the silence factory – bridget collins

The Silence Factory weaves a haunting tale of secrets, silk, and sound across two timelines. In 1820, Sophia Ashmore-Percy travels to a remote Greek island with her husband, a scientist obsessed with rare spiders. There, she forms a profound bond with a local woman and uncovers a creature that will shape her family’s legacy. Decades later, audiologist Henry Latimer is drawn into the eerie world of Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy, an industrialist spinning magical spider silk that manipulates sound—offering silence to the privileged while poisoning others with maddening whispers.

Collins masterfully explores the clash between ambition and ethics, as Henry unravels the dark origins of the silk and the Ashmore-Percy family’s exploitation of both people and nature. The novel delves into themes of complicity, desire, and the cost of progress, blending lush prose with a slow-burn gothic atmosphere. Readers will find themselves immersed in a world where science and magic collide, and where the past’s sins echo relentlessly into the present.

The dual narratives intertwine seamlessly, revealing how greed and curiosity corrupt even the most well-intentioned. Sophia’s diary entries contrast with Henry’s modern-day obsession, painting a vivid portrait of characters grappling with identity, love, and the weight of legacy. The prose is rich yet accessible, balancing suspense with moments of quiet introspection.

Collins’ signature gothic style shines through eerie settings—from misty Victorian factories to sun-scorched Greek islands—while the magical elements add a touch of the uncanny. The novel’s pacing builds tension gradually, rewarding patience with shocking twists and emotional depth. Fans of The Binding will recognize Collins’ knack for blending historical detail with speculative fiction.

A meditation on power and morality, The Silence Factory lingers long after the final page. It challenges readers to consider who pays the price for innovation and whether silence is truly worth the cost.