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I read a review that asked why this novel was titled Wool. They suggested that Silo would be a more apt title (which Apple, later, used for their series), and while I agree it may seem more appropriate on the surface, I disagree that it would be a better title.

This whole novel, and I’m assuming the trilogy, is about secrets. Nearly everybody has the proverbial wool pulled over their eyes. Over the course of this nearly 600-page novel, our protagonists pull on loose threads, unraveling these secrets like wool. As they are laid bare, our survivors must use these threads to weave a tapestry of truth so they can make sense of the world around them—something they thought they understood, but no longer do.

You can read the blurb for yourself for context, but the core of the story is about an inquisitive, astute mechanic named Juliette, who is promoted to a position that gives her access to avenues to use her skills and set the gears in motion that will unravel the rest of the story, and the systems of control that operate in the shadows.

There is so much to love in this novel. The characterization is fabulous, showing layers of emotion, strength, and intelligence as well as the more unpleasant and difficult sides of humanity, from their lack of something to their repression. They are given nothing, but earn everything. Juliette, thankfully, is one of these characters, making her a joy to read.

Layer by layer, the story unwinds at a steady pace so you never get bored or are overwhelmed with information. In a novel taking place in such a constrictive environment and with so much story hidden in the depths, a lesser author could easily get bogged down in repetition or over-explanation. Howey manages to do neither, creating a survival mystery set in a unique dystopian future that feels both surreal and not too far from our own. Without giving too many secrets away, Hugh Howey manages to create a tense novel that had me turning page after page for more, and running out to my local bookstore to get the rest of the trilogy to see where it goes from here.

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