The Bookbinder's Daughter
Ratings1
Average rating5
15
Ratings1
Average rating5
‘I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!… perfection… FIVE STARS allllll the way!… Mind-blowing… so much to love… make sure you get it!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ On her first day as a bookbinder at Ayredale Library, Sophie gazes in awe at the grand, turreted building nestled deep in the English countryside. It’s where her mother Elizabeth worked too: before she disappeared. Clutching her leaf-shaped necklace – all that Elizabeth left behind – Sophie hopes to finally find the truth, and soon feels strangely at home alongside her fellow binders. But everything changes when a beautiful door – engraved with a leaf matching her mother’s necklace – swings open at her touch. Sophie gasps at the impossible sight inside: a silver tree growing higher than the library itself. Amidst the gentle rustling leaves Sophie hears a familiar whisper. Although there’s no-one to be seen she’s certain it’s her mother’s voice: ‘There you are, my Sophie. I knew you’d come back for me.’ Could the magical library itself have stolen her mother away? And could the necklace unlock the secrets of the tree? Asking the enigmatic Keeper of the Library for answers gets her nothing but dire warnings – and when another face from her past appears at the grand doors of Ayredale, Sophie’s blood runs cold at his sinister smile. Will she ever find the truth about her mother – or will Sophie be the next to disappear? An absolutely unputdownable read about long-hidden family secrets and the magic that lurks between the pages of every book. Perfect for fans of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Night Circus and The Binding. Read what everyone’s saying about The Bookbinder’s Daughter: ‘Wow… one of the best books I have read this year… simply fantastic, amazing, outstanding and superb. I loved it so much… highly recommend… beautiful… This is an amazing book, which you just have to read so that you can feel the magic too!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Amazing, magical book… pulls you in and keeps you on your toes the whole time… when it finally ends you wish it didn’t have to… phenomenal… omg… I cannot wait to read this book again.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A beautiful tale… drew me in from the first page… must-read… I absolutely loved this book. Gorgeous… a treasure to read and reread for years to come… I can’t recommend it highly enough. Cuddle up and completely fall into this one.” A Day in the Lifestyle, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Enchanting… Unputdownable… I loved everything about this book… Brilliant!… captured me from the beginning… I really loved the ending.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘What a magical story! It caught me and did not want to let go until the end… You can lose yourself to this story!… Highly recommend.’ Goodreads reviewer “I was hooked from the first page. This was everything I want in a book. It has magic, romance, mystery, heart. A perfect read.” @jessicatreads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Phenomenal… magical… the perfect winter read!” @houseofbonesandsorrow “Hauntingly beautiful!… will capture any fantasy lover’s heart.” Fromthebookshelfofdreams, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I absolutely loved this… absolute bliss.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Heartbreaking… A must read!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reviews with the most likes.
When I hear “bookbinder,” I think of someone who does just that – binds books so that they can be published. But the books being bound here aren't just for sale at your local bookstore, though. Oh, no. They are so much more.
Sophie's mother died under mysterious circumstances when she was a teenager. Her father took her away from the Ayredale Library, only home she'd ever known, thinking he was saving her from...something. She's got a good job, but she's starting to question her relationship with Victor. Her uncle, Edward Talbot, reappears unexpectedly in her life after her father's death, with an offer of a job at the Library. Sophie takes it, leaving behind the manipulative Victor and all that she's known for years.
When she returns to the Library, memories begin to return in bits and pieces. Sophie hopes she can learn what happened to her mother. She also remembers the attraction she and Will, the Library's guardian, once shared, and wonders/hopes that can be rekindled. The Library is starting to feel like home again, drawing Sophie in, and she's finding her place there, remembering who she was and who she is, when her past comes crashing back in unexpectedly.
The atmosphere Thorne creates is enthralling. It calls to mind The Night Circus and Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe for me. Her word choices are exquisite, and she builds a lush, fantastical world for her characters to inhabit. The magical system she envisions is intriguing, with chaos willingly sacrificing itself for creativity to thrive, and the ideas going forth into the world, to be seeded and discovered and used. And how can you not be sucked in by a description of a tree with leaves glowing gold, swirling and falling into Sophie's hands?
The romance with Will feels a little rushed, especially as Sophie has just broken free of an abusive relationship. I understand, though, that it's made to fit the confines of a story, and there are allowances to be made. I also would have liked to know more about Will – what actually happened to turn him into the Library's guardian?
And Victor (said abusive relationship) is just SO ROTTEN. I wanted to reach into the pages and shake Sophie (just a little) when she turns away from Will to go with Victor. I know abusers can be very charming and manipulative, and I know Sophie was a young woman wounded by her past. But it's hard to imagine how she ever saw anything in him worth her time, because he's written as such a positively awful character.
Tia may have been my favorite character. So much about her seems baffling, until things click into place and her true nature is revealed.
I might have enjoyed this as book one of a duology. A second book might have given Thorne room to expand more on the characters, tell us more of how they came to be part of the Library. But overall, I found it engaging and a worthwhile read. Recommended for people who like magical realism and are willing to suspend their disbelief while they read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance reader copy. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
