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The Binding is set in a world where reading books is a much more complex,
dangerous activity than it is for us. Books do not contain mere stories, but
memories that have been removed and bound – think Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with books. Emmett Farmer is
sent to be a binder’s apprentice after recovering from an illness that seems to
have driven a wedge between him and his family. He goes innocently, not
understanding the nature of books, but with a change of employer he soon comes
to learn of the dark side of the profession.
The moment when it is revealed that powerful men are using bindings
to get away with sustained abuse we realise just how sinister the concept can
become. Corruption and greed of some binders facilitate this, whereas the more
noble adhere to a stricter moral code, only permitting a binding once per
person. The novel may have the air of the Victorian period but this abuse of
power and the complicity of those willing to look the other way is an issue
that feels very relevant to the world we’re living in now.
The blurb and press around it doesn’t give much away of the crux of
the tale. Split into three parts, after the first it becomes apparent that at
its heart is a love story, one of learning to accept yourself despite rampant
prejudice and discrimination. The way in which the story is told is interesting
– the narrative point of view shifts between the two lovers, leaving the reader
to be led by the character whose memory has been wiped. By the time you reach
part three you know the full story but your narrator doesn’t and it is hard to
watch the fallout. We come to understand the emotional devastation that can be
wrought from a binding and how damaging it can be when you discover you’ve been
bound with no way of finding out why. The mind naturally jumps to the worst
case scenario and we watch as they struggle with intense guilt, doubting their
morality with the help of those who genuinely behave atrociously.
An intriguing novel cleverly constructed to keep the reader hooked.
There is much left unanswered and the side characters have such promise that is
often left untapped, leaving you wanting to know more, to see how their story
ends. A fantastical setting for a very human story.
Pick up a copy:
