The Broken Binding SF&F Sub #5: May 2026
In my previous unboxing of The Broken Binding SF&F Subscription, I already mentioned that the subscription was converted from a bimonthly to a monthly subscription after barely six months. This meant that immediately after the April book, a new delivery was already on the doorstep in May.
The theme for May was Ghostly Memories and promised a standalone historical fantasy for lovers of strong female characters, ancient myths, and ghost stories. Quite a strong combination of keywords!
The book behind this theme was The Girl with a Thousand Faces by Sunyi Dean.
When Mercy Chan washes up on the shores of Hong Kong with no family, no money, and no memories, the only refuge she finds is the infamous, ghost-infested slum of Kowloon Walled City. Since then, she has rebuilt her life, working for the local triad as a ghost talker and dealing with the angry and bitter spirits who haunt the district. The filthy gutters and cramped alleyways of Kowloon have become her home.
But the past Mercy can’t remember isn’t done with her. An unusually powerful ghost has infested Kowloon’s waterways, drowning innocents and threatening the district. It claims to know Mercy—and secrets from her past that are best left forgotten.
As Mercy is drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with this malignant spirit, she begins to realize that the monster she fights within these walls may well be one of her own making.
Through spoiler accounts, I had already discovered in advance that this would be the book of May. I’ve previously read The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean. My expectations for that one were incredibly high, but ultimately, it was mainly the disappointment that lingered after I finished the book. Still, I find one book far too few to write an author off, especially when it concerns a debut. Moreover, the premise of her latest book sounds incredibly strong again, so I was completely open to adding this edition of The Broken Binding to my bookshelf.
For this edition, a completely new cover was designed by @diamonster09. To be honest, that illustration took a moment to sink in. It is so different from the standard cover, and there is so much going on at once. It is truly one of those images where you discover something new every time you look at it.
Still, I am not entirely in love with it as a cover. Don’t get me wrong: it is a beautiful illustration and technically incredibly well made, but it doesn’t immediately invite me to pick up the book. Perhaps that will change completely once I have read the story and can actually place all the elements in the drawing.
On the back of the cover, we get a variation on the standard cover, adapted to the colour palette of this edition. I actually quite like that bright pink was chosen. On the one hand, it ties in nicely with the illustration by @diamonster09, while at the same time it is a colour you wouldn’t immediately expect.
The hardcover itself features a beautiful grey-blue linen finish with gold foil illustrations by @claymorecovers.
In my photos, the blue appears much brighter and more saturated than it is in reality. In real life, the colour leans more towards a soft grey-blue tint, which actually matches the street on the cover illustration perfectly. Moreover, it forms a very beautiful combination with the gold foil. The illustrations feel simultaneously elegant, slightly oriental, and yet also a bit menacing. And naturally, the kittens deserve an honorable mention as well.
The sprayed edges were also designed by @claymorecovers, and this is where you can really see how beautifully everything is coordinated. The illustration seems to flow almost seamlessly from the cover, making the entire design form one beautiful whole.
Ooh… brr… those endpapers.
These illustrations make it immediately clear that this story will contain quite a few horror elements. They are gruesome, unsettling, and at the same time incredibly fascinating to look at. They were created by @charisloke.
What I find particularly amazing about this is how the illustrations contain various hidden faces. Additionally, the illustrator explained that both images are mirror images of each other and, depending on how you place them on top of one another, together create a loop or even an infinity symbol. It sounds like an incredible amount of details from the story have been incorporated into it, without giving away any obvious spoilers. That alone makes me incredibly curious to discover exactly how much meaning is hidden within.
Furthermore, this edition naturally once again features matching headbands and tailbands, a ribbon bookmark, and a signature of the author.
Once again, The Broken Binding delivers an edition of exceptionally high quality, something that by now is actually no longer a surprise.
I do have the feeling, however, that this edition will only truly come into its own after I have read the book. Almost all of the illustrations seem to contain hidden references and symbolism that will likely only reveal their secrets in retrospect. And… that only makes me more curious to pick up this book.
Cheers,
Charlotte
