“We take memories and bind them. Whatever people can’t bear to remember. Whatever they can’t live with. We take those memories and put them where they can’t do any more harm. That’s all books are.’”
The Binding is split into three parts. Two parts follow Emmet Farmer and the third Lucian Darnay.
Emmet is a young man who is recovering from an illness which has left him unable to work on his family’s farm.
He is taken in by an old woman. A woman often called a witch by the townsfolk. A woman who is actually, what is known as, a Binder.
In his hometown, books are forbidden. Within books are the memories people often want to forget. The woman is a binder, and she believes Emmet is one too.
My Thoughts
Objectively I am aware this book is probably a 4 star book, but there is a part of me that wants to rate it 5. Honestly, I keep going back and forth.
Bridget Collins creates an interesting and rich world on where there are people who can bind your most awful and debilitating memories into a book so that you can forget, should you wish.
There are people who use this to their advantage. The book takes place in 19th Century England (or someplace similar). Memories can be wiped and sold for money, or by the employers of maids and butlers.
It was very well set up in the first half however, in the second and third parts of the book it is put as a secondary plot to the romance.
Now, I went into this book with no expectations and therefore, that was fine with me. However, upon looking up the genres I see ‘Historical Fiction’, ‘Magical Realism’, ‘Fantasy’ but nowhere does it say ‘Romance’, so I understand why others might be frustrated by that.
Conclusion
For me personally, I loved this book.
It’s beautifully written, the world is so interesting and rich. The plot is very unique.
There were characters I loved and characters I didn’t like at all.
I’m not sure whether the author would consider this a spoiler, but I don’t feel it is one to say that this is an LGBT romance. The romance itself is probably my favourite aspect of the book, which is very rare.
There’s so much yearning and longing between Emmet and Lucian. However, it definitely makes the sweeter moments all that much sweeter.
This is one of those occasions where I went into this book with no knowledge or pre-conceived notions. If I’m being completely honest, it was a cover buy – and loved every minute of it.
