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The Binding
When a rare mental disorder begins to consume his small-town neighbors, a young psychiatrist digs up the past for clues to the epidemic’s bone-chilling source in this brilliant supernatural horror debut, written in the bestselling tradition of Peter Straub.
Convinced that evil spirits have overtaken his daughter, a desperate father introduces her to Nat Thayer, a young psychiatrist in their sleepy blue-blooded Massachusetts college town. Thayer quickly diagnoses the girl with Cotard Delusion, an obscure condition sometimes described as “walking corpse syndrome.” But Thayer soon realizes his patient—and many of the local families—are actually being targeted by a malignant force resurrected from the town's wicked history. Thayer must discover the source of the spreading plague…before there is no one left to save.
Convinced that evil spirits have overtaken his daughter, a desperate father introduces her to Nat Thayer, a young psychiatrist in their sleepy blue-blooded Massachusetts college town. Thayer quickly diagnoses the girl with Cotard Delusion, an obscure condition sometimes described as “walking corpse syndrome.” But Thayer soon realizes his patient—and many of the local families—are actually being targeted by a malignant force resurrected from the town's wicked history. Thayer must discover the source of the spreading plague…before there is no one left to save.
403 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
June 28, 2016
I was immediately intrigued by The Binding. The synopsis talks about mental disorders and evil spirits that are both tied up in a “town’s wicked history”. I love the type of book that blurs the lines between the natural and the supernatural.
The Binding ended up being my kind of horror; I’m not a big believer in monsters, aliens and that sort of horror, these things just don’t exist. My kind of horror plays off of our belief systems, evil spirits, demonic possession, ghosts – now those things are real. Nicholas Wolff has straddled the line between demonic evil and mental health and how we need to have a rational explanation for things that go beyond proof.
Nicholas Wolff has painted a vivid picture of a small New England town complete with the class structure, relationships and overlapping family histories. His characters are very well developed and he spends a good amount of time letting the read get to know each one.
The Binding is a slow building story, it takes its time revealing all of Northam’s secrets. I found that Nicholas Wolff did this without letting the story drag or jeopardizing the pace.
The Binding is a dark, twisted story that kept me deeply invested from beginning to end. Even when real life beckoned and I had to put the book down, the story was still at the forefront of my mind.
*5 Stars
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
The Binding ended up being my kind of horror; I’m not a big believer in monsters, aliens and that sort of horror, these things just don’t exist. My kind of horror plays off of our belief systems, evil spirits, demonic possession, ghosts – now those things are real. Nicholas Wolff has straddled the line between demonic evil and mental health and how we need to have a rational explanation for things that go beyond proof.
Nicholas Wolff has painted a vivid picture of a small New England town complete with the class structure, relationships and overlapping family histories. His characters are very well developed and he spends a good amount of time letting the read get to know each one.
The Binding is a slow building story, it takes its time revealing all of Northam’s secrets. I found that Nicholas Wolff did this without letting the story drag or jeopardizing the pace.
The Binding is a dark, twisted story that kept me deeply invested from beginning to end. Even when real life beckoned and I had to put the book down, the story was still at the forefront of my mind.
*5 Stars
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2016
Psychiatrist Nat Thayer is visited by a desperate father who is seeking treatment for his daughter that has begun to show similar mental signs to her deceased brother. After an exam and the girl claiming that she had died Thayer diagnoses her with Cotard Delusion, an obscure condition sometimes described as “walking corpse syndrome.” Soon though other things begin to happen in this small town that has everyone questioning what is going on and what is behind it all.
The Binding was a book that after reading several chapters I knew this one wasn't going to be included in my top list of the year. This is one of those reads that makes me feel like I needed to be taking notes all throughout due to it just having a bit too much going on to keep track of.
There are several major plot lines to the story that are all happening at once. I don't want to go into too much detail since the official synopsis doesn't describe them all and I don't want to spoil anything for those that may love this one. But for me with so much going on I felt like I never really connected to any of it before something else would begin.
In the end this one just wasn't for me I'm afraid, a bit too jumbled trying to add in so many different things that none of them stood out to me by the time I was done after jumping around so much.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
The Binding was a book that after reading several chapters I knew this one wasn't going to be included in my top list of the year. This is one of those reads that makes me feel like I needed to be taking notes all throughout due to it just having a bit too much going on to keep track of.
There are several major plot lines to the story that are all happening at once. I don't want to go into too much detail since the official synopsis doesn't describe them all and I don't want to spoil anything for those that may love this one. But for me with so much going on I felt like I never really connected to any of it before something else would begin.
In the end this one just wasn't for me I'm afraid, a bit too jumbled trying to add in so many different things that none of them stood out to me by the time I was done after jumping around so much.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
November 27, 2021
While my first review is probably just as accurate today I was still not a are that I had read it before. Still an enjoyable story. Find it extremely exciting that o finished reading it the first time 27 November 2020 and this time 27 November 2021. Never happened to me before!
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The first book that has truly hooked me in, in a long while. The mysterious sickness going around the town and it's dark history was really interesting and a great deal of fun. My only negative thing is that I was little confused in parts but I had fun regardless
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The first book that has truly hooked me in, in a long while. The mysterious sickness going around the town and it's dark history was really interesting and a great deal of fun. My only negative thing is that I was little confused in parts but I had fun regardless
February 26, 2016
Review: THE BINDING by Nicholas Wolff
Where do I begin? Shall we try "outstanding"? THE BINDING is a literate novel of literary horror by a nom de plume. The author is a bestselling novelist [remember the case with THE TROOP, by Nick Cutter?] No matter the identity, she, he, or they can write; THE BINDING is excellent! Absorbing, engrossing, riveting, can't put down. The author weaves in historic and academic background into a plotline that delivers with powerful impact, showcasing fully delineated three dimensional characters. Don't miss it!
Where do I begin? Shall we try "outstanding"? THE BINDING is a literate novel of literary horror by a nom de plume. The author is a bestselling novelist [remember the case with THE TROOP, by Nick Cutter?] No matter the identity, she, he, or they can write; THE BINDING is excellent! Absorbing, engrossing, riveting, can't put down. The author weaves in historic and academic background into a plotline that delivers with powerful impact, showcasing fully delineated three dimensional characters. Don't miss it!
June 29, 2016
3.5
The binding was scary at times. If I'm honest, I had to stop reading it after the first few chapters since I was home alone. I decided to read it during the day instead.
Can you blame me? A dark power is among the town and people are dying but they might not be dead after all!!
The Binding is a tale of horror with compelling characters and paranormal situations. The main characters kept me guessing. I was trying to discover who was behind the killings.
Nat Thayer is a young psychiatrist who gets involved in a new case when a man comes looking for help with his daughter Becca. Becca believes herself to be dead and in the body of someone else. Nat is fascinated with her once he realizes she is suffering from Cotard Delusion, also named Walking Corpse Syndrome. But, what if the girl is not mistaken and she is telling the truth?
Yes, that's the real question.
The other plot line comes from the sheriff John and his young son Charlie. John can't believe what's happening in his town but he needs to put a stop to it. He feels that this is very important to him and his son.
Following these two characters trying to piece the past and current events was fun. I won't reveal much of the story but I can say it was quite engaging.
I do wish that the book had a little more detail with the ending. I still have some questions I didn't feel were answered.
Cliffhanger: No
3.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
The binding was scary at times. If I'm honest, I had to stop reading it after the first few chapters since I was home alone. I decided to read it during the day instead.
Can you blame me? A dark power is among the town and people are dying but they might not be dead after all!!
The Binding is a tale of horror with compelling characters and paranormal situations. The main characters kept me guessing. I was trying to discover who was behind the killings.
Nat Thayer is a young psychiatrist who gets involved in a new case when a man comes looking for help with his daughter Becca. Becca believes herself to be dead and in the body of someone else. Nat is fascinated with her once he realizes she is suffering from Cotard Delusion, also named Walking Corpse Syndrome. But, what if the girl is not mistaken and she is telling the truth?
Yes, that's the real question.
The other plot line comes from the sheriff John and his young son Charlie. John can't believe what's happening in his town but he needs to put a stop to it. He feels that this is very important to him and his son.
Following these two characters trying to piece the past and current events was fun. I won't reveal much of the story but I can say it was quite engaging.
I do wish that the book had a little more detail with the ending. I still have some questions I didn't feel were answered.
Cliffhanger: No
3.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
July 1, 2016
I loved this book. It really reminded me of the old school horror books that were popular in the late eighties and early nineties. The characters were all very interesting and the author was careful to only reveal a little at a time and not giveaway the future outcome of the important events.
This is the sort of hair raising story that will make you think twice about going outside after dark or being in the house alone. I loved that I didn't know quite what to expect, all the way to the end, and even then, you could sort of use your own imagination to figure out what you thought might happen next.
This book was well paced, exciting and the back story was not boring, but rather fit nicely into the rest of the events happening in the present. If you are a fan of Peter Straub, Stephen King and the like, this book will thrill you.
Loved it.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This is the sort of hair raising story that will make you think twice about going outside after dark or being in the house alone. I loved that I didn't know quite what to expect, all the way to the end, and even then, you could sort of use your own imagination to figure out what you thought might happen next.
This book was well paced, exciting and the back story was not boring, but rather fit nicely into the rest of the events happening in the present. If you are a fan of Peter Straub, Stephen King and the like, this book will thrill you.
Loved it.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
July 24, 2016
3.6
I always hate summarizing plots, but I know I should since I rely on reviews, not the blurbs, to tell me what a book is about. So, instead of plagiarizing, or trying to be clever in explaining a complex story without giving anything away, let me quote directly from Goodreads:
There is a lot happening in The Binding. There are at least major 5 story-lines going (investigation of a coed's murder, creepy autistic/genius kid who is seeing some funky stuff, Nat's relationship with the Cotard's Syndrome patient, the story of the coed's roommate, and the history of the prominent families in town) and the difficulty of keeping all these balls in the air is apparent at several points in the novel. There were occasional moments which suffered from lack of flow and this was particularly apparent in the story-line featuring the town sheriff. Wolff lapses into prose reminiscent of a police procedural and while this is not at all a bad thing, it doesn't gel well with everything else that is going on. Since this isn't really a crime novel, it sits funny and I believe the novel would have been made much better by an editorial decision to either bolster the crime element or abandon it to truly revel in the horror aspect the book flirts with, but ultimately fails, to commit to. In a similar vein, I blame the multiple story-lines for some literary choppiness in both the telling of this tale (it took at least until a third of the way in before the author found his literary groove and the writing became more fluid) and the slapdash-ish character development. There is an especially bizarro turn about two-thirds in when Nat falls for his 18 year-old patient for no apparent reason whatsoever. Unfortunately, without any real sense of Nat, this reads as creepy rather than romantic – or even overtly sexual. I think I could have least gotten behind his crush even if it was minimally motivated by chasing down a pretty young thing. As for the other characters, especially the sheriff, I have no idea what is going on there. (I think the fact I keep calling the sheriff character sheriff, instead of by his real name – John? – demonstrates there is some lack of vividness in flushing out who this guy actually is).
What saves this book from the garbage can is the excellent plot – or maybe the ideas underlying the plot. Personally, just discovering such a thing as Cotard's Delusion exists and what it is was reason enough to read the book. But that aside, there were really some nice elements in The Binding and Wolff did a great job tying everything up. What made me a sad panda though was that The Binding is such a perfect example of a book that underperforms. More work, more talent, or more editing could have made The Binding a real contender.
Buy, Borrow, or Burn: Borrow.
Thanks go to "Nicholas Wolff" (apparently a nom de plume), Gallery Books, and NetGalley for the advance copy.
I always hate summarizing plots, but I know I should since I rely on reviews, not the blurbs, to tell me what a book is about. So, instead of plagiarizing, or trying to be clever in explaining a complex story without giving anything away, let me quote directly from Goodreads:
Convinced that evil spirits have overtaken his daughter, a desperate father introduces her to Nat Thayer, a young psychiatrist in their sleepy blue-blooded Massachusetts college town. Thayer quickly diagnoses the girl with Cotard Delusion, an obscure condition sometimes described as “walking corpse syndrome.” But Thayer soon realizes his patient—and many of the local families—are actually being targeted by a malignant force resurrected from the town's wicked history. Thayer must discover the source of the spreading plague…before there is no one left to save.
There is a lot happening in The Binding. There are at least major 5 story-lines going (investigation of a coed's murder, creepy autistic/genius kid who is seeing some funky stuff, Nat's relationship with the Cotard's Syndrome patient, the story of the coed's roommate, and the history of the prominent families in town) and the difficulty of keeping all these balls in the air is apparent at several points in the novel. There were occasional moments which suffered from lack of flow and this was particularly apparent in the story-line featuring the town sheriff. Wolff lapses into prose reminiscent of a police procedural and while this is not at all a bad thing, it doesn't gel well with everything else that is going on. Since this isn't really a crime novel, it sits funny and I believe the novel would have been made much better by an editorial decision to either bolster the crime element or abandon it to truly revel in the horror aspect the book flirts with, but ultimately fails, to commit to. In a similar vein, I blame the multiple story-lines for some literary choppiness in both the telling of this tale (it took at least until a third of the way in before the author found his literary groove and the writing became more fluid) and the slapdash-ish character development. There is an especially bizarro turn about two-thirds in when Nat falls for his 18 year-old patient for no apparent reason whatsoever. Unfortunately, without any real sense of Nat, this reads as creepy rather than romantic – or even overtly sexual. I think I could have least gotten behind his crush even if it was minimally motivated by chasing down a pretty young thing. As for the other characters, especially the sheriff, I have no idea what is going on there. (I think the fact I keep calling the sheriff character sheriff, instead of by his real name – John? – demonstrates there is some lack of vividness in flushing out who this guy actually is).
What saves this book from the garbage can is the excellent plot – or maybe the ideas underlying the plot. Personally, just discovering such a thing as Cotard's Delusion exists and what it is was reason enough to read the book. But that aside, there were really some nice elements in The Binding and Wolff did a great job tying everything up. What made me a sad panda though was that The Binding is such a perfect example of a book that underperforms. More work, more talent, or more editing could have made The Binding a real contender.
Buy, Borrow, or Burn: Borrow.
Thanks go to "Nicholas Wolff" (apparently a nom de plume), Gallery Books, and NetGalley for the advance copy.
July 28, 2016
Reading The Binding was kind of a strange experience. There were some great scenes - even some scares - but I had a lot of trouble paying attention to the rest of it. I'm coming out of it with memorable bits and pieces but no glue to hold it all together.
I texted my mom at 12% because I knew she was reading this as well. She told me she had to start over completely 3 times before she got it to stick. That was not a fate I wanted so I just pressed on.
In the end, I'm glad for those memorable moments - they are what I look for in a great read - but I often found myself pushing through The Binding so I could move on to something else.
2.5 stars.
I texted my mom at 12% because I knew she was reading this as well. She told me she had to start over completely 3 times before she got it to stick. That was not a fate I wanted so I just pressed on.
In the end, I'm glad for those memorable moments - they are what I look for in a great read - but I often found myself pushing through The Binding so I could move on to something else.
2.5 stars.
May 1, 2016
Something horrifying is going on in this picturesque town in MA. The dead are not at peace. Bodies in the morgue are rearranging themselves or disappearing altogether, Meanwhile a living breathing girl insists that she is indeed dead. A little boy who can not speak is drawing pictures of his only friend, a demonic looking being he calls The Magician. All is this and more ties this community to something horrible that happened long ago and far away. I love horror stories that are set right here in New England so I was already looking forward to reading this book, and it did not disappoint me.
I received an advance copy for review
I received an advance copy for review
March 14, 2018
I am giving up. I'm 60 pages from the ending and I really could not care less how it ends. And that's been this books problem. I don't care about any of the characters. I wanted to though. In the end, the story just wasn't that interesting to me. It had all the ingredients I love in a book, but they never came together. On to the next adventure.
November 14, 2017
It shouldn’t take over 200 pages to “get into” a book.
May 25, 2016
This might not be a fair review (2.5) but I've had this book for months now and read a couple books during the span of me trying to read it. I just couldn't get into it somehow because I kept finding things a bit better. However the story in this is good, there are a couple storylines happening and I wish they stuck to 3 instead of 5. Interesting enough plot by the writing could be better , maybe if I read it again it would change my review.
February 2, 2017
A good scare.
January 20, 2018
In this spellbinding horror Nicholas Wolff hovers on the line of paranormal/demonic activity and mental illness. The pretense had me intrigued from the get-go: a young girl suspected of suffering from Cotard delusion--thinking one is deceased-- is taken into the hands of Nat Thayer. One of the town’s patriarchs approaches the young psychiatrist with a desperate plea for help with his mentally unstable daughter. Becca seems to be following down the same haunted road as her late brothers: delusional, mentally unstable, a threat to themselves and the people around them. Thayer along with his oldest friend, Detective John Bailey, dig deep to save this once sleepy town of Northam, Massachusetts.
I was absolutely engrossed with this dark novel! It’s definitely one of those I-forgot-to-eat-because-I-am-reading situations-- it’s riveting! Wolf paints a vivid picture of this sleepy New England town. I got the feel of being in Massachusetts during a blustery winter just reading the words. There’s something about mental illness and paranormal activity tied in with a a “town’s wicked history” that never gets old. However, some of the character development was off. For the most part the characters were one-dimensional. I felt no connection with any of them-- I was more connected to the plot. As a reader who typically enjoys that connection to highly developed characters I found this change of pace to be an enjoyment rather than a hindrance.
There were five different story-lines playing out at once. Albeit interesting, a few were random and led to confusing character placement. A story-line or two could have been thrown out without jeopardizing the story; go a mile deep, not a mile wide. Thayer’s relationship with the psychologically impaired Becca was… a nice touch. I enjoyed the-- romance?-- element while reading, but now looking back, I wonder if the author threw in a bit of love/attraction/romance to spice up the story.
I am a huge fan of how this horror story wrapped up. In fact, the last 10 pages were my favorite. Wolff also does a great job at setting off an eerie tone, and I had a hard time reading it while alone! Overall, I would highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in horror-- especially dark, paranormal bordering with mental illness type horror!
www.thecozybookshelf.wordpress.com
I was absolutely engrossed with this dark novel! It’s definitely one of those I-forgot-to-eat-because-I-am-reading situations-- it’s riveting! Wolf paints a vivid picture of this sleepy New England town. I got the feel of being in Massachusetts during a blustery winter just reading the words. There’s something about mental illness and paranormal activity tied in with a a “town’s wicked history” that never gets old. However, some of the character development was off. For the most part the characters were one-dimensional. I felt no connection with any of them-- I was more connected to the plot. As a reader who typically enjoys that connection to highly developed characters I found this change of pace to be an enjoyment rather than a hindrance.
There were five different story-lines playing out at once. Albeit interesting, a few were random and led to confusing character placement. A story-line or two could have been thrown out without jeopardizing the story; go a mile deep, not a mile wide. Thayer’s relationship with the psychologically impaired Becca was… a nice touch. I enjoyed the-- romance?-- element while reading, but now looking back, I wonder if the author threw in a bit of love/attraction/romance to spice up the story.
I am a huge fan of how this horror story wrapped up. In fact, the last 10 pages were my favorite. Wolff also does a great job at setting off an eerie tone, and I had a hard time reading it while alone! Overall, I would highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in horror-- especially dark, paranormal bordering with mental illness type horror!
www.thecozybookshelf.wordpress.com
June 10, 2018
This book wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either. Very middle of the road. The characters needed more depth and development. I found myself not really caring about the male protagonists as they lacked motivation and emotion. Others characters felt kind of wedged into the story. The relationship between Nat and Becca felt forced and unrealistic. Becca also lacked humanity and I found myself not really caring what happened to her in the end. The historical aspects were interesting as were the psychological parts. Charlie was the most interesting character but under-utilized. One thing that really bothered me was the overuse of onomatopoeia. I felt like I was reading a comic book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2016
After seeing a lot of hype on this book, I decided to give it a shot. I'm not sure if it was me or the book, but I had to re-start this book many times over. I never really did get into the story. This certainly wasn't one of my favorite books at all. It was a struggle for me to continue to read. I have read other reviews where people had the same opinion and still other people fully enjoyed it. I would have to say that this is a book that it's up to the reader to decide if they enjoyed it or not. It most certainly doesn't hurt to give it a try!
February 9, 2021
I was very interested in the premise of The Binding and I'm glad I won it in the giveaways. I love the way Wolff sets up the scene and the feel of the book. Right away the characters and the town are set up with a little bit of a mystic that really settles in nice. I enjoy the premise as it relates to the horror aspect of what is happening in this little town. It all flows together so well and Wolff does a wonderful job.
May 19, 2018
I tried. I really tried. Some of the reviews were correct in their description of how difficult this book is to read. I wanted to prove them wrong. It just didn't hold my interest like I thought it would, and I found I was forcing myself to read it. Maybe one day when I pick it up again, my mind will appreciate it more. But for now, no.
May 20, 2017
The Binding had a few good ideas/moments, but in the end I found it too predictable to be interesting. I was greatly confused about the love connection between Nat and Becca which seemed to spring out of nowhere, and the characters were flat and lacking realistic motivation.
September 1, 2017
I knew that zombies originated in Haiti. What I did not know was that the US occupied Haiti at the beginning of the 20th century. Put these two facts together - and you have this novel, which could benefit from more historical background and fewer adjectives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2017
4.5 Very much enjoyed this book, what a page turner. Not only did the author introduce numerous characters but kept them interesting. I did not see this ending coming. For those who enjoy being kept on their toes.
April 19, 2018
Supernatural mystery, small-town horror.
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. I am paying it forward by passing this book along to a family member who I think will enjoy it too.
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. I am paying it forward by passing this book along to a family member who I think will enjoy it too.
April 20, 2022
I struggled to finish this one and not have a DNF. I was not engaged enough to get through this story quickly at all. Story was ok, nothing great. The writing and the flow just meh for me. The ending also lackluster. Picked the book up at a library book sale, so no real investment but my time.
November 15, 2016
This book was disappointing. I was initially interested by the premise, but it was poorly executed and the characters lacked development. So much potential wasted.
August 9, 2017
I had to return this to the library before I finished it but it seemed very well written for a "horror" book. It made my flesh crawl like a good spooky movie. I hope to maybe listen to the book.
December 5, 2017
A new author and an interesting thriller. Dragged a bit in places and the ending was somewhat unexpected. Not a bad first try and curious to see what he writes in the future.
March 12, 2018
It was ok, just totally not my thing!
September 9, 2018
Main character was an angsty frat b ok y who doesn't care and by the time he finds it in him to try I was just burnt out on him. Two stars because the premise is scary and the author can write.
August 5, 2020
This book was great
Read
July 11, 2023the book was off to a good start but by the end it started to bore me ... i sped through the ending
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews