The idea behind The Binding - that memories can be wiped and stored in a book - is a very clever one, and Bridget Collins has worked out her concept with ingenuity and skill, but though the premise and the endorsements promised much, in the end it didn't meet my expectations.
Crisp cutting would have ensured that scenes were not laboured, and some variety in the emotional register - for it's all very urgent and febrile - would have made the reading experience less wearing. There's a lot in it that's praiseworthy, but a firmer editorial hand would have made it a better book.
Very interesting to read your thoughts. Will await a library copy and see what I think. The question of crisper editing has seemed to appear more often in recent years. I can think of several books I have enjoyed but felt they could have been even better with some cuts.
Posted by: Fran H-B | 27 January 2019 at 10:34 AM
Over the last few years my reading has been dominated by newly published books and that lack of editing is pronounced. I so often feel that the author has been let down in that respect - he or she is necessarily very close to their material and cannot easily see it from the perspective that a fresh eye and a bit of distance brings, which is of course where the editor comes in.
In the Slightly Foxed podcast (episode 3) the other day reference was made to many books nowadays being edited by freelance editors rather than editorial departments within publishing houses. Perhaps that explains the change in emphasis to the less rigorous approach, which presumably costs less in terms of time and money.
Posted by: Cornflower | 27 January 2019 at 11:14 AM
So that explains the lack of editing! Thank you for the explanation. Sometimes, I despair.
Posted by: Toffeeapple | 28 January 2019 at 12:22 AM
I do too!
Posted by: Cornflower | 28 January 2019 at 08:02 AM
A tad frustrating to read a book and find yourself mentally editing it as you move through the pages.
Read the following article the other day--somewhat on topic: https://lithub.com/are-these-bad-habits-creeping-into-your-writing/
Posted by: Mary | 28 January 2019 at 12:19 PM
Thank you for that link, Mary - great article!
Posted by: Cornflower | 28 January 2019 at 01:30 PM