Tag Archives: fantasy

Book Review: The Binding by Bridget Collins

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The Binding by Bridget Collins, best enjoyed with a hot cup of English rose tea.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Published in 2019 by Borough Press this gothic fantasy novel is 438 pages in length. It follows the story of Emmett Farmer who is sent to become a book binders apprentice when he can no longer work on his fathers farm due to illness. Books in this world are not mere stories, but captured memories entombed in beautifully handcrafted books. Emmett is learning the trade, helping people to forget their secrets and keep them hidden in a vault below his masters workshop, when one day he happens upon a book with his name on it.

I adored this book. It is beautifully written and a sheer joy to read. The language is descriptive and rich with imagery and emotion. I found myself lost in this book and unable to put it down for even a second. This past weekend all I have done is wander around my house with my nose in this book bumping into things. It took me a few pages to get into the flow of the story, but once I was absorbed I couldn’t draw myself back out. I had to know what happened. I found myself heavily invested in the characters and the outcome of their journey.

“Well, knowledge is always a kind of magic, I suppose.”

Bridget Collins – The Binding (Page 89)

The book is set in a world similar to that of 19th century Britain. Emmett is a hand on his fathers farm but it is clear right at the start of the book that his illness has prevented him from fulfilling his duties. After a discussion with is family, he is sent to the book binder to learn the trade. There he meets his new master and begins his tutelage.

The characters are wonderfully written. They are deep, three dimensional people governed by their own motives and secrets. I found Emmett to be deeply relatable and enjoyed watching him grow into himself throughout the novel. His journey of self discovery is something I think we can all relate to in some way.

If you intend to read this book (and I highly recommend that you do), I suggest you do not read any further in this review. Below I will talk in more detail about how the book affected me, but there will be spoilers and I think it will ruin your experience of the book if you know them before you read it. I truly loved this book and I hope anyone planning to read it finds as much joy in it as I did.

Grab a copy here before you read on!

SPOILERS BELOW

This was not the story I was expecting from the synopsis. I am a huge lover of fantasy and magic, and it was that which tempted me to pick up this novel. I was pleasantly surprised then, when about half way through I discovered it was a romance! I was expecting a tale of hardship in learning the magical binding craft, when really that is an aside in a story that is predominantly a tale of forbidden love and self discovery.

I am not usually the romance type. I often find it all a bit contrived and sickly, but this book has prompted me to reconsider my stance. Perhaps I am denying myself an enjoyable reading experience. I certainly enjoyed every second of this love story. It was believable and captivating. It was forbidden and heartbreaking. I was fully invested in it and felt everything the characters were feeling. This is mostly down to the fantastic writing. The way Collins describes her world thought the eyes of her infatuated characters is beautiful. Colours are brighter and the world a more vibrant place when they are together, and their love for each other is conveyed beautifully throughout, even before they realise it.

“We stare at each other. The sun flares behind him, spilling red through a gap between the tenements. It glitters in his hair. His temple and jaw and the tip of one ear glow scarlet. Unexpectedly, as sudden as the flood if sunlight, he smiles at me. It changed his face completely. I cant remember anyone looking at me like that, ever. It makes the sunset redder, the scent of soot and paraffin sharper, the cold ache in my fingers more intense. The wind sings in a chimney somewhere above us. A crumple of paper whispers and swoops across the cobbles. The horn of a distant factory blares.”

Bridget Collins – The Binding (Page 363)

I love Collins ability to convey emotion in her prose without outwardly stating how everyone is feeling all the time. She uses description and imagery to demonstrate the passion and feeling in a situation, leaving it up to the reader to interpret it how they will. It is this technique that gives the writing its extra edge and really allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in the novel.

The book has rocketed to one of my all time favourites and I cant wait to read it again. It is one of those books that is so well written, there will still be new things to discover the second time round.

You can grab a copy here.

Book Review: The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

This post may contain some affiliate links, which means if you purchase an item through the link, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me cover the costs of running my blog.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

This is a beautifully written story of a young girl, Isabella, and her best friend, Lupe. When Lupe goes missing, Isabella does everything she can to be part of the search party. She is in possession of an ancient map and uses this and her knowledge of the stars to navigate the forgotten territories of her island home. The land is dangerous and shrouded in myth. Isabella must find Lupe before these myths become more than just stories.

The book was first published in 2016 by Chicken House. The story is told in 228 pages, making it a relatively short read, but the setting, characters and plot are developed beautifully. The cover alone was enough to entice me into this book, and I was not disappointed. On the inside cover is a map of the island and each page is bordered with small illustrations, which only adds to the beauty and magic conjured up by the story.

The story is simply written, and aimed at older children and young adults. This does not detract from the expert writing style and difficult issues tackled however, and it can certainly be enjoyed by people of all ages. Overall it is a story of friendship and love, both for ones home, and the people who make it a home. Isabella just wants to protect the land she comes from, and the people she loves, something I think we can all relate to.

Isabella is a deep and well developed character. She is relatable and reminded me how I felt as a child. Everything down to the choices she makes, and the way she acts makes her seem real. I think it is remarkable that in such a short book, the author is able to conjure up such tangible characters and settings. When I was reading, I felt as if I could almost smell the sea air and taste the dust from the roads.

“India is a place where colour is doubly bright. Pinks that could scald your eyes, blues you could drown in.”

Kiran Millwood Hargrave – The Girl of Ink and Stars (Page 107)

Personally, I cannot name a single thing I didn’t love about this book. Everything from the beautifully written prose, to the underlying messages about the value of friendship and not making assumptions about people, was expertly done. The story was captivating and fast paced, but without feeling that there were any holes in the plot, or parts missing.

This book reminded me something I think all adults could do with thinking about. Children are their own people, capable of making their own choices separate to those of their parents. They are resilient and feel things deeply. Although the adults in their lives may make poor choices and let them down, it does not mean they will make those same mistakes. I think it can be easy to forget what it was like to be a child, and so reading books like this as an adult (and a parent) is important. They reconnect you with your inner child.

“We are all of us products of our surroundings. Each of us carries the map of our lives on our skin, in the way we walk even in the way we grow.”

Kiran Millwood Hargrave – The Girl of Ink and Stars ( page 109)

I read this entire book in one morning, and I would recommend it to anybody who just loves a magical story. I think a particular strong point for me is that it is a story of friendship, not romance. It is two young girls who love each other and just want to look after one another.

You can pick up a copy here.

The 5 Best Fantasy Series You Need to Read

This post may contain some affiliate links, which means if you purchase an item through the link, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me cover the costs of running my blog.

I am a lover of all things fantasy (and young adult!). I get a deep sense of joy from escaping into a world completely different to my own. My love of reading as a child, was fuelled by the books listed below. They captivated and inspired me and I hold them close to my heart. These are books I have read and reread countless times, and always return to when I need a place to escape.

His Dark Materials

Northern Lights, the first book in the His Dark Materials series
  • Author: Philip Pullman
  • Total books in the series: 3
  • Published: 1995-2000

I am not afraid to say that these books had a profound impact on teenage me and they may well be my favourite books of all time. They definitely had an effect on my worldview and they still resonate with me to this day. They raise a plethora of philosophical questions and intertwine some of the more complex notions of physics into the narrative in a captivating way. Pullman definitely draws on ideas from quantum mechanics and the multiverse theory and weaves them subtly into a compelling and exciting story. The characters are rich and believable and I was fully invested in all of them. These books made me feel very deeply along with the characters, like I really knew them and shared in their pain and triumphs. I would definitely class the trilogy as a masterpiece and a must read for anyone who loves fiction as a whole.

Pick up a copy of Northern Lights here, or the box set here.

The Old Kingdom Series

Sabriel, the first book of The Old Kingdom series
  • Author: Garth Nix
  • Total books in series: 5 (and some short stories)
  • Published:1995-2016

These books hold a special place in my heart. For one thing, unlike many fantasy novels I have read, they have predominantly female protagonists, and they are believable characters. The women in these books are strong, intelligent and quite frankly, don’t need no man! I found it refreshing to read a series of novels I could fully relate to. The books are dark with an element of humour and romance. I am a sucker for a strong female lead because you just don’t see it enough. The system of magic in this world is fascinating, particularly the necromancy. The story throughout the books is exciting and contains quite a few twists and turns, keeping the reader on their toes.

Pick up a copy of Sabriel here, or a copy of the first three books here.

The Inheritance Cycle

Eragon, The first book of The Inheritance Cycle
  • Author: Christopher Paolini
  • Total books in series: 4 (and some short stories)
  • Published: 2002-2011

I adore this series. As fantasy goes, this is about as fantastical as it gets. The stories are set in an entirely fictional world full of mythical beings. Paolini adheres to almost all the fantasy tropes, but I don’t think that is a bad thing. The books are well written and captivating, if a little heavy at times. He uses several different fictional languages throughout the novels, which can make them a little difficult to read in places, but I think it is well worth it. The story is complex and intricate and I have reread all the books several times. I think Paolini uses description to good effect in the books, and even now, having not read them for while, I can picture the landscape in my mind. If you are looking for epic journeys and complex battles, these books are for you.

Pick up a copy of Eragon here, or the box set here.

The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness

Wolf Brother, the first book in The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness
  • Author: Michelle Paver
  • Total books in the series: 7 (so far)
  • Published: 2006-2020

These are aimed at the same age group (or maybe even younger) as Harry Potter, but stay with me here. They are a compelling read. The books are short and written simply, as you would expect for books aimed at this age group, but that does not detract from the beauty of the story. The amount of research that has gone into these novels is astounding, and I learnt a lot about indigenous tribes and early humans from them. They really capture my imagination and inspire me to be more in touch with nature. Definitely a worthy read for an adult and a good series to share with your children. Paver is currently writing the next book in the series, and I am eagerly anticipating it!

Pick up a copy of Wolf Brother, the first book, here.

The Harry Potter Series

Cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first in the series of seven books
  • Author: J K Rowling
  • Total books in series: 7
  • Published: 1997-2007

The Philosophers Stone was the first “proper” book I remember reading as a child. My Dad, from whom I inherited my love of books, and I read the series together and saw all the films as they came out. Much like other Potter fans, I grew up with Harry and his friends and attach may of my warm and happy memories of my own childhood to these books. My Dad would pre-order the new books and we would eagerly await their release together. Sharing Harry Potter with him are memories I cherish to this day.

Aside from the warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia I get from these books, I think they are more than worthy of their status. They tackle many complex issues in ways children can understand. They are full of adventure and mystery and emotion, and a pure joy to read. I find them to be extremely well written and am enchanted all over again when I revisit them. I must have read all of them well over 10 times and each time I find some new magic in them. It amazes me how Rowling managed to link all these books together given the time period from the first to the last. There are so many layers of meaning to the names and places in her world that you are bound to spot something new each time you read them.

I’m still waiting for my letter from Hogwarts!

*I just want to add in here that I wrote this before JK aired her incorrect opinions on trans people. I want this blog to be inclusive of all readers and I do not support her views. That being said, the books hold a special place in my heart and childhood. It’s upsetting that she has sullied that for so many people. I will keep them included here because they meant so much to me, but I have removed the link to purchase them. If you want to buy them you’ll have to go the long way round I’m afraid.