"The Bookbinder" weaves history, emotion and intellect into an interesting tale of societal constraint, familial duty and ambition. Set in Oxford in the early twentieth century, it is a story rich in both substance and sentiment.

Evocative, subversive and rich with characters, "The Bookbinder" explores knowledge – who gets to make it and who gets to access it. Steeped in the history of Oxford's bookbinding trade, the novel does a great job of creating time and place.

While the pacing occasionally falters, particularly in the middle sections, and some plot points feel a touch too convenient, these are minor quibbles in a story that is otherwise so gorgeously rendered.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2