YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

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.

Starting soon!

7% (view spoiler)[I'm really enjoying this so far! Can't wait to learn more! (hide spoiler)]

16% (view spoiler)[Oh my gosh that's gross! Her and her father's baby! Aaahhhhh (hide spoiler)]

23% (view spoiler)[Oh man this Havilland guy is so frustrating! He's one of Seredith's apprentice, right? And he wants her to join his bindery in Castleford so he can get his hands on her books, as he sells his own! That's so disgusting, knowing that he's selling parts of people. (hide spoiler)]

7% - (view spoiler)[I wonder what kind of illness Emmett had, and how that was his fault. What did he do??

Also, whats the deal with the books in this world? Why are they forbidden?? If they're so bad, why is there a binder?? So many questions so far haha! (hide spoiler)]

Yes so many questions, but it all gets answered! I'm loving it! :o I'm home tomorrow until 5.30pm (I hope) before I go on a date thing, so I plan to make it at least halfway, preferably 75%

Oooh a date thing ;) How exciting!

Haha I do hope it goes well. It's our first meeting, so I don't think I can count it as a 'date', more like just getting to know each other, but we seem to have things in common.

Right, bed-time now :) Goodnight!

I hope it all goes well! Goodnight :)

Thank you!

24% - (view spoiler)[Noooooooooo. Seredith can't be dead?! I was really lvoing her friendship with Emmett and learning more about the binding from her. (hide spoiler)]

Maddison wrote: "16% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Oh I know. Absolutely vile! Why the fuck would he want his daughter to remember that he raped her and she gave birth to his child?? (hide spoiler)]

I agree with you that this book is beautiful and sooooo good.

27% - (view spoiler)[de Havilland is Seredith's son??? Whaaat???? (hide spoiler)]

48% - (view spoiler)[So much sexual tension between Emmett and Lucian. I wish they would just kiss already! (hide spoiler)]

34% (view spoiler)[It's clear that they force their servants to erase memories that they shouldn't have. This is so disgusting, but I love the idea of this book, so original!
I feel like he'll start to attain feeling for Lucian. (hide spoiler)]

You guys are making me want to just buy it lol Hopefully I get my copy soon.

Oh Courtney, it's sooooo good!

BUY IT COURTNEY! Experience it with us! I'm just glad we're both liking it, because I know a lot of people that DNFed it and that didn't like it at all! Although I don't see how. I love the atmosphere, the writing style, the characters, the idea of the book!

60% - (view spoiler)[Ahhh it finally happened. I'm like Emmett right now where I know I can't have what I want but I'm gonna keep on wishing for it anyway. I want Emmett and Lucian to be together but I know it doesn't happen and I hate that Alta's feelings are involved.

I'm guessing that maybe the family's found out and then Emmett has to go for a binding to forget about Lucian, and then when Lucian came to Seredith's, he got a binding too to forget. Ahh it's so sad!

(hide spoiler)]

41% (view spoiler)[Oh yay his memory! :o I love how Lucian keeps on popping up! And I can't believe Alta would do that, just for the sake of a boy's attention who she doesn't even know. And how he was mocking her! (hide spoiler)]

66% - (view spoiler)[This book is breaking my heart. I can't believe they forced Emmett to be bound. Urgh, it's awful :( (hide spoiler)]

82% - (view spoiler)[It's interesting that the POV changed from Emmett to Lucian. I'm eager for him to find his book and for him to remember they're in love.

I wonder what repercussions there are for having a binding done. Like how does that affect a person physically? (hide spoiler)]

Finished - (view spoiler)[Sooooo many emotions right now!! I loved that they both remember now and they literally could be doing anything now but they're together and no one can stop them. The power of motherfucking love!

One of the best books I've read this year, without a doubt!! (hide spoiler)]

5 stars!? OH WOW I'M EVEN MORE EXCITED! I'm thinking it's a 5-star for me as well

Oh you know it's a 5 star at the very least haha!

Yeah so far it is XD And I can't see it getting worse. It's so atmospheric, reminds me of Spook's Apprentice, my favourite series

Ashleigh wrote: "48% - [spoilers removed]"

RIGHT!? Normally I'm not a fan of this, but this time I just need it!

Ashleigh wrote: "60% - (view spoiler)[Ahhh it finally happened. I'm like Emmett right now where I know I can't have what I want but I'm gonna keep on wishing for it anyway. I want Emmett and Lucian to be together but I know it do..." (hide spoiler)]

Yeah I'm guessing that's what happened as well. I HATE IT! It's also a really long memory... Good thing I'm enjoying it!

Finished!
4.5 stars! It was a definite 5-star the first half, and then it just dragged on that little bit for me. It slowed down once we'd learnt everything, I found. But it was such an incredible novel. Every word was chosen so carefully, the structure and style was so well done! It just sucked me in, in a different way than other historical fiction does. It kind of reminds me of a similar setting to The Wardstone Chronicles, which are my favourite books of all time. Very atmospheric and captivating.

Emmett, oh Emmett. This young man is such a sweetheart, so loyal and protective of his heart and of those he loves. He believes in what's right, and always thinks about what he's doing, whether it's risky or not. The middle chunk of this book was so heartbreaking to read, and so indepth, but it was really needed to develop him as a person. He never questioned himself, only stood up for himself. His relationship was so pure. I do wish we knew more of what happened with his family though at the end. And I wonder what happened after that ending full stop!