Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Binding

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

The Binding
Bridget Collins
Expected publication date: January 10, 2019
In the tradition of Sarah Waters, Helene Wecker, and Jessie Burton, an atmospheric and mystery-laden historical novel set within a magical world where books are not stories but the repository of individual lives.

Imagine you could erase grief.
Imagine you could remove pain.
Imagine you could hide the darkest, most horrifying secret.
Forever.

Young Emmett Farmer is working in the fields when a strange letter arrives summoning him away from his family. He is to begin an apprenticeship as a Bookbinder—a vocation that arouses fear, superstition, and prejudice among their small community but one neither he nor his parents can afford to refuse.

For as long as he can recall, Emmett has been drawn to books, even though they are strictly forbidden. Bookbinding is a sacred calling, Seredith informs her new apprentice, and he is a binder born. Under the old woman’s watchful eye, Emmett learns to hand-craft the elegant leather-bound volumes. Within each one they will capture something unique and extraordinary: a memory. If there’s something you want to forget, a binder can help. If there’s something you need to erase, they can assist. Within the pages of the books they create, secrets are concealed and the past is locked away. In a vault under his mentor’s workshop, rows upon rows of books are meticulously stored.
But while Seredith is an artisan, there are others of their kind, avaricious and amoral tradesman who use their talents for dark ends—and just as Emmett begins to settle into his new circumstances, he makes an astonishing discovery: one of the books has his name on it. Soon, everything he thought he understood about his life will be dramatically rewritten. - from Goodreads
A book about books with magical realism?  This sounds beautiful!

36 comments:

  1. Oh my, this sounds fantastic -- I want to know what is in the book with his name on it!

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  2. I hope the rest of the book is as mysterious as that synopsis. Lots of mood there.

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  3. A book about books is the best kind of book!

    Ronnie @ Paradise Found

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  4. Oh wow, pretty much everything about that synopsis intrigues me, especially the idea that books are forbidden and that these binders can basically rewrite people's lives. Great pick!

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  5. This book sounds amazing! You have me sold on it for that beautiful cover and interesting synopsis. It has been a long time since I have read a magical realism novel. I will definitely be adding this one. Thanks for sharing it! :)

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    1. I enjoy magical realism, and I love this cover!

      You're welcome!

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  6. WHAT!? I want this now please lol. I'm glad you added this. I would have never run across it if you hadn't. I'll have to add it to my most anticipated reads list for January.

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  7. I've ordered a book box for January that has the gorgeous hardcover edition of this book!! SO looking forward to it! Also, Happy holidays! Sorry I haven't been aroung the blogsphere much but now I'm back! :)

    Uma@Books.Bags.Burgers.

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    1. Yay, lucky you!

      Happy holidays, Uma! Glad you're back!

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  8. OMG this sounds AMAZING on top of the gorgeous cover. O_O

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  9. This is on my TBR too and it looks SO GOOD! Have you seen the hardcover ARC for it? Beautiful!

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    1. I haven't, but I'm already obsessed with this cover!

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  10. This book sounds totally made for me as I've been bookbinding for the past 10 or so years. Plus, historical fiction? Love it already! Thanks for sharing this one.

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  11. Wow! I'm adding this to the wishlist now. Thanks for sharing!

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  12. Oh, this does sound quite perfect, Angela. Books about books are my favorites! Enjoy!

    Jennifer Tar Heel Reader

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  13. Oh yeah I love the premise of this one. Definitely sounds good.

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  14. What a fun premise! We readers do love books about books lol.

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  15. Oh wow, that premise, this sounds fantastic and quite unique, too! Thank you for putting this on my radar! :D

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  16. Oh my, this sounds amazing! I am absolutely going to need to check this out once it's published. And that cover is so lovely! Thanks for bringing this one to my attention!

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  17. Sounds like I would like this one. I will have to add it to my list! Great pick!

    Mary

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I'm so glad you stopped by, and I would love to hear your thoughts! Comments are always greatly appreciated!