Publishers Weekly
02/01/2021
Collins (The Binding) delivers a vague, disappointing historical fantasy about an elite academy in the mountains of an unnamed European nation. The all-boys academy of Montverre teaches the grand jeu, the country’s national game, a complex mix of music, math, philosophy, and art that remains hazily defined throughout the novel. Thirty-two-year-old Léo Martin is a Montverre alum who returns to the academy to teach after his political career ends in disgrace when he criticizes the Party for their totalitarian views. Upon his return, Léo learns that the prestigious position of Magister Ludi is held by a woman, Claire Dryden, much to the chagrin of the other Magisters. Claire neither likes nor trusts Léo, believing him to be a government spy—but Léo feels an unnerving connection to Claire, as though they’ve met before. As the academy’s yearly Midsummer Game draws near, the long-standing lies Léo and Claire have both built their lives around unravel and their intertwined backstories come to light, sparking a slow-burning romance. The atmospheric descriptions and a few unexpected twists do little to offset the murky worldbuilding and slow-moving plot. This is an easy one to skip. Agent: Eleanor Jackson, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary. (May.)
From the Publisher
"A surreal epic." — Popsugar on The Betrayals, 25 New May Book Releases That Deserve a Place on Your Kindle
"The reader is in for a treat: all these mysteries converge in shocking, suspenseful ways. By the time the novel draws to a close, the weave of the story and the tight net of a powerful rivals-to-lovers romance will have captured the reader in their web." — Booklist on The Betrayals
“Dizzyingly wonderful . . . Collins summons a Gormenghast-esque richness of place and people . . . a perfectly constructed work of fiction, with audacious twists that clumsier hands would fumble, and irresistibly moving emotional beats. . . . Nabokov called fiction a ‘game of worlds,’ and Collins plays her own game here with perfect skill.” — Sarah Ditum, The Times (UK) on The Betrayals
"Another sumptuous act of imaginative world-building. . . . If you’re looking for an absorbing, transporting work of fiction—and why would you not be?—The Betrayals is just the thing . . . settle in, and enjoy getting lost in this captivating book." — The Observer (UK) on The Betrayals
"Ingenious . . . Collins’s story holds everything up its sleeve for as long as possible." — The Guardian (UK) on The Betrayals
"Brilliant . . . a captivating, imaginative tale." — Woman & Home (UK) on The Betrayals
"A unique, unexpected and beautifully unsettling story . . . gorgeously beguiling and totally addictive." — Joanna Glen, author of The Other Half of Augusta Hope, on The Betrayals
"More lavish magical escapism from the unit-shifting author of The Binding." — Irish Independent (Ireland) on The Betrayals
"She’s done it again: this is another triumph from the incomparable imagination of Bridget Collins. The Betrayals sinks its teeth into you and won’t let you go. It’s a mesmerising, intimate and ambitious story about art, love and what it means to be human. If you loved The Binding, you’ll adore The Betrayals." — Erin Kelly, internationally bestselling author of He Said/She Said, on The Betrayals
"It’s just beautiful —written with such elegance and poise. What I love about Bridget's books is her ability to write the most magical worlds of escapism and yet anchor those worlds very much in today." — Joanna Cannon, internationally bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, on The Betrayals
“The Betrayals is a beautiful dystopian romance about coming of age as an artist and the love affair artistic collaboration can be, while also being an acute political novel about the fate of spiritual values in a totalitarian system. A rich delight." — Sandra Newman, author The Heavens and The Country of Ice Cream Star, on The Betrayals
“The Binding is a dark chocolate slice of cake with a surprising, satisfying seam of raspberry running through it. It is a rich, gothic entertainment that explores what books have trapped inside them and reminds us of the power of storytelling. Spellbinding.” — Tracy Chevalier, bestselling author of Girl with a Pearl Earring, on The Binding
“The Binding held me captive from the start and refused to set me free. It’s a beautifully crafted tale of dark magic and forbidden passion, where unspeakable cruelty is ultimately defeated by enduring love. Breathtaking!” — Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things, on The Binding
“Pure magic. The kind of immersive storytelling that makes you forget your own name. I wish I had written it.” — Erin Kelly, author of He Said/She Said, on The Binding
“Truly spellbinding... Many readers of The Binding will simply sink gratefully into the pleasures of its pages, because, like all great fables, it also functions as transporting romance.” — The Guardian on The Binding
“More of an experience than a book, written with such grace and wisdom. Utterly brilliant.” — Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, on The Binding
“An original concept, beautifully written. Collins’ prose is spellbinding.” — Laura Purcell, author of The Silent Companions, on The Binding
“A captivating fantasy novel with forbidden love at its heart.” — Good Housekeeping (UK) on The Binding
“A moving, spellbinding book with a powerful love story at its heart and one of the best twists I’ve read in a long time. I fell into and inhabited and loved it. Such a deeply enjoyable and nourishing novel.” — Sandra Newman, author of The Heavens, on The Binding
“Intriguing, thought-provoking and heartbreaking … what a gorgeous book.” — Stella Duffy on The Binding
“What an astounding book … something entirely of its own. Brilliant concept, truly extraordinary writing and a killer plot.” — Anna Mazzola, author of The Unseeing, on The Binding
“Beguiling and mysterious … dark and atmospheric … The Binding is the kind of novel that practically demands fireside reading.” — The Herald (Glasgow) on The Binding
“Intense, immersive. . . . A stirring, highly original piece of storytelling and world-making.” — Sunday Times (London)
“A real treat . . . gothic, imaginative and dark.” — The Times (London)
“Using evocative language to express a lovingly told tale of lost memories, Collins wraps her story of a passionate, forbidden relationship in mystery and magic.” — Booklist
“The Binding is an imaginative, thought-provoking tale of how—for better and worse—moments can define who we become.” — BookPage on The Binding
“Bookbinders capture souls in this fantasy’s bleak Dickensian world. The novel’s most horrifying victim is the starving mother who doesn’t recognize her children because she had to sell her memories of them.” — New York Times, New Books We Recommend This Week, on The Binding
"Enjoyable . . . at its heart, it’s about people and learning to forgive yourself as well as others." — Girly Book Club on The Betrayals
Joanna Cannon
"It’s just beautiful —written with such elegance and poise. What I love about Bridget's books is her ability to write the most magical worlds of escapism and yet anchor those worlds very much in today."
Booklist on The Betrayals
"The reader is in for a treat: all these mysteries converge in shocking, suspenseful ways. By the time the novel draws to a close, the weave of the story and the tight net of a powerful rivals-to-lovers romance will have captured the reader in their web."
Erin Kelly
"She’s done it again: this is another triumph from the incomparable imagination of Bridget Collins. The Betrayals sinks its teeth into you and won’t let you go. It’s a mesmerising, intimate and ambitious story about art, love and what it means to be human. If you loved The Binding, you’ll adore The Betrayals."
Popsugar on The Betrayals
"A surreal epic."
The Guardian (UK) on The Betrayals
"Ingenious . . . Collins’s story holds everything up its sleeve for as long as possible."
Irish Independent (Ireland) on The Betrayals
"More lavish magical escapism from the unit-shifting author of The Binding."
Woman & Home (UK) on The Betrayals
"Brilliant . . . a captivating, imaginative tale."
The Observer (UK) on The Betrayals
"Another sumptuous act of imaginative world-building. . . . If you’re looking for an absorbing, transporting work of fiction—and why would you not be?—The Betrayals is just the thing . . . settle in, and enjoy getting lost in this captivating book."
Joanna Glen
"A unique, unexpected and beautifully unsettling story . . . gorgeously beguiling and totally addictive."
Sarah Ditum
Dizzyingly wonderful . . . Collins summons a Gormenghast-esque richness of place and people . . . a perfectly constructed work of fiction, with audacious twists that clumsier hands would fumble, and irresistibly moving emotional beats. . . . Nabokov called fiction a ‘game of worlds,’ and Collins plays her own game here with perfect skill.
Ruth Hogan
The Binding held me captive from the start and refused to set me free. It’s a beautifully crafted tale of dark magic and forbidden passion, where unspeakable cruelty is ultimately defeated by enduring love. Breathtaking!
Laura Purcell
An original concept, beautifully written. Collins’ prose is spellbinding.
Sunday Times (London)
Intense, immersive. . . . A stirring, highly original piece of storytelling and world-making.
Booklist
Using evocative language to express a lovingly told tale of lost memories, Collins wraps her story of a passionate, forbidden relationship in mystery and magic.
Stella Duffy on The Binding
Intriguing, thought-provoking and heartbreaking … what a gorgeous book.
The Times (London)
A real treat . . . gothic, imaginative and dark.
Sandra Newman
The Betrayals is a beautiful dystopian romance about coming of age as an artist and the love affair artistic collaboration can be, while also being an acute political novel about the fate of spiritual values in a totalitarian system. A rich delight."
Good Housekeeping (UK) on The Binding
A captivating fantasy novel with forbidden love at its heart.
The Herald (Glasgow) on The Binding
Beguiling and mysterious … dark and atmospheric … The Binding is the kind of novel that practically demands fireside reading.
The Guardian on The Binding
Truly spellbinding... Many readers of The Binding will simply sink gratefully into the pleasures of its pages, because, like all great fables, it also functions as transporting romance.
BookPage on The Binding
The Binding is an imaginative, thought-provoking tale of how—for better and worse—moments can define who we become.
Anna Mazzola
What an astounding book … something entirely of its own. Brilliant concept, truly extraordinary writing and a killer plot.
Tracy Chevalier
The Binding is a dark chocolate slice of cake with a surprising, satisfying seam of raspberry running through it. It is a rich, gothic entertainment that explores what books have trapped inside them and reminds us of the power of storytelling. Spellbinding.
New York Times
Bookbinders capture souls in this fantasy’s bleak Dickensian world. The novel’s most horrifying victim is the starving mother who doesn’t recognize her children because she had to sell her memories of them.
Girly Book Club on The Betrayals
"Enjoyable . . . at its heart, it’s about people and learning to forgive yourself as well as others."
Booklist
Using evocative language to express a lovingly told tale of lost memories, Collins wraps her story of a passionate, forbidden relationship in mystery and magic.
Booklist on The Binding
Using evocative language to express a lovingly told tale of lost memories, Collins wraps her story of a passionate, forbidden relationship in mystery and magic.
Sunday Times (UK) on The Binding
Intense, immersive. . . . A stirring, highly original piece of storytelling and world-making.
The Times (UK) on The Binding
A real treat . . . gothic, imaginative and dark.
Joanna Cannon on The Betrayals
"It’s just beautiful —written with such elegance and poise. What I love about Bridget's books is her ability to write the most magical worlds of escapism and yet anchor those worlds very much in today."
Erin Kelly on The Betrayals
"She’s done it again: this is another triumph from the incomparable imagination of Bridget Collins. The Betrayals sinks its teeth into you and won’t let you go. It’s a mesmerising, intimate and ambitious story about art, love and what it means to be human. If you loved The Binding, you’ll adore The Betrayals."
null The Observer (UK) on The Betrayals
"Another sumptuous act of imaginative world-building. . . . If you’re looking for an absorbing, transporting work of fiction—and why would you not be?—The Betrayals is just the thing . . . settle in, and enjoy getting lost in this captivating book."
null Erin Kelly on The Betrayals
"She’s done it again: this is another triumph from the incomparable imagination of Bridget Collins. The Betrayals sinks its teeth into you and won’t let you go. It’s a mesmerising, intimate and ambitious story about art, love and what it means to be human. If you loved The Binding, you’ll adore The Betrayals."
null Woman & Home (UK) on The Betrayals
"Brilliant . . . a captivating, imaginative tale."
null Joanna Cannon on The Betrayals
"It’s just beautiful —written with such elegance and poise. What I love about Bridget's books is her ability to write the most magical worlds of escapism and yet anchor those worlds very much in today."
null Irish Independent (Ireland) on The Betrayals
"More lavish magical escapism from the unit-shifting author of The Binding."
null The Guardian (UK) on The Betrayals
"Ingenious . . . Collins’s story holds everything up its sleeve for as long as possible."
null The Times (UK) on The Binding
A real treat . . . gothic, imaginative and dark.
null The Guardian on The Binding
Truly spellbinding... Many readers of The Binding will simply sink gratefully into the pleasures of its pages, because, like all great fables, it also functions as transporting romance.
null Stella Duffy on The Binding
Intriguing, thought-provoking and heartbreaking … what a gorgeous book.
null Sunday Times (UK) on The Binding
Intense, immersive. . . . A stirring, highly original piece of storytelling and world-making.
null Good Housekeeping (UK) on The Binding
A captivating fantasy novel with forbidden love at its heart.
null BookPage on The Binding
The Binding is an imaginative, thought-provoking tale of how—for better and worse—moments can define who we become.
null The Herald (Glasgow) on The Binding
Beguiling and mysterious … dark and atmospheric … The Binding is the kind of novel that practically demands fireside reading.
null Booklist on The Binding
Using evocative language to express a lovingly told tale of lost memories, Collins wraps her story of a passionate, forbidden relationship in mystery and magic.
Library Journal
12/01/2020
The follow-up to Collins's LJ-starred, nationally best-selling The Binding is set in remote and mountainous Montverre, a training academy where a mysterious great game has been played out for centuries. Léo Martin once studied there, but tragedy sent him far away to the world of politics, and now an act of conscience has sent him back in exile. Léo feels mysteriously connected to the Magister Ludi now in charge, a woman, and the approaching Midsummer Games will challenge long-held traditions. With a 50,000-copy first printing.
