Collins - The Binding [Mar 1, 2020]

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

The Binding - Bridget Collins

March 1, 2020.
Requested by Saar the Book Owl.

[Siobhan]

I'm hoping to join this :)

[Zaara]

I'll try to make it...blurb's super tempting...

[Mel]

Ooh, indeed the premise sounds interesting. I'm interested, to say the least.

[Peggy]

I really want to join this but I'm not sure if I can...

[Charlie]

I might be a few days late but I'm going to try and read this one.

[Siobhan]

Charlie wrote: "I might be a few days late but I'm going to try and read this one."

I might be a few days late too but I'm in!

[Hailee]

I was hoping to find time for this but there is now way I can now but I'll be keeping an eye on the thread to see how everyone is liking it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that its good.

[Saar The Book owl]

I'm also joining a bit late. I've reserved my copy at the library, but it hasn't been returned yet.

[Mayim]

I’ll be here but late.

[Siobhan]

I made a start today. Read three chapters and I'm pretty interested so far. I like the way (view spoiler)[the Binders are seen as witches and books are evil sorcery of some kind. I also like that poor Emmett hasn't got a clue why, even less than we do. (hide spoiler)]

[Siobhan]

Chapter 7 - (view spoiler)[Oh no! :( What now? Seredith has died without teaching poor Emmett much of anything. And he was just starting to feel at home with her. :( I hope he doesn't have to go and stay with that de Havilland, but I fear he will.
The idea of removing bad memories from people and putting them into books is so clever. Such a good concept. That poor girl and the baby, that was an awful thing to read. (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

I'll get my copy tomorrow. I've received an email from the library that it's available.

[Siobhan]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "I'll get my copy tomorrow. I've received an email from the library that it's available."

Yay!

[Mayim]

I reached chapter 3. I hate whiny protagonists so I hope Emmet will show some other side to his personality soon.

Siobhan how far are you?

[Siobhan]

I'm still only at chapter 8, had a bad reading week!

Will read some more today though (best intentions anyway).

[Mayim]

I plan to read it today. I don’t really like it so far. It’s overtalked when I think of how much actually happens. The first person narrative is prone to ruminations so that’s to be expected but I don’t feel like the mc has anything substantial to offer because he knows nothing, is insecure and stupid and not that smart. I really hope for some substantial turning point because so far character development is underwhelming.

[Siobhan]

So far I quite like that he knows nothing. And I don't mind him being insecure and not that smart either. 😅 I'm hoping he will gain some knowledge and confidence.

Hope it gets better for you! 🙂

[Siobhan]

Chapter 11 /end of part 1: (view spoiler)[ I still don't really have a clue how the binding works. Emmett touched the girl and experienced all her memories, do they then magically turn into a book? Will they stay with him or will he forget them? It's a lot of pain to take on if the former.
I knew from the blurb that he has a book of his own, was waiting for him to discover that. I'm very curious what memory he had removed. And why Lucian Barnay seemed to know him before he was binded himself. (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

I've started this weekend and I'm somewhere chapter 2:
(view spoiler)[There's much mystery in these first chapters, but that's it. No explanation so far why books are banned from life and what has happened to Emmet. For now, I think that books can catch you in their story while you're reading them. Also, it seems that Emmet has a connection with the bookbinder. (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

Mayim wrote: "I plan to read it today. I don’t really like it so far. It’s overtalked when I think of how much actually happens. The first person narrative is prone to ruminations so that’s to be expected but I ..."

I agree on that for a part. Emmet's really insecure and not moving forward. But maybe that's normal behaviour regarding on what happened to him? Maybe that'll change?

[Mayim]

Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 11 /end of part 1: ..."

I hear you. From around chapter 4 onwards, I have the feeling that the author had a great idea (books are dangerous!) but didn't put enough WORK into sorting out the details. It is painfully obvious when you think about Emmet (view spoiler)[we know that he is an exceptionally strong bookbinder but what it this innate talent, how does it work, why, etc. all those questions are just locked within the closet. (hide spoiler)] Mind you, I have not even finished part one, so I am not organising a funeral for this book yet, but the fact that I opted for doing my chores yesterday instead of reading speaks for itself ;p

[Mayim]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "Mayim wrote: "I plan to read it today. I don’t really like it so far. It’s overtalked when I think of how much actually happens. The first person narrative is prone to ruminations so that’s to be e..."

Maybe Siobhan will report good news from the field ;p she is the farthest ahead

[Saar The Book owl]

Well, for now, it's like the author circles around the fact that there's something about the books...

[Mayim]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "Well, for now, it's like the author circles around the fact that there's something about the books..."

And everybody knows it but nobody knows anything and there were some crusades but because it was FIFTY YEARS ago, it's as good as ancient history ;p

[Saar The Book owl]

That's just really ancient! Erased from all memory :D

[Saar The Book owl]

I've finished the second chapter and for so far:
(view spoiler)[I think that Emmett has a somewhat hidden side of agression. When he met Lucian, there was something boiling in him. A sort of rage. Also, Emmett doesn't seem to miss his home and family much. He adjusted very quick to his new situation. (hide spoiler)]

[Mayim]

That scene was so silly: (view spoiler)[ a stranger enters what is essentially a shop or a service utility and the guy JUST ignores him! I laughed. And if that was a shop, would and apprentice also simply pretend that nothing is going on? Unbelievable (the emotional tensions and undertones you mentioned notwithstanding) (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

Yes, but (view spoiler)[Lucian is a bit strange too. Standing there and just staring. I mean, besides being a bit strange, I would have opened the door, but isn't there also a bit of jealousy when Lucian said he wanted to absolutely see if it was true that Emmet was the new apprentice? Or does he know him and Emmet doesn't? (hide spoiler)]

[Mayim]

I expect that they have some (view spoiler)[history that will be revealed in the chapters to come, but still, that was weird anyway: even if one stared why did the other behave like a lunatic anyway (hide spoiler)]?

[Saar The Book owl]

Yes on both points!

[Mayim]

I reached part two. Finally something interesting happened! Excited.

[Mayim]

Part 3. Rather not impressed I must say.

[Mayim]

Finished. Meh is all I can say.
1 star.

[Siobhan]

Wow, Mayim! You managed to put down your chores and get through this though! You've left me in your dust! 😂

[Mayim]

Yes, I was determined to shorten my pain and compact my torment and voila!
I'll be here for the comments though, never fear!

[Saar The Book owl]

Waw, Mayim, you flew through it! I'll catch up this evening. I'm curious about your final thoughts.

[Mayim]

Saar, of all the books you requested, I liked this one the least but you have exceptionally good taste as this is the first one I truly hate (which is an achievement given my 1 star record, lol)

[Saar The Book owl]

Glad that you've enjoyed my requests. I'll ignore the 1 star ;)

[Mayim]

yessss, kee the great books coming, I am sure we will see each other in many buddy reads

[Saar The Book owl]

I hope so :)

[Siobhan]

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[ I'm liking part two, finding out all the memories that Emmett lost. I'm assuming it's building up to something worth erasing because so far his memories are fairly innocuous. I'm fairly sure Darnay isn't interested in Alta... (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

I'm at chapter 5:(view spoiler)[I'm going to have a problem with that book if it keeps turning in circles. That's the feeling I've got with Emmett: he's going on endlessly about the fact that he feels good in the binding house, time flies, he works, gets ill...And the writing style isn't the same over the whole line. Emmet's version is sometimes written like a journal. There's not 1 writing style, but more. The only thing I've found sad was the story of Milly and then how the books are working. (hide spoiler)]

But, struggling on!

[Mayim]

Don’t give up, Saar. It seems that Siobhan found the second part more interesting.

[Saar The Book owl]

I will stick to it :)

[Siobhan]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "I'm at chapter 5:[spoilers removed]

But, struggling on!"

I see what you mean about the writing style, Saar! Part 2 is more consistent, but very different to part 1 I think! 😅 So consistently different!

[Saar The Book owl]

I'm really curious, Siobhan!

Right now I'll start chapter 8:
(view spoiler)[I knwe that Seredith would die, but did she died a natural death? Doctor Ferguson handed a bottle over to De Havilland, so he could easily killed her. I was interested in how the binding worked, but the explanation was really short. I wonder what Emmett will do next. (hide spoiler)]

[Mayim]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "I'm really curious, Siobhan!

Right now I'll start chapter 8:
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Ah that was another thing that made me mad. I had a similar feeling that she was murdered but if you hope that this motif is going to be capitalised later on in the book, let me offer an evil mwahahahahaha laughter. (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

Ah, Mayim, no!!!! :D

[Siobhan]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "I'm really curious, Siobhan!

Right now I'll start chapter 8:
[spoilers removed]"

I don't think (view spoiler)[it was a natural death at all! I want justice for Seredith!! (hide spoiler)]