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A review by the_bookwormhole_
The Binding by Bridget Collins
2.0
I bought this book with very high hopes, due to the mysterious and magical idea of people being ‘bound’ into books to forget memories that they can no longer live with. It had so much potential!
I’m sad to say that I was very disappointed. Aside from the fact that it is one of the most beautiful books I own (navy hardback with gold embossing and intricate designs), it delivers very poorly inside. “It’s what’s on the inside that counts” is an eye-rolling statement, but it is true. This book seemed to promise the world, and yet it could not give it.
Now that is not to say that this is a bad book. I very much enjoyed the concept of ‘bindings’ and books, which have such different roles in this world Collins creates. This, in principle is a very interesting idea, but I think it could have done with more explaining, for instance, where do binders get their powers from? and what makes them able to extract memories? Added to this, there were several frustrating loose ends left at the end of the book.
It is split into 3 parts. The first was very slow-moving and dragged on without a lot happening for quite some time. It was, however, my favourite part (which doesn’t say a lot for the rest of the book!) because of the beautiful descriptions and peaceful settings created when Collins describes the bindery and the endless months Emmet spends there doing almost the exact same things every day. It is almost rhythmic in the way she writes it. It did however, mean that I struggled to keep reaching for this book though, as not much happens in this part.
Part 2 is a complete contrast to Part 1, and I have to say I didn’t enjoy a lot of it. I felt so bad for Alta that I ended up not liking Emmet, which was’t great when he was the main, narrating character for this part.
Part 3 changed narrators, and took a darker turn. Rape, abuse, suicide, murder, and a host of other dark and dreary events occur, including a pretty bleak, joyless wedding.
Suffice to say, this part wasn’t a very happy or enjoyable read, and I found Lucian unlikeable for most of it.
It took me about a month to read this book, and I think that sums up perfectly just how un-readable I found it.
The redeeming factor is however, the wonderfully original idea of ‘binding’ and binders, and the fresh take on what books really mean, and the power they hold over us. Unfortunately, this particular book has just not done that idea justice.
I’m sad to say that I was very disappointed. Aside from the fact that it is one of the most beautiful books I own (navy hardback with gold embossing and intricate designs), it delivers very poorly inside. “It’s what’s on the inside that counts” is an eye-rolling statement, but it is true. This book seemed to promise the world, and yet it could not give it.
Now that is not to say that this is a bad book. I very much enjoyed the concept of ‘bindings’ and books, which have such different roles in this world Collins creates. This, in principle is a very interesting idea, but I think it could have done with more explaining, for instance, where do binders get their powers from? and what makes them able to extract memories? Added to this, there were several frustrating loose ends left at the end of the book.
It is split into 3 parts. The first was very slow-moving and dragged on without a lot happening for quite some time. It was, however, my favourite part (which doesn’t say a lot for the rest of the book!) because of the beautiful descriptions and peaceful settings created when Collins describes the bindery and the endless months Emmet spends there doing almost the exact same things every day. It is almost rhythmic in the way she writes it. It did however, mean that I struggled to keep reaching for this book though, as not much happens in this part.
Part 2 is a complete contrast to Part 1, and I have to say I didn’t enjoy a lot of it. I felt so bad for Alta that I ended up not liking Emmet, which was’t great when he was the main, narrating character for this part.
Part 3 changed narrators, and took a darker turn. Rape, abuse, suicide, murder, and a host of other dark and dreary events occur, including a pretty bleak, joyless wedding.
Suffice to say, this part wasn’t a very happy or enjoyable read, and I found Lucian unlikeable for most of it.
It took me about a month to read this book, and I think that sums up perfectly just how un-readable I found it.
The redeeming factor is however, the wonderfully original idea of ‘binding’ and binders, and the fresh take on what books really mean, and the power they hold over us. Unfortunately, this particular book has just not done that idea justice.