The Binding

A farm boy sent to apprentice with a bookbinder after an illness leaves him unfit for farm work; he learns that binding seals painful memories inside books.

Seredith's son, an unscrupulous binder who takes over her secret stock and takes charge of Emmett after her death.

A young gentleman from a wealthy family and a client of the bindery, who becomes significant in Emmett's life; the final section is told from his perspective.

The elderly bookbinder who takes Emmett on as her apprentice and binds her customers' confessions and memories into books.