A Book Review: The Binding
Title of the book: The Binding
Author: Bridget Collins
Publisher: The Borough Press
Publication Date: 7th of January 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
Why I picked up this book:
If you read my February Book Haul post, you’ll know this book is a recent acquisition. Admittedly, I had two very simple reasons, it was labelled as ‘The Breakout Sensation of the Year’ by the Sunday Times and Amazon had a fabulous sale on. Though that may have been too little praise for the book, at least initially.
This book did have quite a noticeable marketing campaign, the cover is spellbinding and in truth, I was drawn in by the premise as well. Any fantasy that manages to combine magic with books, libraries and reading will at least pique my interest. If only because it makes me ever so slightly jealous of the jobs that exist in such a world. Whether it is the magical equivalent of a librarian or, a keeper of a labyrinthian primordial space where books live, or in this instance a bookbinder.
To make a living off reading books, in quiet solitude, aided by a cup of tea and a couple of pieces of chocolate – the dream. Perhaps in another life.
About the author:
Bridget Collins is a British author of adult and young adult fiction.
Collins studied English at King’s College Cambridge and subsequently trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. After graduating from LAMDA, she started writing fiction.
Her first book, a young adult novel called The Traitor Game, was published in 2008, earning her the Branford Boase Award the following year. She went on to publish another six young adult titles under the name of B. R. Collins, including Tyme’s End (2011) and Love in Revolution (2013). Collins has had two plays produced, one at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Collins’s first adult novel, The Binding, was published in 2019. It was endorsed by critics and audiences alike.
Synopsis:
‘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.’
Review of the book:
I think I won’t be alone in saying that this book delivered something different from what the synopsis promised. Binding bad memories and experiences away in a book – so that you don’t have to continue being tortured by it, was an original premise. One which seemed to have fantasy element, sprinkled here and there with rural, old magic. However, after the first part, it soon turned into what I can only describe as a young adult, LGBTQ+ romance.
As much as I wanted to like this book, ultimately, for me it was nothing but a disappointment. It started with the first-person perspective which switches based on the narrator to specific parts of the book. I know not liking the first-person perspective is a personal thing, but I am just not a fan. Especially in those settings where the main character, the one who’s thoughts we are meant to follow, seems to be cast in a world, he does not understand. Surrounded by characters who all see and know more than him ‘but cannot tell him yet.’ It leaves the reader frustrated and grasping at straws, trying to gain an understanding of this world we’ve been set adrift in.
It is not helped by the fact that the magic if you can call it that, is not explained at all. Book Binding has seemingly been around for generations, it has been celebrated, revered, persecuted and feared. Yet at no point is it explained how this magic would work, how it came into existence, how binders are born or found, other than a reference to Binder’s fever. It feels like the author quickly abandoned the fantasy elements of the book, in favour of the romance which followed in the second and third part of the book.
Which is an issue in its own right. The romance heavily relies on the ‘partner has amnesia and can only remember through the magic of true love – vibes’. Thinly veiled by the premise of bookbinding, it is nothing new, nothing exciting, nothing special. In fact the character traits of both Emmett and Lucian make it unbearable at times. Don’t get me wrong – two characters starting out as adversaries slowly coming to respect and love one another can be a powerful thing. However, it does not work when you spend a good 250 pages writing how much one hates the other based on…based on nothing in truth, followed by a swift whirlwind romance. It is rushed and unbelievable. It is an injustice to what could at least have been an interesting exploration of a homosexual relationship.
Finally – and on a more personal note I take issue with how ‘consent’ is portrayed in this novel. Throughout the book it is explained that one’s memories can only be bound with their consent. Now excuse me if I am wrong, but a poor servant girl who is repeatedly abused by her employer, being forced to have her memories bound under the threat of unemployment, or worse, doesn’t exactly seem like a consenting adult to me. How about a boy who is madly in love, who gets kidnapped in the dead of night, being forced to watch his dog being killed and told his sister will befall the same faith if he does not agree to have his memories bound. Correct me if I am wrong but – not consent. I can pull up the legal definitions if you like but this would not hold up under even the smallest amount of scrutiny and is certainly not an attitude towards consent I feel comfortable perpetuating.
All in all the book fails to deliver on its premise and is nothing but a soft paranormal romance at best. Doused with some of the young adult angst, which Collins is known for. That’s all fine of course, but not why I picked up this book. Perhaps the only redeeming factor is its display of an LGBTQ+ romance against the backdrop of the 19th century. If that is what you are looking for, dive right in! If not, I would suggest looking elsewhere.
What are your thoughts, do you strongly disagree with me? Should I have done my research before getting swept up in the mania that surrounded this book? Did you love the themes it discussed? Let me know in the comment section below, but until then – just one more page!