Ultimately an enthralling read, although it did take me a while to really get drawn into this one. Bridget Collins writing is always incredibly original and this story is no different. Two time periods, two protagonists, gothic undercurrents and magical spider silk weaving the narratives together.

The ending was brilliant, tying up some loose strands and leaving me very satisfied with this novel. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, for me to review. It confirmed my love of this author and her wonderfully unique writing.

From the start this book has a fascinating story of the main character craving silence and meeting a intriguing gentleman who produces a special silk from a specimen of spiders that no one had heard of and believed to be a a myth. Henry is supposed to be helping the man's deaf daughter hear again but when coming to acknowledge the silk, he does anything he can to help the man who produces it.


A first of reading Bridget Collins work and have loved the gothic historical that happens in this book.

The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins is a dark and atmospheric historical read.
Henry Latimer dreams of silence. Bereft by the loss of his wife and new born daughter he is working for his father in law in a bustling and noisy city when the opportunity arises to travel to the home of Sir Edward Ashmore Percy, a man who claims to be able to produce a type of silk that blocks out noise. While there he learns about the mysterious origins of the silk through the diary of Sophia , the wife of one of Sir Edward's ancestors, Sir James, the man responsible for bringing the rare spiders that produce the silk from Greece back to England in the 1860s. As the story unfolds in these two timelines it proves to be a very tangled web indeed , woven not just by spiders but by the very human characters that the author has portrayed.
This is a slow moving tale, dense and gloomy as the atmosphere described by the author, and is quite heavily character driven. I found that the dual timeline did not really work for me, Sophia's felt stunted and poorly detailed in contrast to Henry's which is a shame as it had a lot of potential and added a unique mythological feel to the book which I would love to have seen more of. I also found the relationship between Henry and Edward felt shoe horned into the story and was really undeveloped.. I did enjoy the brooding and atmospheric descriptive writing style but not enough for it to compensate for the other issues I had with the book.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

First book I have read by Bridget Collins who writes in a genre I would not usually read. I found the book very heavy going and very drawn out although the writing is clearly very good I don't think I will be reading anymore of this authors work or indeed this genre. I was neither entertained or enlightened. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC a book that is written in a genre I am not familiar with.

“Funny isn’t it? You sell sound, and I sell silence. We are two sides of the same coin.”

The Silence factory was a very dense book. I loved the gothic ambiance that lingers all around the story. The author transports us in her universe by using all the codes and many 19th century codes. I truly loved that, the writing was almost cinematographic. The pace, the descriptions, the mood –the writing in general– made me love to wander in this novel.
The book mixes two timelines: Henry’s in the present (but told past tense) in England, and Sophia’s in the past, in Greece (told in present tense, under the form of her diary). Absolutely all the characters are grey, which makes them deep and accurate. Some are worse than others, though…
All around the book, we wonder “who” the spiders truly are. I ADORED that humans were scarier than spiders. No one is really worried about spiders, and even if the silk appears dangerous, in the end, it's more its use by humans that is. I loved how our society was painted here, the relationships to progress, colonization, science, disability or ecology. The references to Darwin were delightful to me, as much as the oppositions between Greek Mythology and Monotheistic religions. The parent-children relationship is a recurring theme in the book, as much as orphaning. Not that it constitutes a problem to me, but I would warn people sensitive about miscarriage and perinatal mortality. It’s an important part of the story and characters’ background.
However, I wished we had more in the end. Sophia’s part, especially, seems a bit rushed. I would have liked more about the Greek and “pagan superstitions,” to have the past enlightening the present. If I loved the reflection about the place of women in this book, about the place of children, I would have liked more about the characters’ motivations and fall, especially about Lord Edward. But in the end, just like Henry, we are left in a haze about who, what, he represents. Some parts (I think about the painting) would have needed more depth to truly hit.
That’s a pity because if I loved my journey through that story, in the end, I can only memorize the little aftertaste of unfinished.

Rate 3.5/5

Thank you NetGalley, Bridget Collins and HarperCollin UK for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Marketed as a gothic tale of desire and corruption, The Silence Factory is a historical novel told from two perspectives set decades apart: Sophia, a woman reluctantly following her husband to a Greek island for his research on spiders, and Henry, a recently widowed audiologist who is hired by an industrialist to cure his young daughters deafness. Collins signature prose is present in this n0vel, something I have enjoyed in both her previous works, and it builds a chilling atmosphere. The decision to include two perspectives is a confusing one as the two stories never really come together. instead Sophie's tale is never properly resolved and ends in a rather lacklustre fashion. The main concept of the spider silk is not sufficiently explored, specifically its connection to the local women of the island and its role in their sacred worship. The relationship between Sophie and Hira had potential and was one of the stronger points of the novel. In contrast, Henry's infatuation with Sir Edward lacked a proper setup and felt forced, overall falling flat for me. This is mostly due to both men lacking depth as characters , which could also be said for most of the characters in this book. I think I would have preferred a story centred solely on Sophie and her experience on the island. I would still recommend The Silence Factory to those who appreciate a gothic historical tale with good descriptive writing.

This book had me needing to know more, as I finished each chapter.

A uniquely eerie, gothic tale of one man's longing for silence in a world full of commotion, but even peace can't silence your conscience.

I enjoyed the dual timelines, especially Sophia's and was lost in the portrayal of the island.

This book feels like stepping into a captivating gothic fairy tale! It beautifully explores themes of obsession, power, control, class, and sexuality, woven with intriguing ideas of silence and the body. Set across decades in Greece and Britain, it focuses on a near-mythical silk spun by spiders, which casts a mysterious spell over those who encounter it.

There's an irresistible aura of mystery and intrigue—it's like embarking on a thrilling quest for hidden truths and unexpected revelations!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

This was my first book by Bridget Collin’s and after hearing such great things of her work and then the description of this book I was so excited to get this.

I really struggled with this book.
The language and timelines were difficult for me to follow and I honesty hadn’t a clue what was happening for the first 10-15% of the book.

It was beautifully descriptive and confronting in regards to the male superiority complex, however I never felt
Overly engaged by the storyline or characters and it was a very slow burn for me.

There is something innately enchanting and hypnotic about Bridget Collins's newest gothic historical novel, like the spiders in the tale that weave the silent silk with such incredible properties. But it is in the misuse of this mystical substance that the novel really holds its own, becoming a tale of toxic masculine traits and generational pain and trauma. I'd heard so much about this author, after the smash hit The Binding, but had never got the chance to read her work. I'm glad to say that, despite all the hype, this didn't disappoint.

This book was amazing, just like Bridget's previous books. It took a little while to fully get into the story, and the two different narratives had me a little off in the beginning. But once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed it so much! The story was immersive and the characters intriguing, and the ending was satisfying as well. Can definitely recommend this!

The premise behind this was amazing but I found it hard to engage and get into it. It is a dark gothic fantasy and not sure if that’s my kind of thing.

A lot of different themes explored through this and if you like your fantasy books with a thought provoking element you’ll enjoy this but I just wasn’t enjoying it myself.

I really wanted to love this book - the plot sounded intriguing and I'd enjoyed The Binding - but I just didn't and found myself slogging through the book just to finish it. For whatever reason I didnt engage with the characters and found the pace of the book to be a little slow.

*A big thank-you to Bridget Collins, HarperCollins UK, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
I admit I loved two previous novels by Ms Collins. Her historical fiction novels are with a big dose of fantasy and the combination works for me in an extraordinary way. The Silence Factory offers a warning against the theft of what constitutes a natural and sacred element and the use of it for materialistic enrichment. The abuse leads to misfortune and tragedy. There is a strong Gothic feel around the places and characters which is trademark of Ms Collins' novels, and her idea for this book is again unique. I am grateful for the journey to the world in which noise and silence and both separate and intertwined.

Inventive and brooding, and told in authentic voices of the time without impinging on the pace and readability. I wasn't sure what to expect and I nearly didn't read on when I found the spiders, but like the characters, I too was snared, lured in, turning the next page and the next page, wondering… I don't want to spoil the story, but if you like something unusual, something exotic, something a bit mysterious told with subtlety and finesse, that doesn't overdo description but draws a vivid alternative world for you, do yourself a favour and read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Bridget Collins for an ARC copy of this book. This review is also submitted on Goodreads.

I couldn’t wait to get a copy of this book. I loved The Binding and The Betrayals by this author and Bridget Collins will always be an auto buy author for me.

No spoilers here but this story didn’t disappoint at all. A brooding, gothic tale with themes of obsession, power, control, class and sexuality explored through ideas of silence and the body. The plot spans decades across Greece and British climes and most uniquely the plot is underpinned by a near- mythical silk from spiders and the control it has on those who come across it.

A dual POV and dual timeline narrative really helped the plot evolve throughout this book. I was invested in both Sophia and Henry’s accounts and how they both came to a head.

It really took me back to what I enjoyed about English Literature and I would highly recommend.

In "The Silence Factory," Bridget Collins has crafted a literary masterpiece that transcends genre conventions and delivers a truly unforgettable reading experience. With its exquisite prose, richly drawn characters, and mesmerizing plot, this is a book that demands to be savored and cherished.

I really enjoyed this book. It had gothic vibes and horror weaved into the story of spiders and silk and folklore. I think there’s so much in this book to love and anyone who loves stories such as one dark window would love this!

I would love to read more by Bridget Collins!

This is a beautifully written book. Bridget Collins' novels just keep getting better and better.

Henry is ambitious but stuck in a bleak job and home with his father in law after his wife's death. When he meets Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy all sorts of prospects open up. Henry will be Sir Edward's right-hand man, promote the strange silk he produces, and be his friend - and maybe more. But the silk is not all it appears to be.

Discovered by Sophia Ashmore, a relative of Sir Edward's, the spiders that produce the silk are sacred. They should never have been removed from their island home. Certainly, for Sophia, no good has come of their capture.

Separated by many decades. the stories of Henry and Sophia intertwine. The language is exquisite, the passion sublime, and the story compelling. Wonderful.

This book was not what I thought it would be. It hinges on spiders and silk, and also on the theft of knowledge from other cultures.

The moody atmosphere is so cleverly crafted, and the juxtaposition between unbearable silence and unbearable noise is captivating. The tale weaves between two timelines and two men's need to prove themselves useful in the world, at the detriment of women who trust and support them.

There is so much mystery and intrigue within this book's world that it kept me up until I'd finished it!