The Binding

By Bridget Collins

*PRE-ORDER BRIDGET COLLINS' STUNNING NEW NOVEL, THE SILENCE FACTORY, NOW*

LOSE YOURSELF IN THE BREAKOUT SENSATION OF THE YEAR

SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019

‘Spellbinding’ Guardian

‘Magic’ Erin Kelly

‘Immersive’ Sunday Times

‘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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Dec 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9780008331887

Bridget Collins

Bridget Collins trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art after reading English at King's College, Cambridge. She is the author of seven acclaimed books for young adults and has had two plays produced, one at the Edinburgh Fringe. She is the No. 1 bestselling author of THE BINDING and THE BETRAYALS. THE SILENCE FACTORY is her third adult novel.

Reviews for The Binding

[bibliovermis · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I loved the concept, the plotting, and the romance of this book. I hated that all the women in the book were just there to provide impetus for the actions and development of the men—particularly that their trauma and abuse was used in this way while so little personailty, agency, or characterization was given to them.

[cwhisenant11 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was not what I expected. About mid way through, the story took a turn that I wasn’t expecting and I wasn’t sure I wanted to finish reading at that point. Eventually, I did finish the book and was surprised with how much the characters got under my skin in spite of myself. The concept was totally original and the story was told in such a way that I couldn’t help but appreciate the craftiness of the author.

[zoharlaor · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Binding by Bridget Collins is a novel taking place sometime in the past, where people can bind their memories in a book, freeing them of remembering. Ms. Collins is an author, actor, and an amateur book binder.Emmett Farmer starts an apprenticeship as bookbinder for Seredith, an elderly woman who the locals believe to be a witch. Emmett can no longer work on the farm since he is recovering from a long, mysterious illness.Soon Emmett discovers that people who arrive at Seredith leave their traumatic experiences on paper, hence erasing their memories in a gorgeous book with the person’s name on the spine.When I started reading the novel I find myself sinking into its words, written like a fable The Binding by Bridget Collins reads like an adult fairytale. The concept of binding memories fascinated me from the onset and I was curious to see where the author takes the reader from there.The book is divided into three parts. The first takes its time in setting up the story and its mysteries (people know stuff but we can’t tell you yet). The second act has the major “shocking” reveal. The third adds some more perspective and misery to the story.I was looking forward to reading more about the “binding”, how it worked, affected people and what is Emmett’s role in the whole magical realm the author created. Unfortunately the most interesting part of the story was overlooked, and just a setup for throwing personal and emotional challenges at Emmett.Emmett’s personal issues and love interest really didn’t speak to me and the long time spent on it was, for me, a distraction from the excellent promise and potential of this book. The author introduces many wonderful concepts (black market for memories, novels which are “fake memories”) which are touched upon, but I wanted to read more about them.The setup of the first act, which led to reader to believe that the story might be about the ethics of binding memories, was also somewhat forgotten. The ethical issues of Emmett and those he loves and knows are touched on, but the overall ethical dilemma which Emmett brings up in the beginning, the big picture if you will, is ignored.When reading the synopsis, and then the first act I really had high hopes for the book and wanted to like it much more than I did. I would certainly read more from Ms. Collins though, the writing is wonderful and immersive.

[plancultivatecreate · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dark and atmospheric, poignant and passionate, and magic that can erase memories by binding them into books.

[justagirlwithabook · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I had such high hopes for this one and my dreams fell through by Part 2, which was about a third of the way in. This book has been advertised as historical fiction, literary fiction, and magical realism. The blurb on the inside cover gave me all those musty bookshop vibes, and I expected to be entirely wrapped up in the magical aspects of hiding people's memories away in these bound books. And then, after Part 1, it took a turn and led me deep into what I would call a YA romance that I was entirely not expecting nor really wanted. It was all the angsty teen romance that had me rolling my eyes, and it got so far away from its original blurb that I'm surprised I even finished the book. So, all-in-all, a bit disappointed to say the least.

[indygo88 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Emmett Farmer is a young man who is recovering from an illness. For reasons he is not quite clear on, he is sent by his family to be an apprentice to a bookbinder, an old woman who many refer to as a witch. He soon realizes that the craft of bookbinding is more involved than just binding some pieces of paper between two covers. A true bookbinder binds people's unpleasant memories into a book, leaving them with no memory of the secrets that they've had bound. But one day, Emmett discovers that there is a bound book with his name on it.I was lucky to receive an Advanced Reader's copy of this book, and I was intrigued for three reasons: (1) the beautiful cover (I'm a sucker yet again), (2) a book about secrets, and (3) well, a book about books. Right up my wheelhouse. In all honesty, the story started out slowly and I wasn't immediately drawn in as I'd hoped. The setting is a bit vague, but it appears to be circa 1800's England. It's told in three parts, and by the time I'd reached the end of part one, I was sucked in. I'm not going to go anymore into plot at the risk of giving too much away, but part two of the story acted as a bridge between parts one and three. I enjoyed this book mostly for its uniqueness. It's a mix of history, romance, and fantasy. At its heart it's not telling a story that hasn't been told before, but it tells it in a way that really sticks with the reader. I finished this several days ago and I find myself still thinking about it a lot. It's due to be released in April 2019, and I suspect it will get lots of hype.

[lisa5127 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.It took me a while to get this book to the top of my TBR pile, so this isn't the early review it should have been. Having said that, once I started reading the book, I didn't want to put it down.The premise of the book is that there are magical people who are able to bind memories into books. You are either born a binder or you are not. The book does not get into the background of this at all, so I'm not sure how the first person realized that they could bind memories into a book, but somehow they did.It was a pretty obvious track when we learn that some binders are "good" - they help people forget terrible things that have happened to them, while others are "bad" and they make people forget terrible things that were done to them so that they could be abused over and over again. While that may have made a great story to really delve into the two types of binders, that wasn't really the focus of the book.The focus is the story between Emmett and Lucian. Emmett is from a very poor farming family. Lucian is from a very wealthy family. The majority of the story is about the two of them. Emmett learns that he is a binder. Lucian learns, among other things, that his father uses a binder to wipe the memory of his servants so that he can abuse them over and over again.The two reasons that I gave this a 4-star rather than 5-star review are as follows:1 - I wanted this to be more about the world of binding and where that could lead, ethically and morally, and less of a love story2 - The book is written in three parts. This may be an issue that is fixed in the final version, but in my version, it doesn't give a timeline for each part. So, when I started part 2, I really wasn't sure for quite a few pages if this was after part 1, or if it was before part 1. Then when part 3 started, I wasn't sure where to fit that in until I got quite a few pages in as well. Also, part 1 and 2 are told with Emmett as the narrator. Part 3 switches so that Lucian is the narrator. That also really threw me for a loop for some reason. Hopefully, that is more clear in the final version?

[phlegmmy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The concept behind The Binding is brilliant, a way to erase your memories while preserving them at the same time. Your memories, either of sadness, hurt, your misdeeds and crimes or anything else you would be better off not knowing are bound into books through the services of a binder. I won't give too much away, but the questions are asked, are you better off knowing, or not knowing? What happens when your memories come flooding back? What happens if they don't? The story lured me in very slowly, very seductively but by the halfway point I couldn't put it down. The writing is lush and sets the tone of the story perfectly. Its's both a love story and a bit of a thriller at the same time, both magical and moody.

[dmenon90 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lately there has been a Gothic/macabre streak in one's reading. Sample this beautiful cover- irises with gold leaves, no less- and I shall tell of what lies within. And that grandiose introduction illustrates overall what feeling I was left with after having read this book: a sort of anti-climax, if you will. A slight sense of having been misled in some small way. See, the thing is, this story is a love-story and no mistake. All right, it's in an unidentified age somewhere in England where exists an art called binding. Binders are gifted individuals who are capable of extracting a person's most awful memories and capturing those in a book, thus leaving the actual person a clean slate. Hence, no trauma, life back to normal, etc. etc. There are also those who would use this art for nefarious purposes- steal someone's book, for instance, and sell it. Or, worse, abuse a person again and again because after all, you just send them off to a binder and bing bang boom, all bad memories erased, you can get back to messing them up again...Even with all that, THAT is not the crux of this story. Sigh. See what I mean? The actual crux was the love story, one of a forbidden attraction, heartbreaking in its own way to be sure. But why not tell the reader that straightaway instead of mentioning it as if it were merely one thread of this fascinating world? The other thing that bothered me was the switch in point-of-view. The first two sections in one voice. Third and last section, bang, the other character narrates, to no great effect. One can't even at times keep it straight if it's Emmett or bloody Lucian. What was the point of this? (And while I am at it, the title too is extremely weak. Which binding exactly are we discussing here? They happen an awful lot you know, and would you kindly tell us which one was the most important?)Not to sound like a bitter critic. In fact let me hasten to add that the novel was immersive and the author is a talent. In fact I wish she were better served by the publicity for her own work, and also better served by an editor who forced her to stick with the same narrative voice throughout. I'll look for you again, Bridget Collins! Fare thee well, and ere long we shall share a pint whilst I listen enraptured to your plans for your next offering.

[stefferoo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Binding by Bridget Collins was an okay book, but it could have been better. In its defense, I confess I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more if my patience threshold hadn’t been so low when I started this; I’ve had a recent run of bad to mediocre reads lately which has made me extremely finicky, and unfortunately, there are many things about this one that make it a very mood-dependent book.But first, I did love the novel’s concept. I’ve always had a thing for “books about books”, and I thought The Binding deserves points for tackling the idea quite a bit differently. That’s because books in this world are nothing like the way we think of them, neither for knowledge or for pleasure. Instead, they are magical devices handcrafted by specially trained artisans called Bookbinders, who use books as vessels to take away and store a person’s worst memories. All the secrets and the pain and hurt and guilt that one can’t bear to live with, a Bookbinder has the mysterious power to erase and lock away, which has resulted in much fear and mistrust around the profession, and not surprisingly, books themselves are anathema and forbidden.This was a lesson protagonist Emmett Farmer learned early on, when he was a young boy punished by his father for bringing home a book from the Wakening Fair, not understanding the gravity of what he’d done. But for as long as he can remember, Emmett has always been drawn to books, and soon enough, we get to learn why. What he’s always thought of as a debilitating condition which has prevented him from working efficiently in his family’s fields actually turns out to be a sign of his potential to become a Bookbinder. Before long, a letter arrives from an elderly Bookbinder named Seredith with a demand for his apprenticeship, and despite his reluctance to leave the farm, Emmett knows deep in his heart that he has no choice.Under Seredith’s tutelage, Emmett learns the delicate art of binding. He also discovers the truth behind the books she creates, watching as customers arrive at her doorstep, beseeching the old Bookbinder to take away their memories and lock them up. But not everything is as they seem either. Soon, we get to see that the business of bookbinding is rife for abuse, with some engaging in the illegal trading of books while others misuse the services for their own nefarious purposes. Which brings us to Lucian, a wealthy young patron who visits Seredith’s shop one day. We won’t find out how until much later, but Emmett and Lucian’s lives are connected in some way, and in time we learn how a great disservice has been done to both of them.I have to say, The Binding was a deeply layered book. Again, I suspect that I would have enjoyed it a lot more had I had been in a better mood for a story like this, but there was also plenty about its execution I found aggravating. For one thing, the book is told in three parts, with some accompanying perspective and time shifts that I didn’t feel were written all that effectively. I liked the first part well enough, mostly due to Collins’ amazing characterization of both Emmett and Seredith, as well as the development of their master-apprentice relationship. This section also introduced a world of mystery that I found very enticing, making it hard to resist reading more. But then came the second act, told via a flashback. Emotionally, I found it challenging to connect with this section—very unfortunate, considering how so much of what was covered here would play directly into the crux of the novel, revealed in the third and final act. My enthusiasm already dampened at this point, my apathy only increased as we shift POVs for this concluding section, which felt a world away from the magic and allure of the first act. Instead, we mostly got a lot of drama and anguish. I don’t want to spoil things too much, even though many of the reviews have already mentioned the queer romance and the tale of star-crossed lovers (though honestly, it’s quite obvious that the book was setting up for it), but essentially, I felt this last act failed to deliver the emotional intensity such crucial dissemination of events required, or it’s possible I just felt too disconnected from the POV to feel much of it.My final verdict? I really thought I would love The Binding, given its fantastic premise. However, I struggled miserably with the shifts between the novel’s three parts, and as such, things did not go as smoothly as I would have liked. On a better day, I might have felt a little more magnanimous, but lately I’ve been burned by too many books that show early promise only to fizzle out by the end, and I was disappointed when this one followed the same trend. In all fairness, this wasn’t a bad book, but I do wish it had been more emotionally satisfying.

[anniehidalgo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It started out as some type of high fantasy novel, and ended up as The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. I'm not sure how I feel about that. At first it seemed a little cliched, with a boy being sent as apprentice to the wise old woman with all the secrets he isn't ready to learn - shades of the beginning of The Black Cauldron, or any number of young master and apprentice stories. But something momentous happens in the book, and the boy is sent to the big city, launching the Gentleman's Guide portion. I was a little confused about what historical period we seemed to be in. I mean, it was clearly not set in our actual world, but it was kind of Victorian fantasy with medieval witchcraft. I liked the basic concept of binding, but hesitate to say more, since the main character's lack of knowledge about what binding entails drives the plot, particularly in the beginning. So, if you can imagine some sort of Prydain/Gentleman's Guide/Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore hybrid, you've got the idea. Pretty enjoyable.

[her_royal_orangeness · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What if books were not meant to be read for pleasure but were instead a place to hide (and forget) your secrets?Emmett Farmer is apprenticed to an elderly lady to train as a binder, a person who is both destined and trained to capture people’s secrets and hide them away in a book. Emmett - and the reader - slowly discover that there is much more to his story than a simple apprenticeship. He also has secrets and there are powerful people who are very invested in keeping those secrets locked away forever. The Binding is a story about choices and consequences and, unexpectedly, love. It is a mesmerizing book, beautifully written and brilliantly executed. One of my Top Ten in 2018, I recommend it wholeheartedly to those who enjoy speculative fiction and/or historical fiction.

[tiggywinkle-929224 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fine disquisition on the nature of and meaning of memory, tied up in a love story and set against a Dickensian style background. I really enjoyed this book.

[p1g5purt · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First offering from a YA author and it’s very easy to see the join.

[erikschreppel · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Binding by Bridget Collins is a very original book that also unfortunately telegraphs its big reveal early on. The story is set in an alternative universe resembling 1800’s England, where there are people with a gift of being able to Bind other people’s memories into a book. Thereby relieving them of painful or unwanted memories. The Binders are looked on with fear from the rural populace and with a certain novelty from the wealthier class that use unscrupulous Binders to their advantage.The story follows a young man who is given over by his family to an old Binder to learn the craft after a long sickness. She is a traditional Binder who believes in the sanctity of the craft and that she only removes memories from people at a last resort. Eventually he makes his way to the larger city and comes across other Binders who use their talents in more corrupt ways. We follow his relationships with his family and the son of a wealthy land owner.Collins has crafted a wonderful world, and the book moves quickly along. I would have enjoyed it much more though had I not been able to deduce the plots main storyline fairly early on. But even so, I was entertained and enjoyed the read. I recommend it, but again with a caveat surrounding the ending.

[lenamaybooks · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I tried so hard to like this book but I could not finish it. It was very slow and had lots of difficult moments.

[mckait · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Young love. There is nothing like it, is there. So much light, breathlessness and, well, confusion. This is the story of Emmet, a Binder. He was born into a farming family, but his life purpose is Binding. "Helping" people to forget things they would rather not know about themselves. It's quite a journey for him. Happy at home with his parents and sister, meeting Lucien, and watching his sister falls in love. But then things change. The binding is calling him. He is called away from home to learn the trade. He encounters so much good, so much evil and even hate. His life changes over and over again and he too finds love. Surprising twists

[lisally_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Binding is a book presented by the publisher as a magical realism novel. This aspect plays the largest role in the first part of the book; Emmett Farmer finds himself apprenticed to Seredith, a "binder" with the ability to remove memories and store them in books. There are some interesting ideas presented here, such as binding memories to deal with trauma, and abusers forcing their victims to bind their memories.This unfortunately also leads to some weakness in the story's world building. Books exist largely as memory repositories and are treated with superstition in this world. Even school books are memories rather than ordinary reference books. Did no one in this world think of simply writing out information? Literacy is clearly a thing, as even rural farmers like Emmett can read and write. Yet, novels are viewed as a completely new thing. The setting otherwise appears to be a Victorian/Dickensian England, and unfortunately doesn't reflect much difference from our own world.The second part of the story takes a sharp turn, as the idea of bound memories then serves as merely a plot device for a romance story. It is nice to see more queer representation in mainstream fiction, and there's some good social class drama, but this dragged for me as I usually don't go for plain romance stories.This leads to The Binding's biggest problem in my opinion, in that it tries to be too many different things. There's a magical realist story with some interesting ideas about memory, a romance that defies societal expectations, and the story of a serial abuser who takes the memories of his victims. The writing can be lovely at times, but I really wish these three plot threads wove together a little more strongly. As it is, The Binding just wasn't for me.A review copy was provided through the Librarything Early Reviewers Program

[riida_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

i did not see this book coming. there was not enough info on the back to hint at the plot, so all i knew about it was that it has a beautiful cover and my bookseller highly recommends it.needles to say, it took me by surprise. it was for me a difficult read, every page an effort for some reason. at times i even found the story cruel. but the beauty of the prose drove me forward, and it had touched something in me like no other book had in a while. by the end, i knew i'm going to read this book again. but not yet.

[bluepigeon-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Binding by Bridget Collins is a beautifully told tale of forbidden love; and it comes with a nice twist. The idea that memory can be erased or re-written is not new, but Collins takes it and makes it her own. We meet Emmet Farmer, the son of a farmer, when he is very sick. And if that's not enough, he's packed off to apprentice with the local witch! His ignorance of books and binding (the "witchcraft" of choice here) is not only because he is a farmer; his parents have kept these things form their children, because books and binding are considered immoral. So Emmet ends up with the witch, who binds people's unwanted memories into books, leaving them ignorant of those particular memories. He has no clue why he's there, but he feels drawn to books. Everything seems to go OK, until his mistress the witch falls ill. From the beginning, it is not hard to guess that Emmet is ill because a binding. It's not obvious why the would be or what a farmer boy would need a binding for, but it is well hinted that there was some sort of attempt to bind him and he got ill because of it. This, I found, was done well, giving enough to make me feel smart for getting it, but keeping enough to make we want to keep reading to find out just what horrible thing could have made Emmet (or his family) get a binding.The one thing that did bother me in the plot was the extreme convenience of the very small world these characters lived in. How Emmet and Lucian come to meet is not such a stretch, but that Emmet later would end up being sent over to the Darnays is just a bit contrived. We're to accept the small world, the little village, the small town, the handful of moneyed lords who would have anything to do with books, and hence a binder inevitably ending up in one of their houses... The love affair between Emmet and Lucian has all the hallmarks of a hate-love relationship. Poor boy meets rich boy. It's sweet and tragic. The young men, despite the changes in their lives, seem to hold their character, their decisions and thoughts often well in range of how they would react in their station at the time. Perhaps another little problem was that all the rich and lordly men were depicted as evil. Perhaps this is not untrue in a sense, as we're learning from the #MeToo movement, that when someone has a lot of power, they will most likely abuse it. Still, Lord Darnay and a few of the other older men are just so extremely predatory without, it seems, any qualms, that it becomes a little unbelievable. In contrast, Emmet's father, a hard-working good farmer is pious and moral and, well, poor. So poor people are good, rich people are bad? It ends up being a bit like that, maybe a bit simplistic. Thankfully, Lucian Darnay manages to break this mold, showing a full range of internal and external conflict both morally and ethically, so rich people can also be good. Phew!Overall, The Binding is a captivating story. Collins takes her time to build the world, details the farm work and nature as well as the people and their everyday lives. The story moves at a slow, languid pace, savoring each moment, whether it be snow falling to cover a path or an afternoon of secret fucking in the attic.Recommended for those who like puppies, private libraries, vaults, bone folds, end papers, and waxing binding string (so it does not catch on the paper as blocks are sawn together).Thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my review. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[currerbell-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"[H]istorical fiction with a touch of magic...." is how Harper-Collins marketing director Tavia Kowalchuk describes it. "The Binding reveals its secrets with a languid fluidity that builds a suspense rarely encountered in literary fiction."Um, "historical" fiction this ain't (it's straight-out fantasy rather realistically told), and the back-cover blurb comparing The Binding to the novels of Sarah Waters is definitely overstatement. And as to "suspense," I found the twists utterly predictable. I'm reluctant to say more, though, for fear of SPOILER if there are any readers out there who actually might be surprised by this rather predictable romantic plot.Still, having your memories erased and bound in a book is a clever concept and The Binding's a well-written and enjoyable read, so 3½***.

[klarsenmd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as part of the LT early reviewer program. While this may not be the book for everyone, I found it to be written in such a lovely way, that it was hard to put down. The author is able to weave a wonderful fresh story. It is the story of what happens if you are given the power to wipe your worst memories clean by placing them in a book. Told in 3 parts, form different perspectives, it keeps a good pace and has a unique view of magic, love and the power of both over us. I recommend giving it a go.

[susangeiss · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fantastic read for those who loved Strange the Dreamer.
Imagine being able to remove those memories that haunt you, to basically erase a period of time from your mind. That is what binders do...they "bind" memories you want to forget into books and in this world all books are bindings. But what happens when memories are bound for the wrong reason? Or a book that should be kept secret is put into the wrong hands?
This book is filled with ethical questions as well as fun twists that will keep you turning those pages.
Thanks to the publisher and edelweiss for this DRC! I believe every library who serves teens and adults who read YA fiction should have this title on their shelves!

[passion4reading_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In a world where memories can be bound in books by binders, Emmett Farmer becomes an apprentice to Seredith, who is feared by locals as a witch. As he learns the skills of his profession, the reader is introduced to what a binding entails, and why someone may want to choose it. One day Emmett discovers that there's a book with his name on it, meaning he's undergone a binding himself.While I think the book isn't entirely successful, I loved the initial premise of the novel: in Emmett's world, bound memories are kept usually safe in vaults, never to see the light of day again, while some unscrupulous binders flog them to willing readers and so-called collectors who get their thrills from reading someone else's stolen life, whereas novels are dismissed as fake memories. There's something terribly poignant about people so desperate that they're willing to sell their most cherished memories for a few shillings. Of course the practice is also abused by those in power, with the victims subjected to yearly bindings so the abuse can continue, and the resultant books providing illicit entertainment for the abusers.I really wanted to learn more about this world, but it turned out that the initial premise is secondary to a forbidden love affair. While this is well done and compelling enough so that I had know how the story ended, I felt I had somehow been lured to read the book with false promises. I enjoyed the story, and the notion of binding one's memories provides plenty of food for thought about ethics and about what makes a life worth living, but in the end I feel it's not a book worth keeping or rereading.

[davidroche_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Binding (Borough Press) is Bridget Collins’ first adult book and the first number 1 for Borough Press, HarperFiction’s literary imprint. The premise is wonderful: an apprentice binder works with an aged professional and discovers that the books they craft are actually repositories for people’s unwanted memories. My chapter last night ended with a real jolt and I’m only about quarter of the way through so I am guessing that this is not a major plot spoiler – I suspect there is much more to come and I am really looking forward to galloping on. I would recommend reading the beautiful hardback for this story rather than the digital version, but read it nonetheless !

[darcia_10 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I want to tell you I loved this book. I really wish I could. The writing has a beautiful literary quality. I did love the rhythm of the sentences. And the concept is fascinating, sparking an internal debate during which I considered all the pros and cons of wiping out a segment of my memory. But the story itself fell short of the writing quality and story premise. The book is separated into three parts. Part one follows the present timeline, which is an unnamed past year in an unnamed place, and is written from Emmett's perspective. Part two, also from Emmett's perspective, goes into his earlier childhood, showing us the events leading up to the present. And part three is written from Lucian's perspective, back in the present. All three parts are written in first person.Most of the story has a strong YA feel, with teenage characters and the angst of youth, but the content is far too graphic for most kids under 18. There are some detailed scenes containing rape and abuse. So we have a tangle of adult content, with YA characters and overall story tone.The pace, particularly through the first two parts, is extremely slow. Between the book's description and the author's note at the opening, we already know the premise of the story. Yet Emmett, the lead character, has no idea what's going on, and we spend a whole lot of pages with him sitting back, observing, learning how to bind a book, obsessing about teenage issues, but not getting involved or even understanding what's going on. I felt it took way too long for the story to get started, particularly since we readers are well aware of what to expect from the onset.Part three picks up in pace, and here it becomes a story of forbidden love. This is also where we finally take a hard look at the issue of wiping memories, with its surrounding controversy and life-altering effects. Overall, the story dragged too much for me, and I felt too immersed in the YA world. But, as I mentioned, the writing quality is beautiful. If you like literary fiction that leans into fantasy, you might love this book.*I received an advance copy from the publisher.*

[adonisguilfoyle · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I didn't borrow this book from the library on the strength of the cover reviews, but 'spellbinding', 'breathtaking' and 'pure magic' are somewhat far-fetched. The story also fails to deliver on the blurb, in my opinion. Part one was intriguing, set in a vaguely alternate Victorian timeline where Christmas is called the Turning and books are sinful, sort of a mash-up of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Picture of Dorian Gray. But then, as warned in readers' reviews, the second part slid downhill into an anachronistic reworking of Call Me By Your Name. The last part was the same, but randomly from another character's perspective, not that I could really tell from the narration.In fact, the first person narrative deserves a paragraph of its own - if authors can't write in a convincing 'voice', they should just stick to good old third person, otherwise all the reader gets is 'I-I-I-me-me-me', particularly when dealing with a teenage narrator. It's painful! Here, Emmett the farmer's son was indistinguishable from Lucian the wealthy playboy, with both of them using awkwardly formal but modern language, full of broken sentences (another bugbear) and copious swearing (I assume to prove that this is the author's first 'adult' novel).The plot felt like two stories glued together - Emmett being taken on as a binder's apprentice after his 'illness', before falling in love with the Willoughby/Wickham type cad who rescues his sister. The binder, Seredith, was suitably spooky in her little cottage full of books and secrets, and I really wanted to read more about her trade. But no. Exit Seredith, enter an actual moustache-twirling villain only interested in money and blackmail. Nuance was already sorely lacking, but I completely gave up on the characters when de Havilland the eeeeeevil binder and Lucian's father were introduced. I can imagine Bridget Collins being torn between typical YA fodder, two young men in love but kept apart by prejudice and childhood trauma, etc, and a gothic tale of stolen memories - then writing both and slapping them together.The worst reviews are a bit exaggerated, this is readable - even if I did start skimming towards the end - but very repetitive ('Don't call me Lucian!') and more like a penny dreadful upcycled for modern readers.

[jbd1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This one really goes in some fascinating, creative directions. A great concept, set in an alternate world where unwanted memories can be removed and bound up into books. I don't want to say too much about the plot, but will say that the pacing and suspense work quite well and I very much wanted to keep reading right until the end.

[jfe16 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Emmett Farmer is apprenticed to a bookbinder, a profession looked on with disdain since books are forbidden. But as Seredith, the bookbinder, teaches Emmett her craft, he learns to create the books that will capture peoples’ memories. But when Seredith becomes ill and dies, will the new bookbinder hold to the same high principles, or will he teach Emmett to turn to the amoral side of bookbinding?Strong characters populate this well-drawn but bleak fantasy world in which people can truly forget the memories that cause them pain by being bound into a book. The intriguing premise unfolds with a few unexpected twists; readers are kept guessing as the narrative enchants them with its spellbinding power of books.

[grgenius_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I definitely took my time with this one, the perk of not overscheduling my reading obligations at the moment, and I'm really glad I did because it was...unusual. I can't say it was love at first page turn, but I was certainly intrigued. So many questions arose after each passage was read! Now don't get me wrong, I had a feeling about some things as things progressed, but wow...the moment you think you just about have them figured out, they just turned all sorts of topsy turvy. The whole BINDING concept went from an act of kindness to a twisted self indulgence in a heartbeat. I mean how could something be so bad that you want it locked away for all time? What of the lessons learned from it? What of the new beginnings opened by it? Although perhaps some things are just too much for a heart to bare.

As for the writing, the author was able to draw you into the past and back to the present with such fluidity, were it not for the change in tone or character voicing the chapters, you'd never realize the journey you've actually taken. The characters she created were STRIKING and MEMORABLE, even when they were suppose to fade into nothingness. The power of the written word is definitely on full display here, as are the consequences that go along with hiding away our true selves, or even giving our truths over to someone else fully without baring the weight of any of the lessons learned from them.

All in all, I gotta say this was definitely an INTENSE, UNUSUAL, UNEXPECTED, and CURIOUS read. It's a story that certainly makes you think twice about what you put down on paper, and reconsider the memories we choose to hold on to versus release and vice versa...as well as the WHY. My only real complaint with the book was that ONE SCENE...and I mean it was enough to make we second guess if I would have read the book knowing it was in it. What can I say, I'm an animal lover and it just didn't sit right with me. (That scene was more of a reason for having a binding done than any other!) Otherwise, I was good...thoroughly surprised since it wasn't anything like what I thought it would be, but still good. So, do I recommend it? Yes...just go in being warned about that one scene, so you can either bulldoze through it, or skip the page.


**ARC received for review; opinions are my own