The Binding by Bridget Collins

The Binding

by Bridget Collins

LOSE YOURSELF IN THE BREAKOUT SENSATION OF THE YEAR

SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019

‘Brilliant’ Joanna Cannon
‘Spellbinding’ Guardian
‘Magic’ Erin Kelly
‘Immersive’ Sunday Times
‘Gorgeous' Stella Duffy
‘Astounding’ Anna Mazzola

Imagine you could erase your grief.
Imagine you could forget your pain.
Imagine you could hide a secret.
Forever.

Emmett Farmer is working in the fields when a letter arrives summoning him to begin an apprenticeship. He will work for a Bookbinder, a vocation that arouses fear, superstition and prejudice – but one neither he nor his parents can afford to refuse.

He will learn to hand-craft beautiful volumes, and within each he will capture something unique and extraordinary: a memory. If there’s something you want to forget, he can help. If there’s something you need to erase, he can assist. Your past will be stored safely in a book and you will never remember your secret, however terrible.

In a vault under his mentor’s workshop, row upon row of books – and memories – are meticulously stored and recorded.

Then one day Emmett makes an astonishing discovery: one of them has his name on it.

THE BINDING is an unforgettable, magical novel: a boundary-defying love story and a unique literary event.

Reviewed by Brittany on

5 of 5 stars

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Overall this was a mesmerizing adult novel full of adventure, love, heartache and everything in between. With its detailed writing and slow, intricate story building- It was one of the best, if not THE BEST, stand-alones I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

I’ll split my review into three main parts to accommodate the three parts to the book.

Part one- I was a bit confused and honestly not convinced I was going to enjoy this book at first. The writing was pretty and descriptive and the story itself seemed kind of intriguing, but nothing had really clicked with me yet. However, the end of part one, the dramatic turn of pace that was becoming something more exciting and something I understood hooked me.

Part two- This was something I could jive with. The new setting and getting to understand the MC better (who did I mention is male?) by going through what he had been through in his past, which brought things in the present into so much more focus, was amazing. The way this part was set up was a great twist that was unexpected (for it to be a whole part of the book anyway). It makes sense if you think about it but it was still unexpected in how much detail and background was given. (I’m really trying to explain this as best I can without spoiling anything) This part though somehow managed to take me SO high and then drop me down so low and my heart was breaking.

Part three- If someone told me beforehand about the structure change in part 3 I would have immediately assumed I wouldn’t like it (again I’m trying not to spoil things) but somehow it was the most unexpected and best turn the story could have taken. This last parts set up somehow even more solidified the five star rating that was already drumming in my heart after part 2.

This books is dark and will make you sad and happy and want to scream and cry and a million other things but it is so worth it I promise you. -that being said it is ADULT and DARK. There’s adult language, m/m romance (though sex is not a big detailed factor at all in the romance), there’s triggering things like rape, suicide, alcohol abuse, physical/psychological abuse and more. If these are things you don’t like in your books then don’t go into this thinking you will enjoy it. Even the fantasy aspect of this book is more on the low end for me personally. It’s like realistic fantasy and the magic of it all is more tangible than it is far fetched.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 21 July, 2020: Finished reading
  • 21 July, 2020: Reviewed