The Binding

I’ve read this book twice, once as a paperback and more recently as an audiobook, which added a wonderful extra layer to this luscious novel.

Primarily a love story, the tale is told in beautiful prose that made my skin tingle with both appreciation and envy. Love, memory, the nature of books, the nature of self, characters that jump off the page, there is so much to appreciate in this deeply immersive story.

But for me, it was the characters’ sense that there is something unknown missing in themselves, something just out of reach, that resonated most strongly, a feeling… show more.

This period novel is so disguised that when its dark heart actually reveals itself it is utterly shocking and sickening. You think you have it covered but then no, you got it all wrong buddy, this is the real horror, and it’s more human and understood than anything supernatural could be. Superbly written, wonderfully crafted characters, and quite literally a page-turner.