The Binding

Title: The Binding

Author: Bridget Colins

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: The Borough Press

Published Date: 2019

Book Length: 448

Format Read: Paperback

Star Rating: 3*** I liked it, it was OK

About Book: Emmett Farmer is a binder’s apprentice. His job is to hand-craft beautiful books and, within each, to capture something unique and extraordinary: a memory.

If you have something you want to forget, or a secret to hide, he can bind it – and you will never have to remember the pain it caused.

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

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

My Thoughts: The Binding by Bridget Collins is a beautifully imagined historical fantasy with a gothic twist, exploring the power of memory and the cost of forgetting. Emmett Farmer is apprenticed to a binder—someone who crafts books that hold people’s secrets and traumas, literally binding their memories into the pages. It’s a haunting premise, rich with potential and atmosphere.

The novel excels in world-building; Collins paints a vivid and eerie picture of a society where books are not just stories but repositories of real human experiences. The magical concept is original and thought-provoking, raising questions about consent, identity, and the ethics of erasure. There’s a quiet intensity to the setting, and the descriptive writing has an almost tactile quality that draws you in.

However, I found the story slow to get going. The long chapters and occasionally fragmented timeline made it difficult to stay grounded in the narrative, especially early on. The pacing can feel uneven, and at times the structure creates confusion rather than intrigue.

Despite these challenges, readers who enjoy dark, introspective fantasy with a strong emotional core may find The Binding a compelling read. It’s especially suited to fans of books that blur the line between the magical and the psychological, and for those who don’t mind a slow burn in exchange for a richly layered concept.