There are some books that I find I really want to love. Not loving them feels like I've let yourself down or failed to meet my own reading expectations. But there's something not quite right. And, for some indefinable reason, I just don't love the book. 

The Binding is one such book and believe me when I say that I am SO frustrated that I don't adore it! Everyone else LOVES this book. Well-loved and respected friends with similar reading tastes to my own have urged me to read it. My book club thought it was fantastic. The lovely lady at my local library said she loved it. It's historical. It's Gothic. It has fantasy elements. And a forbidden love story. It's about BOOKS, for crying out loud! To all intents and purposes, The Binding should be EXACTLY the sort of book that I adore.  

So why didn't I? 

Well, it's not that I didn't like the book. If you take even a cursory glance at my review policy you'll know that I don't review books that I don't finish and I don't finish books I don't like.

And there's a lot that I LIKED about The Binding. The premise - that books can be bound to contain painful memories - is absolutely ingenious and is perfectly incorporated into a rich pseudo-historical setting (the era is never made 100% clear but, if I had to guess, I'd hazard late-eighteenth or early-nineteenth century). 

Into this vibrant world Collins drops a series of well-crafted characters including the naive apprentice binder Emmett Farmer, the charismatic and mysterious Lucian Darnay, the sinister De Havilland, and the enigmatic Seredith. The interplay between them is complex, with truths being gradually revealed as the plot progresses and a beautiful forbidden love story emerges from behind the shadows of the bindings. 

My problem was one of pacing versus payoff. I can cope with a meditative tale - some stories should be savoured not devoured and, arguably, The Binding is one of them. But if I'm going to read a book where information is drip-fed and teased out across several hundred pages, or where the relationship has the slowest of burns, I want the eventual payoff in the finale to be worth the wait. And, for me anyway, The Binding just didn't quite achieve that.

Without giving away any spoilers, there's a change of perspective in the middle of the book that, I felt, took away some of the narrative imperative. I was also able to take a fairly accurate guess at the events that were to come as a result of this switch. Given that the book has a somewhat slow start, it was disappointing, for me anyway, that the major reveals were exactly what I expected them to be and that the ending, though explosive in its own way, felt as if it left a number of plot strands somewhat unresolved.

 I also found the pace to be frustratingly slow at times. It takes a good while before the concept of 'binding' is really explained and, owing to the groundwork required to set the scene, a good 100 pages for the plot to really get going. I have to admit that I didn't quite believe Emmett, even given how ill he is when the book opens, would be quite so patient about not being told anything about the profession to which he has been apprenticed! I think it's probably for this reason that, although I found that The Binding absorbed me whilst I was reading it, I just didn't have that pull to return to it when I put it down. 

As I hope you can tell I really wanted to love The Binding. I certainly liked a great deal about it - the atmosphere, the premise, the characters - and I know a great many people who have adored the book. I'm sure I'll get over my frustration at not immediately wanting to place this on my 'Keeping Forever' shelf - definitely one of those cases of 'it's not you, it's me' as far as this bookish relationship goes. But I'll certainly keep my eye out for whatever Bridget Collins writes next.

So although The Binding it didn't quite hit the spot for me in terms of being a book that I adored, it's definitely one I would recommend if you love Gothic or historical reads, or are looking for something a little bit different.

It was one of those books that I just couldn't put down. The writing was incredibly gripping and suited the story perfectly. The book explores memory loss, but what sets it apart from other similar novels, is that it's a voluntary affair and getting "bound" presents societal implications.

"The Binding" does not present incredible world building or crazy magic everywhere. It is subtle, deep, and focuses on character development and their psychology. I appreciate both types of books equally and if they're done well, they will be an incredible read. Personally, I don't think this book lacked anything and Bridget Collins did an incredible job twisting all the threads together while creating complex characters.

The book is peppered with folklore, historical fiction, and romance. And even though I'm not big on romance in books, this was done masterfully.

I was bereft from the instant I finished this book. A truly one of a kind, utterly spell-binding read. I was hooked from the first page, so much so I tried to make it last as long as possible - it's just so delightful and charming!

This was a very interesting premise and I really enjoyed the subtle magic in the world so I really quite enjoyed it. I also really enjoyed the romance as it felt well-paced and rather beautiful. It was a little slow but I also really enjoyed it. Some people will find that this was too pessimistic about everyone being horrible but since that fits my kind of worldview I really did enjoy it

Exquisite, richly imagined and beautifully written, I loved "The Binding" and will miss it terribly now that I've finished reading. A brilliant concept, perfectly executed.

I really enjoyed the premise of this story. It had the bones to be fantastic and do amazing things. However, it just didn't quite get there for me.

I loved how the book was set up with the different parts giving us different points of view and I really enjoyed the twist in here too, The writing was lovely but not really anything to shout about. I just didn't really find myself caring too much about the story or the characters.

Overall, it was an okay book. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't a favourite and I'm unsure who I'd actually recommend it to. However, the book itself is absolutely beautiful.

Brilliant book! Took me a while to read it as it was lost in my kindle but I am so glad I found it! Just a lovely story with a beautiful character

Recently released in paperback, and Waterstones Book of the Month, The Binding is a magical and spellbinding read. Not set in any particular period, but obviously historical in setting, it is a time where books are seen as suspicious and those who make them witches or magicians. After a long period of ill health, Emmett Farmer is sent to be apprenticed to book binder, Seredith, out in the marshes. He is not sure why he has been chosen, but book binding is a vocation, something you are born to do; Binding peoples memories and fears, wiping their memories, and giving them a second chance. Amongst the books of peoples memories in Seredith’s vault is a book with his own name on, just what has he had wiped?

The Binding is a book I have been looking forward to reading for a while and finally got around to it over Christmas. I found it intriguing that it was set in historical period but no dates given, giving an otherworldly feel at times. Being a book lover it is hard to imagine a time when books were seen as suspicious, a thing to be avoided. This was because that as well as the book binders who bind memories, and keep those memories locked away, there are those binders who sell these memories, and people who sell the story of their lives to binders, to sell on for people’s pleasure which is very much frowned upon. There are also those who abuse this process, the who take advantage of their status, abuse those lower than themselves then wipe their memories. For me, this brought to mind the saying “Ignorance is bliss”, but is it, should we not learn from our mistakes, remember those we have hurt and try to live a better life.

This book is not just about the binding, there is also a love story that crosses boundaries and adds a different dynamic to the story. Emmett is the main character, expected to take over his families farm as generations before him have done. After his long period of sickness he is struggling with the work, no longer strong and muscular, he finds himself weak and struggling with his tasks. He has no desire to be a binder, but finds himself sent against his will, but overtime with teaching from the mysterious Seredith, he realises its not worth fighting it, and finds a new side to his life. It is whilst there he sees Lucian Darnay when he visits Seredith for a binding. Darnay gives Emmett a feeling of unease and fear, and leaves him feeling unwell but he doesn’t know why. I’m not going to say much more about the book as it would be giving away some of the cornerstones of the plot. If I had to find a fault with this book it would be that I would like there to have been more time spent on the binding and binders.

The Binding is a haunting and atmospheric read with plenty of darkness and light, humour and suspense, love and fear. Beautifully written, with insight and a touch of magic make this such a wonderful and intriguing read, and an outstanding debut novel. Truly spellbinding, haunting and immersive this is a fantastic book.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to our readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me! Adored this book - just an incredible read!

Amazing.

The Binding is divided into three distinct sections, two narrated by Emmett Farmer, newly discovered binder, and one by another essential to the story character.

Binding, as created in the book, is the process of removing disturbing, distressing or disruptive thoughts from a person and storing them within the pages of a book. Without the memories, is the person reborn, or empty?

This is a dense, intense and fantastic read. With fantastic I mean both amazing and born of fantasy, as the world of the book is rich, imaginative and magical.

One off my books of 2019.

This book was interesting to read. The story was very different to what I was expecting and it didn't really gain any momentum. I had no idea on the ending and when we got there, I was disappointed as it didn't tie up any lose ends. However, the idea behind the book was good and individual

Spell-binding rich tapestry of story. It draws you in with one narrative, and then unravels into something even better. It's very hard to describe this story without spoiling it for another reader, but the slow-paced descriptive scene-setting is important, and you must deal with the missing details for later. Heartbreaking, astounding, emotive, hard-hitting, beautiful... I can't recommend this highly enough. Beautifully written and planned out.

If you had the opportunity of having painful memories taken away and kept safe, would you? Taken from your memory, bound in to a beautiful, handmade book and kept in a vault, never to see the light of day again.

You would have no memory at all of "the binding", the process that takes your memories - and it would literally be a case of never missing what you never had.
What if it was taken too far and people returned time and time again to have their memories wiped? What would be left of the bindee?
And what if someone were to somehow get hold of the book that holds your memories?

This book is told in three separate parts and I have to say that the first section was by far my favourite and kept me turning the pages, completed invested in all that I was reading.

The main character is Emmett, a young man living and working on his family farm, except he's not able to work as hard as he had as Emmett has been suffering from an illness. One that has still left him feeling weak and not entirely sure how he became ill.

When Emmett is sent to live with Seredith, a Binder as her apprentice, he doesn't understand and feels that he is being punished. This is due to the fact that Emmett lives in a world where books are something to be feared although he has never really been given an explanation for this.

The author has a wonderful way with words and the descriptions were so atmospheric. I liked the main characters but would have loved to have learned more about Seredith and the actual art of the Binding and that I think is why I preferred the first section of the book. The following sections were more "romantic" which I had not been expecting at all when I first started this book although I felt very early on that I knew where the story was going - and I was right.

There is humour and lightness in this book but be aware that there are dark parts - and bloody dark they are too.

I felt that the ending was rather abrupt but there is potential (I suppose) for a follow up or even a prequel
featuring the enigmatic Seredith,.

Trigger warning : Abuse, Animal Abuse, Suicide

An unusual idea wonderfully handled to make it believable. Hard to believe this was a debut novel. Highly recommended!

Bridget Collins’ dystopian novel is set in an alternate England at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. The concept consists of a binder who puts down unpleasant or painful memories in a book in a bid to eradicate it from one’s own memory. Emmett Farmer, an apprentice binder, discovers there is a lot of money to be made from selling books to said wealthy clients that they might vicariously enjoy the misdemeanours of others as well as their own. But there are consequences to removing memories.

As a reluctant reader of magical realism, I struggled with The Binding, but I may be the wrong audience for this fantasy novel. The novel suffers from portentous conversations and a few plot points that the characters don’t realistically react to. To me, The Binding has the feel of a fairly pedestrian romance novel, mixed in with the potential of an interesting idea.

Sometimes a single, simple change can birth a brilliant and exquisite story.  In The Binding (review copy from Harper Collins) Bridget Collins turns the magic of writing a story into literal magic.  Books are the real memories of real people, and once written down, the subject has given up those memories forever unless and until the book is destroyed.  They are left with no recollection of the events that they have given up to be bound.  In Collins's hands, this becomes a beautiful story of love and loss, cut through by a brilliant exploration of the dynamics of power. 


After recovering from a long illness, Emmett Farmer discovers that he is a Bookbinder, one of the rare people with the talent to bind people's memories into book form.  Apprenticed to Seredith, he begins to learn the craft of making books while continuing his recovery.  One day, Seredith is visited by a rich young man called Lucian, who is extremely distressed and troubled and wants his memories bound.  Emmett has never met him before, but Lucian is intensely focused on Emmett.  Seredith's health is failing, and she dies before Emmett's training is complete.  He is taken on by another bookbinder who lacks Seredith's prize for craft skills and her view that binding is a sacred calling that should be offered to all those that need it.  Give up too many memories, or do it too frequently, and the person who is bound can be left as little more than a hollow zombie. 


This is one of the real strengths of the book for me.  Its exploration of power and how the wealthy exploit and commodify the experiences of the vulnerable and less fortunate is extremely contemporary, particularly in the #MeToo world.  In Seredith's hands, binding is a way of helping others to move on from tragedy, and is not something to be done lightly or without thought.  But Collins shows how the powerful use the same mechanisms to silence others - including sexually abused servants.  Others sell their life experiences for the titillation of others as a way of briefly escaping poverty.  Books containing people's experiences are bought and sold for entertainment, with a dark trade in the most horrific experiences.  The books of people who are bound are used as tools for blackmail and extortion. 


But the heart of The Binding is a beautiful queer love story.  It unfolds throughout the second part of the book.  Collins writes it with grace and a wonderful emotional intensity.  It is joyful, evoking the tender fragility of a burgeoning love affair, but bitter sweet for its forbidden nature.  It's impossible not to be swept up in Collins's lyrical prose as the romance unfolds.


This is a book to immerse yourself in, but prepare to be hit in the feels.  Hard. 


Goodreads rating: 5*

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

Plot: 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.

Thoughts: This has to be one of my most anticipated books. The cover is absolutely stunning and the plot just spoke to me. Collins writes so wonderfully and captures the reader with her every word. The writing style for this is possibly one of my most favourites I have come across. I really enjoyed the plot of this book and I feel like it was developed really well. I didn’t want to stop reading just so I could find out what happened next.

There is a love interest in the book which unfortunately I found unnecessary. I liked the diversity of said romance however it stopped there. It felt forced and as if the author had incorporated it just for the sake of it.

This is a stand-alone book and I understand the necessity of tying things up and answering the readers questions which I can imagine is difficult in a 500 page book. Unfortunately I can’t help but feel disappointed with the ending. I feel like it was too coincidental that everything ended the way that it did and I would have liked a bit more from it.

That said, the writing style alone led me to love this book and I would definitely read another book written by Collins!

*** ARC provided by Netgalley via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ***

How do I even start with this book? I adored it! In fact, in the two weeks since I’ve finished it I have spent a large portion of my time encouraging people to read it and then discussing it! Fantasy isn’t even a genre I particularly enjoy usually.

The book is set in a world where people have the opportunity to ‘bind’ their bad memories into books to essentially forget them and protect themselves. Our protagonist, Emmett, is torn away from his family following a long illness with the instruction that he is to become a binder. Unfortunately, Emmett seems to know little more about this profession than we as readers do at this point. The book follows his progression, has a love story I actually enjoyed (not easy) and follows the twists and turns whilst Emmett learns about this mystical craft. Excellent book, I’ll be looking out for this author in the future!

The description of this book appealed to me and the cover struck me as beautiful so I was pleased to be able to review it. However, after some time I marked it as Will Not Give Feedback but then realised my given reasons for this were valid as the basis of a brief review; so here it is!

The Binding completely failed to hold my interest but I knew others were enjoying it so I persevered. Now, reading should be a joy, whether entertaining or informing, engaging or disturbing and to me, this was simply irritating and reluctantly I decided, I should abandon it. It is rare for me not to finish a book intended for review and unheard of not to write that review and now I have made amends.

I can only say it proved to be a genre and style which I do not enjoy, though I am sure others will find it spellbinding. And how lovely that we all have different tastes and preferences; if we didn’t, how would we find new favourites?

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the Advanced Reader Copy of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

How often do you read an original story? It’s rare. And one so thought provoking, brutal yet beautiful is even rarer. This book is very dark , darker than I expected but very good. Very good.