Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I have DNFef at 39% and will not be continuing this based off recent news I have found of Bridget Collins, the author, being a TERF. As well as there being antisemitism in another one of their novels.

One well spoken and research provided by is @ermreading on tiktok. I will not go against things I believe to support this author. If you are unaware please look up El on tiktok and watch the video. Along with doing your own research and making your own choice.

Historical fiction can always be a hit or miss and there was not a single miss in The Silence Factory.

I absolutely love this genre and it tends to get a lot of slack for being a slow burn and I typically don’t mind that at all but have to choose wisely when reading historical fiction. Typically that’s being in the right mindset and mood, but there was no need to fret here as this book didn’t fall into the typical entrapping of reading a historical fiction book.

The plot was so freaking fun and fantastical and could’ve gone fantasy or science fiction and lended a lot to making this a quick read. It doesn’t go that way but I loved how Collins incorporated facets of other genres seamlessly while retaining the genre she is in and not butchering what makes scifi/fantasy enjoyable.

There was so much nuance in this book from the grieving widow, to gay love, colonization and commentary on social classes. It wasn’t preachy, it was real and beautiful and I couldn’t get enough.

The cover alone had me desperate for this book and I was counting the days to release and still am even after reading. I cannot wait to pick this one up and add it to my collection the second it’s released. Bridget Collins can do not wrong!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

The Silence Factory is a beautiful gothic historical fiction with horror and mystery elements.

We follow two POVs - Sophia and Henry.

Sophia’s story is told through journal entries as she travels to Greece with her awful husband who has become obsessed with the spiders that create magical silk. Henry’s story takes place in the future from Sophia. He meets Sir Edward - a descendant of Sophia’s husband who has now industrialized the spider silk. Henry becomes infatuated and spirals out of control as he navigates the consequences of this curious spider silk.

Overall, I thought this was a very interesting premise and Collins’ writing is beautiful and immersive. I was immediately drawn in by Sophia’s story and wish we would have gotten more from her. I did find the relationships that Henry formed to be under developed and rushed. I was surprised by his infatuation with Sir Edward, and never felt like it was truly justified. The middle of the book was a bit slow but the ending made up for it. Henry’s story felt resolved, but I wish the story would have ended with Sophia’s POV.

The Binding is in my top 10 favorite books of all time, with The Betrayals not far behind. I love Bridget Collins’ evocative, atmospheric stories that both hurt and heal the reader in equal measures. Needless to say, I was excited to start her latest, The Silence Factory. Set sometime in the 19th century (or early 20th), it follows the story of young widower Henry and a mysterious silk capable of silence the world, but at a cost that might prove too costly to bear.

Like her other books, The Silence Factory was full of beautiful lines and haunting imagery, with some truly prickling bits of body horror thrown in for good measure. The magic silk made for a sinister, unwinding kind of villain, both uncaring and invasive in equal measures. As an avid arachnophobist, the spider elements really made my skin crawl. While I didn’t love this quite as much as her two previous adult works— I found Henry too weak willed to root for and wasn’t quite sure of what resolution I was hoping for— I did enjoy Collins’ writing as always!

**Full review to be posted closer to publication!**
The Silence Factory is another excellent novel from Bridget Collins! I was immediately fascinated by the premise–silk from spiders that shields sound from the wearer, but causes odd sounds and effects to those on the other side!? Consider me hooked! I really enjoyed how Collins unraveled this story and how we got to enjoy two timelines associated with the silk and everything else that happens around. I particularly enjoyed following Henry Latimer's perspective and timeline and always looked forward to those chapters the most. What I always appreciate about Bridget Collins' writing is how she manages to create such effective and strong atmospheres that really draw readers in and writes in a way that calls for constant page-turning, and The Silence Factory had just that and more.

I thought I would try something out of my normal genre because this was highly recommended to me. It is just not for me.

★★★★★ - 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins
༘Spoiler free ༘
⭐️4.9375/5

[Wow, absolutely incredible. I will be reading every book written by this author.

Stayed up until half two because i couldn’t stop reading this one. Review to come closer to publication.]

<b>Fantasy Scoring<\b>
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ 5/5
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅ 5/5
Plot ➷ ✅ 5/5
Relationships ➷ ✅ 4.75/5

Thank you to Bridget Collins, HarperCollins and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest opinion on the ARC of this book.

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.

This was such a wonderfully done read, it had everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the Gothic element going on and that the suspenseful feel worked perfectly. The characters were everything that I was looking for, it uses the fantasy element and I enjoyed the world going on overall. It uses the historical setting perfectly and enjoyed the overall feel of this book. Bridget Collins has a great writing style and glad it worked overall. The cover was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the fantastical feel overall.

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!