A historical, dark tale which will leave you hanging on every page. This is a 'cannot put down' novel, which will keep you reading on into the night. Fantastic novel, well written and great characters. A must read.

I really enjoyed The Binding by Bridget Collins, but I'm beginning to think it might have been some kind of fluke because subsequent novels from the author just haven't hit the same. Her writing is very difficult to get in to, overly flowery and old fashioned in a way that makes the story feel a bit inaccessible, a bit stand offish in some ways. And The Silence Factory has all of this, couples with characters I just couldn't find myself connecting with. Henry is not well developed in my opinion, and also pretty unlikeable.

The plot really drags in this too. It could easily have been about 100 pages shorter if a lot of the flowery descriptions were cut out, and got to the point. The dual timelines hindered the flow of the story instead of enhancing it, to the point where I think this would have been so much better without the historical subplot involving the spiders altogether.

Unfortunately not for me.

Bridget Collins is interested, it seems, in protagonists who are weak men, indoctrinated into a system, and easily led into excusing atrocities. This isn't a criticism, I hasten to add: she is aware that this is exactly what she is doing, and part of the character arc involves their discovery that some things are Wrong, Actually. This worked quite brilliantly in The Betrayals, but it's not quite as effective in this new book. Part of it might be the context of reading: a book about people turning a blind eye to rising fascism and totalitarianism, with deportations and concentration camps of undesireables (The Betrayals) feels more . . . relevant . . . than a book about the horrors of factory towns in 19th century industrialisation (The Silence Factory). The latter allows the reader to cloak themself in a veil of historical distance -- which works well for escapism, I guess, but softens the punch.

The main conceit, how deafness, sign language, and the sale of silence through these silk panels, was very clever, but I'm not sure it's fully coherent. There's a speech towards the end, laying out the moral problems with this manufactured silence, which feels unconvincing. First, the two-sided nature of the fabric, which creates silence on one side, but odd echoes and distressing vibrations on the other, is seen as an imposition of inequality; you benefit, but at the cost to your neighbours. Except, earlier in the book, someone suggested just doubling up the fabric, so the silent side faces outward in both directions. Problem solved! And further, the speech-maker continues, there is a benefit to enjoying silence that you have chosen and somehow earned through peace of spirit. Wrapping rooms in these fabrics imposes the silence externally. Which, um, ok, if that's what you think; but I'm far more convinced by Henry's earlier speech about the miseries of noise and clamour, how it contribued to his dead wife's dying minutes, how it distresses anyone's ability to find peace inside their own head, etc. Yes, Henry was working for a very Bad Man (we know he's a Bad Man because he has no use for sign language, and it's clear that Collins did a certain amount of research into 19th century British sign language, so any character who fails to respect that is Bad), but still: he made an excellent point. The whole externally-imposed-silence problem is easily fixed with a little sign: 'Hi, we've put up silence curtains in this room. If you don't like it, don't enter.' Quaker speech-maker man is reasonably wealthy; he is exactly the kind of person who Henry is saying doesn't understand the need for true silence; because he has his own house, in the country, separated from the clamour of modern life. He is not the person to talk about teh moral superiority of eschewing this miracle. He'd make a much better case if he talked about all the ethical hanky-panky associated with weaving the silk in the first place, or breeding the spiders.

This has a deliciously sinister dark edge, the story feels more and more unsettling as it unfolds across two timelines and two different POVs.

The past is told through the diary entries of Sophia Ashmore-Percy, as she follows her husband to Greece on the trail of an amazing scientific discovery an old friend has claimed to have discovered. He wants to see for himself and make his fortune - but when they finally get there it's to discover the old friend is no longer around and the locals have no intention of sharing any secrets with them. Feeling increasingly isolated, Sophia befriends Hira, a local woman who knows some english and embarks on her own journey of discovery.

The more current storyline follows Henry Latimer, a widower living in London with his father in law after the death of his wife. Henry is still grieving his loss and feels unmoored, going through the motions each day working as an audiologist in his father in law's shop. One day the usual routine is broken by Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy - he has a young daughter who is deaf, and a factory that produces specialist silk derived from spiders which has unusual properties. He shares a sample with Henry, then before he knows it he is travelling to Telverton on the premise of trying to help the daughter with her hearing.

In time it becomes clear that on the one hand, the young girl is profoundly deaf and no amount of audiology equipment is going to change that; and on the other, Telverton is an unusual place with eerie sounds and unexplained illnesses and mental health problems very common.

Henry starts off flattered and in thrall to Sir Edward, but as the creeping sense of unease builds he starts to piece together the little things that don't seem quite right. I enjoyed the Gothic feel to this and found the author's ability to build an image with words really added to this. In parts it is like a fairytale, but in the style of the original Brothers Grimm where something horrifying is always just lurking in the shadows.

Really enjoyable read

Gloriously creepy and atmospheric
However while the vibe was there, I couldn't overlook the glossing over of the treatment towards certain groups. Sure different times; if an author chooses to include something terrible in a book it feels lip a cop out to just say 'ah it was acceptable at the time'. No. You chose to include it, so you really should have a character mention how sucky it is or something
This was my third book by this author but I think it will be my last

I struggled so much finishing this one, and i wasn't expecting it.
The concept of silence in a sinister twist was 100% right up my ally, except that while i was reading i couldn't grip the execution and couldn't feel the story as much as i would have liked to. The narrator is so unreliable that it got to my nerves most of the times

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | The Borough Press and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins.

This was the first book that I have read by Bridget Collins, despite having the previous books on my shelf waiting patiently for me to read them.

Silken threads spun by spiders stolen from their home. The spiders work tirelessly spinning their webs. The threads are woven into fabric that silences the outside world.

In trying to help those that cannot hear Henry Latimer, an audiologist, becomes embroiled with Sir Edward Ashmore Percy and his relentless pursuit of financial wealth. Sir Edward's family had always produced silk, however in discovering the fine silk from the spiders, invests all his wealth in the new lace. The Telverton silk is not viewed as positively as Sir Edward would have liked. In addition, the people surrounding the factory are afflicted by strange ill effects and suffering.

This story shows how one man's pursuit of financial wealth comes at a cost to those employed by him. The cost results in ill health and suffering for those working in the factory.

Such an eery, creepy read about a unique topic. I really enjoyed this. The author's research is evident and the story is well told.

What a haunting and atmospheric read! The story weaves together two timelines: one in 1820s Greece, where Sophia Ashmore-Percy embarks on a journey that challenges her marriage and desires; and another in Victorian England, where audiologist Henry Latimer becomes entangled in the mysterious world of Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy's silk business, which produces fabric capable of silencing the world around it.
The novel delves into themes of power, silence and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Collins' writing is evocative, creating a gothic atmosphere that pulls you into its eerie world. The dual narratives are compelling, and the exploration of the silk's origins and its effects on those who encounter it adds depth to the story.
Overall, The Silence Factory is a mesmerising blend of historical fiction and magical realism, offering a thought-provoking and immersive experience.

I’m struggling to articulate why I love this book so much, especially because if you were to ask me to describe its plots, I wouldn’t be able to! Simply put, Collins has an incredible ability to build intrigue, create a beautiful atmosphere and a dark, gritty plot. I was so wrapped up in this Gothic historical fiction, and it was totally unexpected. Some parts may have been a little convoluted, but I was captivated by the whole story, the characters and their very real issues. I never really knew where it was going, and I think this is what made it for me - it was both fascinating and horrifying. I loved it.

Spooky and well written. Not my favourite genre which is why I asked to give it a try. I enjoyed it and will be more adventurous in future!

I love a gothic mystery, so this really ticked all the boxes for me! I definitely need to explore Bridget Collins other works because this captivated me in such a strong way. It had a thriller esq pace to it, I really was on the edge of my seat. Loved it!

For someone who doesn't really like gothic novels, this was actually pretty good.

Bridget Collins has a way of drawing in her readers, making it a truly spooky atmosphere as you're fully engrossed.

Do I think this is the best book ever written? No, but it's rare that I think that so it's absolutely not a personal thing.

Featuring dual timeline plots in an alternate reality of magical realism where a rare and special spider can produce silk that smothers sound from one side and creates auditory hallucinations and madness from the other, this Gothic historical mystery immediately sparked my interest.

Excerpts from Sophia’s diary from a Greek island in 1820 – threaded with exotic otherness and heady Sapphic romance but overshadowed by the dual darknesses of marital control and miscarriage – alternate with the narrative of Henry Latimer decades later in the English factory village of Telverton. Henry’s story is woven from similar obsessive and unstable threads, as he skirts around the misery at the heart of the exploitative silk factory, distracted by his own desires and the grief and madness forming a web around him.

I would have preferred more of Sophia’s story than the brief interludes we got, as I was heavily invested in her personal struggles and the background of the island and the mysterious spiders. Unfortunately we spend more time with Henry and I found his story more difficult to engage with, as I found myself cringing from his obvious, wrong-headed missteps and his humiliating and clearly undeserved hero worship tendencies.

While an enjoyable read, I didn’t feel the book fully fulfilled the promise of magic dangled in the blurb and beginning, and although I enjoyed the weird and unsettling atmosphere evoked, it didn’t quite reach the full horrific impact that the contents should have inspired.

This book surprised me and deeply touched me as well. So the book is multilayered. I loved the mysterious and gothic feels. In 1820, Sophie arrives on the greek island with her husband. While James is searching for a rare spider so that he can invent a new fabric with silk made by spider. Sophie befriends a local woman. There were so many mysteries, secrets, guilt, and revelations. I felt sad for Sophie. Everything that happened with her. Henry wanted to please a man, he abandoned everyone. I seriously didn’t like his character. But the book was mind-blowing. Author has wrapped it up so well in the end. So many crucial things have been portrayed in this book. Like a man who did wrong with woman, toxic relationships, and truth about the employed children.

Thanks to the Publisher

Suspenseful and interesting read. I love Bridget Collins for her sense of style and how she creates such atmosphere in her books. I think I will read everything she publishes!

A dual timeline gothic mystery with original plot and intense relationship building. We are immersed into the 1820s via the diary of Sophia, who details her husbands obsession with a mythical spider. The hunt takes them to a Greek island , where the mystical creature lives. it spins a web with magical qualities. Sophia spends her days with the mesmerising Hira, with whom she shares a deep connection. Decades later, the diary is discovered by Henry, a widower in deep grief, who is sent to do a hearing test on a deaf child of a wealthy factory owner, who is obsessed with taking the mystical silk into mass trade regardless of the human cost and consequences. The Silk and its owner spellinomd Henry. The Silence Factory is a captivating read. #thesilencefactory #brdgetcollins #netgalley

A really good historical, gothic read that has since wonderful twists and turns. I loved the dual pov’s and the characters themselves! It is a really original story, and quite eerie!

I don’t do historical fiction but love a Bridget Collins book?!
I loved this so different and unusual,
Totally recommend this book and 5 🌟 from me.

This was a great read! I loved The Binding so had high hopes for this. I loved the dark atmosphere of the book and the writing was easy to follow. Definitely recommend if you enjoy historical books.