I'm a huge fan of speculative historical fiction, and Bridget Collins is one of the brightest stars in the genre. I am constantly impressed by how interesting her books are and how innovative she is in bringing new ideas to literature. The Silence Factory is another Collins book based on a completely unique plot idea. It is the story of Henry, a widower living in Victorian London and working as an audiologist in his father-in-law's shop. Henry's life takes a 180 degree turn when he meets Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy, the owner of a factory that produces silk from spider webs. The material has peculiar properties: one side of it creates silence, while the other creates echoes and noise. Henry's story is interwoven with that of Sir Edward's great-aunt Sophie, who accompanied her husband on a trip to Greece in the 1820s, from where the silk-producing spiders were brought to England. Through her diaries we learn some disturbing facts about silk and its negative effects on humans. The Silk Factory is also a story of manipulation and exploitation by morally grey characters in positions of power. The novel also does an excellent job of depicting the realities of working in Victorian factories where, sadly, child labour and abuse were not uncommon.
The book is a plot-driven rather than a character-driven story. This may be a plus for those who claim that other Collins books are slow paced. I wish there was a little more character development in the novel, but that is just a personal preference. Nevertheless, it was a good read for me - very intense, gothic and gripping. The language, as always with this author, was stunning. The plot was definitely intriguing and came together very well.
I would recommend this book not only to those familiar with Bridget Collins' work, but to anyone looking for a historical mystery with a novel plot concept and beautiful language.

Having read both The Binding and The Betrayals, I was thrilled to see my request for the ARC of this book approved. I am happy to say that The Silence Factory did not disappoint. As with her previous books, Collins creates a complex premise and this evolves throughout the book. It is a peculiar silk, produced by a rare species of spider from a remote Greek island, which has the unique ability to muffle sound completely, that provides the focus for the story.

Like both of Bridget Collins’s previous books, I was blown away by the realism of her characters and the world they inhabit. By the end of this book, you feel like you know Henry and Sophia and you’ve been on the bizarre and somewhat disturbing journey with them. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two timelines; Henry Latimer is the main protagonist in the “current” timeframe - set around the turn of the century - and Sophia Ashmore is the writer of the diary Henry comes into possession of, written in the 1820s. Henry is a naïve and flawed character, who is struggling with grief after the death of his wife when we meet him, and Sophia is a woman constrained by the societal expectations of the time and shackled by her controlling husband. If anything, I’d have liked to hear more of Sophia’s story, as her character really called to me. Both characters, however, feel realistic and nuanced and invite the reader to empathise with their situation.

The secondary characters are so well-written that they seem to inhabit the pages along with the protagonists and I found myself wondering what happened to Philomel and Miss Fielding - among others - well after finishing the book. It’s an absolute testament to Collins’ ability to write characters that come alive and that the reader truly cares about and certainly the mark of a good book, in my opinion.

The Silence Factory is a mysterious, Victorian tale with a hint of the macabre and the mystical, set against the very realistic backdrop of industrial Britain. If you enjoyed Collins’ previous work, I am certain that you will enjoy this, and if this is your first introduction to the magic of her writing, I envy you. Savour it!

Two minor errors I noted;
P184 “coolth” seems like a misspelling; was “coolness” intended?
P346 “when I went to feed the this morning” missing word; spiders

This is the first book I have read by Bridget Collins but I really enjoyed her style of writing. The ideas of the powers that silk can posses and what it can create was intriguing and worrying overall.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I have never read any of Collin's books before despite owning a few and it was a pleasant experience. I really enjoyed how this book was split between diary entries and the present POV of our main character. If you do not like spiders I do think that this book may freak you out a bit as they are mentioned a lot.

I really enjoyed the learning about the silk and found the way it can silence everything amazing. It felt like a really creative idea to me. However, I do wish that there was a little bit more suspense and talk about the dangers of what the silk can do.

Nevertheless I would recommend this!

As a newcomer to Bridget Collins' work, I was initially captivated by its cover and title. However, what awaited me inside was beyond my expectations. 
Collins' mastery lies in her ability to weave a narrative that dances on the edges of familiarity and the eerie. Through her captivating language, she draws readers into a world where the strange feels strangely comforting, and the disturbing becomes oddly intriguing. It's as if she possesses a siren's song, luring us deeper into the story with each turn of phrase.

The narrative unfolds across two timelines. In 1820, we follow Sophia Ashmore Percy and her husband as they travel to a Greek island in pursuit of a unique specimen only to find the islanders reticent to share their secrets. Decades later, widower Henry Latimer’s life takes an unexpected turn upon encountering Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy and his intriguing trade involving spider silk. As Henry delves deeper into the secrets of spider silk and the Cathemute House, he finds himself entangled in a web of intrigue stretching across generations.

The two storylines come together very nicely. Collins touches upon profound issues such as women and nature, as well as women and the voiceless. This is especially evident through Sophia's diary entries, where her agency is portrayed vividly as she weaves her own story.

"The Silence Factory" is a really intriguing and enjoyable read for those who like fantasy, historical fiction, and a dark gothic atmosphere at the edges of real and supernatural.

My sincere thanks to Bridget Collins, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved The Binding and The Betrayals, so The Silence Factory was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024. Bridget Collins is very good at writing mysterious historical fiction with a fantastical twist, and the premise of a 19th-century factory where they spin spider webs into silk which mutes all sound sounded (hehe) very good.
We meet Henry, an aurist widower who finds a new purpose in life: making sure the spider silk will make a fortune for the factory's owner, Sir Edward.

Why this book was a bit of a let-down for me is that I was not able to sympathise with Henry - he is an unlikeable character who is willing to turn a blind eye to abuse in order to be liked. Unlikeable characters are not bad per se, but I think the story would have been more impactful if the sinister goings-on wouldn't have been so on the nose from the start of the book.

Delighted to read another Bridget Collins book (it's been far too long) and "The Silence Factory" didn't disappoint. The premise of silk that blocks out sound was certainly interesting and I really enjoyed the two timelines in which Sophie discovers the spiders on a remote greek island and how Henry is brought into help Sir Edward's daughter hear. Certainly creepy at times, especially the eerie side effects of the silk and the sickness that those around the factory and silk seem to suffer from. I read it so fast, I think I need to slow down and savour it now.

I really enjoyed The Binding by Bridget Collins but I think this was even better as I was more more inclined to like Henry Latimer than some of her previous characters.
The story is told through two time lines. The first perspective if from Sophia Ashmore Percy in the form of her diary dated sometime in the 1820's. She and her husband travel to a remote Greek island to meet a scientist friend who claims to have discovered something remarkable. Unfortunately when they arrive they discover he is dead and the islanders are reluctant to reveal any. possible secrets. While there Sophia makes friends with Hira and the close connection they form will change her life.
The second, and greater portion of the book is told from the point of view of Henry Latimer. He works in London with his father-in-law as an audiologist, selling ear trumpets of various sorts. When Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy comes into the shop looking for help with his deaf daughter he gifts Henry a piece of cloth that will change his life.
There is a very dark, Gothic feel to this novel, with a hint of menace. The author's use of language is wonderful, truly bringing the places in the book with a vivid realism. I particularly liked the descriptions of the factory - the huge amount of noise it creates and the deprivation of the workers. The descriptions of the flood and overwhelming waves of water are magnificent too.
The ending is satisfying and ties the strands of the story together, I found the story a splendid work of imagination, almost magical in places, but darkly realistic in others, and a great read.
With thanks to Netgalley and HarperFiction Team for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

Like other reviewers just the name Bridget Collins was enough for me to request this without even reading the blurb. It would be worth noting though that if you suffer from arachnophobia then this might not be the book for you. Saying that i am not particularly keen on arachnids and i quickly managed to lose myself in the story.
Imagine a life which can be controlled by silk. Where the one side completely blankets out all sound and the other side whispers to you.
Madness!
Collins creates her trademark gothic environment told within two separate time lines in two different countries and they both tie in beautifully. The characters are flawed and realistic and all this reaffirms why Collins is such a gifted wordsmith.
Highly recommended.

I adored two of the author’s previous books, The Betrayals in The Binding, giving both five stars and was delighted to be preapproved on NetGalley UK to read this book

The First chapter grabbed me. It’s instantly Gothic and creepy spiders always make me shudder Ugh

The author has an inventive quirky intelligence which was very noticeable in the other books. This book is equally unusual. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything quite like it.

It tells the story of the discovery of a species of spider from whose silk people were able to spin a silken fabric which has the effect of cancelling all noise out rather like noise cancelling headphones. This property seems too good to be true and it’s quickly apparent that there are other sinister implications to the use of the spiders silk.

The book is immediately creepy and Gothic, and from the first chapter I was grabbed and wanted to know more.

Bridget, is one of those authors who uses beautiful language and chooses words that are not in my fluent vocabulary thank heavens,I always reading on Kindle because I was able to check the meaning of the these words 5 or 6 times during the reading of the novel

This novel is primarily Story-based and lacked some of the character development of her previous novels. It’s definitely exciting and atmospheric and the concept is a great one

I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley, UK the book is published in the UK on the 9th of May 2024 by Harper Collins, UK, Harper fiction

This review will appear on NetGalley, UK, Goodreads, and my book blog Bionicsarahsbooks. wordpress.com

After publication, it will also appear on Amazon, UK

Dark and atmospheric, this had such an intriguing and unique plot. The writing was beautiful and I found this engrossing from start to finish

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc

Let’s be honest there is not a bad book by Bridget Collins. For me so far is always such a joy to read the author. I love how the plot is told by 2 timelines it made it easy to follow for me. Is such a well written book, all the descriptions of the silk factory where so raw and vivid for me. When before I didn’t had a idea about this kinda of process. The whole dark gothic misterious vibe of the book and the ambiance made it brilliant for me. I would recomend this to anyone who like historical thrillers or gothic thrillers. Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the access to this book Bridget Collins is one of the best the weaver of storylines from our time

I didnt even read the blurb on this, the authors name was enough for me to want to read it.
It's reinforced my belief, that a book by Collins is a book worth reading.
To be honest, a silk that can block out noise sounded extra special, as I read it with roadworks going on outside my window... I would have sold my loyalty to anyone for peace 😁.
It's creepy at times, a great cast of characters, a lot of who I liked to dislike (looking at you in particular James)
It takes a few turns I didnt expect, and that's always good.
Very enjoyable.