Author: Bridget Collins
Published: 2019
Target Audience: Adults 18+

When the letter came I was out in the fields, binding up my last sheaf of wheat with hands that were shaking so much I could hardly tie the knot. It was my fault we had to do it the old-fashioned way, and I'd be damned if I was going to give up now...

'The Binding' is an adult magical realism story written by Bridget Collins and first published in 2019. It is a hauntingly beautiful story that asks, what if you could erase the pain? What if you could chose to truly forget?

After months of a debilitating illness that has left him weak and with gaps in his memory, Emmett Farmer is determined to get back to work on the family farm, and resume life as normal. Pushing through the unsteadiness and occasional blackouts, Emmett is working in the fields when he receives a letter summoning him to begin an apprenticeship. He is to become a Bookbinder; a vocation shrouded in mystery, and viewed by the public as something to be feared and reviled - yet also respected. It is a summons neither Emmett or his parents can refuse. Under the tutelage of Bookbinder Seredith, Emmett will learn the art of hand-crafting books, and the duty of sealing into the pages people's most painful memories, experiences they cannot live with. In a vault under his teacher's workshop, row upon row of books are meticulously stored and protected. Then, one day, Emmett makes a startling discovery: one of them has his name on it.

This book is a truly stunning read. Combining an intriguing premise with richly descriptive language, interwoven with a realistic incorporation of magic, and an unflinching look into the potential of human cruelty, Collins creates a gripping, heartbreaking story filled with distinct characters and very real emotion. To paraphrase Collins herself, 'The Binding' is a story about memory and identity, and about how the stories we tell ourselves define who we are. And at it's core, it is a story of two people who meet, fall in love, and are torn apart by society and their own memories. 'The Binding' is set in an alternate version our world, in the late nineteenth century, and is a vivid exploration of the personal and societal ramifications of a world where people can truly forget.

This novel is divided into three distinct parts, and while overall it is an incredible read, the first part of the book does feel distinctly slow. Emmett is not an active protagonist in the beginning, lacking in agency as other characters make decisions for him, or deny him any input into how his life will change. He just has to go where he is directed, and do what he is told. This, compounded with an absence of immediate conflict or goal for Emmett, makes for a slow first section.

Some readers may really enjoy this style, finding the gradual build up of tension and curiosity unfolding within an enigmatic world of 'The Binding' to be a suspenseful, gripping read that piece-by-piece pulls the reader deeper into the enthralling mysteries of the story. Other readers may feel that the first section simply drags, particularly if they prefer more fast-paced, action-focused stories.

However, despite the initial slow pacing, 'The Binding' is a captivating read that draws you in and leaves you wanting more. Through Emmett, we discover the mysterious art of binding and how it affects social and cultural mores of Emmett's home town, the city of Castleford, and beyond, and how these perceptions shape the art of binding in turn. Collins' literary skills shine in this aspect, weaving magic in an effective and believable way into a Victorian-inspired setting, enabling readers to discover this fascinating world through the lens of Emmett's individual experiences and interactions.

As an added note, however, I will advise that this is a book for adult readers only. It is a dark, somber story, containing violence, physical and sexual abuse, death, animal cruelty, and more within its pages. Some adult fantasy books are appropriate for older teens as well as adults. This is not one of them.

All in all, Bridget Collins' 'The Binding' is an unforgettable story, written in a beautifully descriptive manner which captures the smallest most poignant details, and the ache of what has been forgotten. I really love this book, and cannot recommend it highly enough!

Excerpt:

'Gentlemen,' a shrill voice said, 'gentlemen, please...' I looked up. An old woman was picking her way through the frozen channels of filth. Hicks swapped a glance with Johnson and flicked away the match he'd used to light his pipe. 'Don't turn away from me, gents. I know what you're thinking but I'm not begging. You're binders, ain't you? Well, I've got something you'd like.'

'We're not binders,' Johnson said. 'You want the binder, go knock at the door in Alderney Street.'

'I tried. That bitch at the door won't let me in. Come on, gents... I'm desperate, all right? But I promise you I've got some lovely stuff. Men'll be queuing up for my memories. Honest.'

Hicks drew a lungful of smoke and the ember brightened in the bowl of his pipe. 'It's Mags, isn't it? Listen... It's a nice offer, but that's not our job. Even if...' He stopped.

'Come on. I won't charge much. A couple of shillings, that's all, for years and years. All the best bits. Whatever you want. Sex. Men beating me. There was a murder in my street, I saw it happen-'

'I'm sorry. Why don't you try one of the backstreeters? Fogatini might be interested. On the corner of Shambles and Library Row. He might be more-'

'Fogatini?' She spat, thickly. 'He's got no taste. He said he didn't sell the one from last month, but that's just an excuses, he's as dry fisted as a lizard.'

Johnson said, suddenly, 'Where's your kids, Mags?'

'Kids? Ain't got no kids. Never had a husband, either.'

'Lived like this all your life, have you?' There was a bitter edge in his voice that wasn't quite mockery. 'You sure of that?'

She blinked and wiped her forehead with the inside of her sleeve, in a strange, disjointed gesture; and suddenly I saw that it wasn't age that had ravaged her face and given it that set blankness to her eyes.