Emmett Farmer, a young man living with his family is recovering from a mysterious illness, about which he remembers almost nothing, when a letter arrives, summoning him to an apprenticeship with a Binder named Seredith. Here he learns the skills needed to bind a book - a trade that is reviled and feared in equal measure - for what's within that binding is more than just a bedtime story. A Binder can remove the unwanted memories of a person and trap them inside a book. Reputable Binders keep that book safe while the person goes on with their life, unaware of what's happened. However, disreputable Binders take memories from the poor and destitute, and then sell those books they create to wealthy people looking for entertainment. But when Seredith dies and Emmett is taken on by another Binder, his life starts to spin out of control, especially when he keeps being drawn to a wealthy young man who seems to dog his steps. When Emmett discovers that there is a book with his own name on it, he manages to find and destroy it - and the memories come flooding back. The Binding, by Bridget Collins is a book that sucks you in from the first page. It's a fascinating premise - what would you do if you could erase a terrible memory - would it be like giving up part of your soul and turn you into something you are not? Emmett is a likeable character and is ably supported by a solid cast of others, many of whom sit on the darker side of life. A mix of love story, thriller and cracking good yarn, I read the audio edition which I can highly recommend. This was verging towards a five-star review, but I felt that some sections slowed the story too much and could have used a little bit of editing to keep them as sharp as the majority of the book - but that could be just me!
My STAR rating: FOUR.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.
Length: 384 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.84.
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