel for them now, that made this book truly spectacular. I love when fiction can affect how you feel in the real world and this did exactly that.

First off you cannot help but notice the beauty of this book cover. That beaut continues within the story.
This is a fantasy historical book- we read about Emmelt Farmer- it comes with loads of secrets, pain and sadness.
You are going to go through every emotional possible.
Beautiful read
Thank you to both NetGalley and Harper Collins uk for my eARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review

This is a beautifully written book that manages to create an almost timeless world that is set in an unknown land, but which has easily identifiable references and parallels with our own. It is based on a fascinating idea of 'binding', which holds supernatural powers and a sense of dread, depending on how it is used or exploited. I was totally sucked into the exquisitely described narrative and kept guessing as to the real purpose of the skill. An unusual premise which is both absorbing and at times repellent - a brilliant read!

Quite beautiful: a story with more layers than a mille feuille.

At first I thought this novel was a the average fantasy genre story, with characters living in a world that looked an awful lot like our own past, but with a twist. Indeed, at first, that's exactly what it is. It takes quite a few chapters to get going (too many, really) and I nearly gave up, but then...then it turned into a beautiful love story that in itself would be enough to charm, but it also asks deep questions - about love, society's rules and the role of memory in our lives - that lift it into something quite extraordinary.

Have you ever wished you could simply forget, stop feeling, move on from a painful event in your life? What if you could - would you? I suspect many of us, especially those who have experienced brutality and trauma, would. What about a broken heart? What about the death of a marriage? What about the loss of a child? At what point does memory loss become helpful or damaging? What memories should we want to keep close, no matter how painful? We are who we are because of our memories - our character and behaviours are predicated upon our past experiences, bad as well as good. Wiping the slate clean might be as damaging as learning to live with what we know. This dilemma is beautifully examined in this novel, with answers seemingly clear, and then unclear, allowing you to make up your own mind, if you can.

There was so much hype and build up to this book that i was worried that it was going to fail to live up to the expectation. I shouldnt have been worried, its a fantastic book. The quality of the writing is of the highest level. Collins' prose weaves a subtle yet haunting tale of love and loss, despair and redemption. Its brilliant.

The idea of binding memories into books is unique yet so simply believable. It seriously made me pause and take a look at the books on my shelves, imagining that they were the memories of desperate people.

Last but not least i need to talk about the cover. Its a work of art. Stunning. This is the real reason why i became interested in The Binding in the first place. I've had to go and buy a special edition with sprayed edges - i cant wait to have this book on my shelf.

Magical.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This is a mystery historical novel and not something I normally read but saying that I actually finished it and enjoyed it.

If you have memories that you don’t want to bear anymore, you can be bound. With your consent, a binder will remove those memories to a book, stored securely, no longer impacting you.

Emmett Farmer, a poor farmworker, is a binder as he discovers when he is apprenticed to Seredith in her bindery on the marshes. One day, the shock discovery of the book that shows that he himself has been bound opens a flood of memories that will change his life and future.

Lucian Darney, a member of the gentry, is also held captive by a binding, and his own knowledge that bindings can hide sordid activity – as in the case of his father.

Together Emmett and Lucian’s stories weave together, alternately heartbreaking and heartwarming. A beautifully written, cleverly crafted narrative by Bridget Collins. Highly recommended, and let’s hope Bridget Collins continues her foray into adult fiction!

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from The Binding. Probably something a little like Ink, a YA fantasy, more imaginative than most, intrepid heroes and heroines discovering secrets that make them realise that All is Not Well in their seemingly perfect life and off they go to become reluctant leaders. There is nothing wrong with those books, I love them in fact, and actually there are shades of that journey in The Binding. But it is so much more... this is a lushly written exploration of what makes us who we are.
In the world Collins conjures books are made from real people's memories, ripped from their consciousness by binders and either hidden away or sold to wealthy collectors. Novels are despised as mere imitators, reading a memory book means becoming that person for a time. Some memories are removed because they are too painful to remember, others are sold. Some are bound at the bidding of third parties who would prefer their wife or child or maid to forget... but for most people books are unclean, binders little better than witches and book collectors unsavoury. Emmett Farmer has grown up in such a house. So when, after a long summer of illness, he is sent away to become a binder it is like being exiled, a punishment, although he can't imagine why. And then one day a young man comes to have a memory bound, a man who looks at Emmett with fear and revulsion and anger. A man Emmett can't remember meeting. And yet... When Emmett realises he too was bound, he knows it's connected to the young man and he sets off to try and recover his lost memories.
Set in a familiar yet different past. a world of rustic family life, grey smoke-filled cities and isolated foggy marshes, The Binding is a spell-binding, beautiful, evocative exploration of love, loss and self.