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.

This took a little while for me to get into - it’s an interesting read with an intriguing plot but I wouldn’t call it a page turner.

I unfortunately was not a big fan of this book. Took me a while to get into it and I couldnt finish it.

The title and cover really drew me in, the when I read the synopsis I couldn’t wait to get stuck in.

But it’s a very slow book, 25% through and I already want to skip through to find out if anything is going to happen. The description is good and the multiple points of view are interesting and add depth to the story but the overall story is very lacklustre and just meh.
I read The Binding by Bridget Collins and I have that 3*. But I wanted to give another one of her books a go but I just don’t think I like her writing style and slow plots and slow character/world building

Collins’ lush storytelling is both atmospheric and hypnotic, drawing readers into a world where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur. The dual timelines enrich the narrative, offering contrasting yet interconnected stories that enhance the novel’s depth. At so many moments, it could almost be a love story, but instead it is a story fraught with obsession and moral ambiguity, a delicate balance between ambition and ethics.

The Silence Factory is a testament to Collins’ ability to craft a narrative that is both enchanting and unsettling, inviting readers to explore the human cost that lies beneath the veneer of progress and discovery.

The Binding is one of my favourite books so I was excited to read this. Unfortunately, this one didn't work so well for me. I never really liked any of the characters enough, and just found myself reading to see how this was going to end. A little disappointing.

I love pretty much everything this author writes and this was no exception. It's really clever. Her world building is first class.

I really enjoyed The Silence Factory. The story was intriguing and I loved how unique it was. The premise of magic silk had me intrigued and the characters as well as the storyline had me hooked.
I really loved how The Silence Factory was written, it was done beautifully and it had a full description that painted the scenes with great creativity. As I was reading I could picture it all playing out and it had me gripped to the last page. The characters were all created uniquely and brought the story together. I especially loved the portrayal of Henry Latimer and how he was dedicated to the ins and outs of the silk and I loved what unravelled. The storyline with it's characters weaved a riveting story and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I wish I had loved this one, also wish I had DNFd at the start when I felt like doing it. I am usually a huge fan of Bridget Collins and this book sounded brilliant - but I just got bored as it was so slow.