This book is fantastic. The plot and the storyline are so intricate. It starts in 1820 on a Greek Island where a young English couple (James and Sophia) is stationed searching for rare biological specimens. In the Island they meet Hira, and enigmatic local woman that has the ability to cure and that knows all the secrets of the islanders. Hira and Sophia form a special bond that gives Sophia access to the Island best kept secret: a very rare species of spider with magical powers.
Many years later we meet Henry, an audiologist that is sent to the home of an industrialist to find the right hearing aid device for the man’s daughter. Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy runs a silk factory. But the silk has a very unique quality: it is able to shield sound completely and create an environment of absolute silence. This is due to the origin of the silk. This silk doesn’t come from silk worm but from a spider that can only be found on a a Greek island. As the plot progresses, the drama increases and the intrigue takes over the story, because of course, nothing is what it seems.
This book is so magical and the language is almost mesmerizing. It is so dark and gothic and summarizes the beauty and complexity of a genre in which Collins is a true expert.

Not being a stranger to Collins work, The Silence Factory hit every note I've come to expect from her. It's a wonderful historical fiction book about, well, the titular factory and Henry Latimer's introduction to it.

In alternating viewpoints, we began with Sophia Ashmore-Percy's journal in the 1920s, accompanying her husband to a Greek island because he's heard about some spiders that spin some silk that has a profound impact on the world. Her journal is heartbreaking and tragic because it's still relevant today.

Henry works with his father-in-law selling hearing aids, and happens to the be in the shop one day when Edward Ashton-Percy comes in requesting something for his daughter. A chance encounter between the two, Edward giving Henry a piece of the silk from the titular factory, spurs feelings in Henry. Henry's father-in-law declines to go to Ashton-Percy's place to actually see Philomel and her condition, so Henry goes in his stead.

Once there, Henry is introduced to Ashton-Percy's world and the factory, including the effect it's had on Telverton, the Echoes. (It was really cool seeing what I assumed was the working title for this book dropped every so often!) As Henry becomes more involved with Ashton-Percy, he learns exactly what the factory, and silk, is capable of doing.

I loved this, of course, but one thing that frustrated me was Henry's refusal to see what everyone was telling him about Edward, but I understood why it was played that way.

I am so excited to see more of Collins works because this was beautiful and haunting.

The Silence Factory is my first Bridget Collins read and I'm proud to say it's made me a fan! This book is so great! It's a gothic fantasy, with a very unique and captivating premise. Bridget has done a wonderful job creating a realistic fantasy world, where she adds fantasy but doesn't venture too far out, allowing the story to feel more believable.

In this book, we follow two timelines. We have Sophia Ashmore-Percy, who, in the 1820s, travels to a Greek island with her husband, James, in search of a rare specimen that can possibly change the world. We also follow Henry Latimer, who, decades later, encounters Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy, Sophia's grandnephew, while working at his father-in-law's shop. Henry is an audiologist who is still grieving his wife's death and the loss of his daughter. During this encounter, Sir Edward gifts Henry with a rare piece of spider silk, which silences out the world around him but can also cause psychological disturbances ("turbulence", as Sir Edward calls it). Sir Edward creates this unique silk at his factory and claims it provides instant peace and tranquility, but it's way more than that.

Henry finds himself venturing to Sir Edward's estate, determined to help his deaf daughter, Philomel. There, he learns of this spider silk and surprisingly, of the madness it causes- headache, drowsiness, hallucinations, and even death.

This story is very unique and original, and the story-telling is outstanding! I loved everything about this book, except for Henry's sudden love/obsession with Sir Edward. It seemed too sudden and a bit unnecessary. It did add to the story, however, becoming the reason Henry is blinded to the fact that Sir Edward is not a good man.

4.5 stars overall!

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Bridget Collins for this phenomenal ARC!

Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and HarperCollins Publishers, the book cover is a piece of art.

"The Silence Factory" by Bridget Collins entwines two timelines, offering readers a tale of mystery and intrigue set against the backdrop of exotic locales and familial legacies. Sophia Ashmore-Percy's journey in 1820 on a remote Greek island, and Henry Latimer's exploration of the Ashmore-Percy family's secrets decades later, promise an intriguing narrative rich with potential.

"The Silence Factory" has some problems that prevent the reader from fully appreciating its lyrical prose and ambient beauty, despite the book's potential. Some people may find the long chapters intimidating because they tend to drag the story out and cause times of boredom. Furthermore, the overabundance of superfluous descriptions hinders the story's general flow and makes readers yearn for a plot that is more succinct and narrowly focused.

Despite its shortcomings, "The Silence Factory" does offer glimpses of enjoyment for those willing to traverse its winding paths. Amidst the chaos, there are moments of genuine beauty and intrigue, where the reader is transported to captivating settings and immersed in the ethereal atmosphere.

THIS IS ART! This is the perfect amount of creepy and fascinating! This story was BEYOND addicting! The title is amazing too. The writing was great, I loved the dual POV. If you enjoy gothic, historical writing, with a splash of fantasy this is for you! Absolutely loved it and want more

There is a visceral elegance to Collins's writing that drags her readers into deep waters with neither apology nor remorse. I can't think of a better way to go, personally.

The Silence Factory was a very satisfying Gothic fantasy with lots of eerie vibes, romantic yearning, and creeping dread. I loved how well Collins developed the base concept into a fascinating world with a lot of potential for drama and horror. The book did start dragging a little around 60% of the way through, when we basically just watch Henry ramble about marketing for hours, and I felt like Philomel and her governess' characters had a lot of unrealized potential, but the finale was enjoyable enough to make up for the slower pacing.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy; however, I will not be reading or reviewing this title in light of recent news that this author is a TERF and the story contains antisemitism.

Please see El (@ermreading)'s breakdown on TikTok of the problems with this book and author. I will not be supporting Bridget Collins in the future, nor will I be featuring this title on my social media. I encourage readers who are interested in this book who have not yet read it to do their research on the author and the problems with this story to decide for themselves. I also urge the publisher to open an investigation.

A bit confusing who is narrating and when, but a very good read. I enjoyed the mystery and mythological aspects of it and the descriptions of the weirdness of the silk were fantastic.

DNF at 25%. Blame the spiders!

(4 stars based on writing style and general interest, as I have to leave a star rating.)

I loved Bridget Collins’ other two novels and I adore the writing in this, which unfortunately turned out to be a problem. For someone who does not like spiders, this is too atmospheric and immersive. It made my skin crawl. And not in a fun way.

If you don’t have a problem with spiders and enjoy Gothic adjacent stories with a lightly magical element, then I’m sure this could be a hit!

The Silence Factory is a dark and eerie gothic that just never quite hit its peak.

This book follows two main characters; Henry, an audiologist who finds himself working for a mysterious industrialist and Sophia, the wife of a scientist who is researching a rare species of spider in Greece. Henry's story makes up the majority of the plot and we are told that he is dealing with the death of his wife and infant daughter as well as feelings of inadequacy while working for his father in law. On a mission to work with the deaf daughter of Sir Edward, Henry becomes drawn into his business of producing a fine silk with the ability to shield the wearer from outside noise. Occasional flashbacks to Sophia tell us that a specific breed of spider is the source of this silk and that its powers were known to the Greek women in the village. Although the silk is being touted as a solution to the hustle and bustle of an increasingly industrialized Britain, Henry begins to observe strange going-ons within the production factory as well as the exploitation of the impoverished workers.

Collins has a remarkably atmospheric style of writing and I found myself immersed in a smog-choked and bustling mechanical world. She also did a wonderful job of showing the gap between the wealthy businessmen and investors compared to the workers (including children) that were forced to labor in unsafe conditions. I was drawn into the first three quarters of this story but found myself slightly let down by the climax. It may have been the author's choice to leave the power of the silk/spiders as intentionally vague but I would have liked to have gotten some form of explanation to really tie things together. Additionally, I am curious about how the story could have been expanded on by including the perspectives of some of the side characters (i.e. Mercy and Miss Fielding). While I absolutely enjoyed this book, I finished it not feeling completely fulfilled and missing a bit of that eeriness that I had felt earlier on.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Bridget Collins crafted the perfect gothic tale! This book was dark and beautiful infused with suspense. Henry a lonely widower falls into a partnership with Sir Edward a manufacturer of a special type of silk made by spiders. The material creates silence when used as intended, but can also make “Echos” when turned the other way round. The echoes and spiders are a mystery and you learn more about them both as the story unfolds. I loved this book!

The Silence Factory is like a tapestry woven with the finest silk and gilded in blood; you cannot help but be fascinated, yet horrified in the same breath. A gothic masterpiece of storytelling!

It’s impossible not to be captivated by this gothic historical mystery, especially with its eerie and artistic cover that seems to speak to your soul and pique your most eccentric cravings.

I hadn't had the chance to delve into Bridget Collins' previous works before, but after reading this book, I'm certain it won't be my last. If you're in the market for originality, uniqueness, and surprising plot twists, then this book is a perfect fit for you

The story is split between two timelines. One timeline follows Sophia Ashmore as she assists her husband James in his search for a rare breed of spiders known as Pseudonephila Sireine on a remote island in Greece. The primary timeline follows Henry Latimer, an audiologist and poet, as he attempts to assist Edward Ashmore in gaining investors for his unique spider silk fabric. 

The fabric is unusual in the fact that one side creates complete silence, cutting off all sound of the outside world, while the other side causes a sound nicknamed the Telverton malaise which causes an illness known as the echoes. The echoes cause deafness and madness, which has corrupted the town and all who live and work around the factory. 

As Sophia discovers more about the island people, the spiders, and her growing love for a village woman named Hira so too does Henry learn of the curse of the spiders as he struggles with his own infatuation for Sir Edward.

This book is so hard to explain! I enjoyed it, though I will say the characters are not lovable - this book is filled with characters who are cruel, self-absorbed, and gaslight each other left and right. Even so, I found the book interesting and it kept me invested.

There are a few side characters I would have liked to see more of like Philomel, Edward's daughter, who was born deaf due to complications with the spiders - her and her mother's story would make an interesting prequel/sequel.

If you get an opportunity to pick it up on release day prepare for some gothic vibes and a lot of references to Greek Mythology! Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and author Bridget Collins for allowing me to read an ARC of this book

It's impossible not to be captivated by this gothic historical mystery, especially with its eerie and artistic cover that seems to speak to your soul and pique your most eccentric cravings.

I hadn't had the chance to delve into Bridget Collins' previous works before, but after reading this book, I'm certain it won't be my last. If you're in the market for originality, uniqueness, and surprising plot twists, then this book is a perfect fit for you. Just imagine a special silk, spun by spiders, that envelops you in a deafening silence unlike anything you've ever experienced before. Is it mind-spinning, scary, astounding, and earth-shattering? Absolutely.

The main plot unfolds across two timelines: the first perspective is presented through the diary of Sophia Ashmore Percy in 1820. She travels to a Greek island with her husband James, intending to explore a specimen that could change the course of the world. However, upon arrival, they discover that their scientist friend is already deceased, and they are left in the care of a mysterious woman named Hira. Sophia's budding friendship and deep connection with Hira will change her life in ways she never imagined.

The narrative then shifts to decades later, introducing Henry Latimer, a widower working in his father-in-law's store as an audiologist. Still grappling with grief and depression, Henry's life takes a dramatic turn when he receives a special gift from Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy: a piece of silk produced by spiders, which severs his connection to the earth with its magical properties. Henry's encounter with this fabric leads him to Cathemute House in Telverton, where he meets Sir Edward and his deaf daughter Philomel. Determined to help Philomel, Henry becomes entangled in a partnership with Sir Ashmore-Percy to introduce spider silk to various markets. However, as Henry's feelings for Edward deepen, he begins to question Miss Fielding's warnings about the silk's potentially cursed nature, which manifests in various afflictions among workers and adults alike.

Overall, this is a well-written, intense gothic mystery that immediately draws you in. The mechanization of the Telverton silk factory is depicted with vivid realism, offering a glimpse into the lives of workers and the machinery they operate.

The conclusion ties up the narrative threads neatly, making this a must-read for fans of historical thrillers and gothic mysteries alike.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest feedback.