Really good world building. Also, another fat book that is a very quick read, something very much like Lexicon where there is very little fat on the bone...with one exception. Some of the "action" scenes, especially near the end are incredibly drawn out and demanding more and more of Juliette, until she almost seems super human. The unrelenting physical anguish she puts herself through borders on the "no way." And some of the action drama is no way, like after she tears off her helmet underwater in Silo 17 and sucks air from the underside of the stairs without coughing and drowning. It just really seems a stretch, even within the realm of action-fiction which can certainly play right at the edges of what is possible, but steps clearly into the realm of the improbable.

This is nit picking of course. I thought the idea of the Silo, the three levels, the social divides, the work divides, the characterization of both villains and heroes, the slow-reveal of the parameters of this world which starts so small and gets bigger as it goes--all of these things were very well done!

I am not sure if the Romeo and Juliette parallels had any real payoff in the end, but I would have to read again and think more on this and what Howey is after.

All-in-all a really fun, absorbing read. ( )

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Wool

To those in the Silo, life underground is all they’ve ever known. Any remnants of the past and life on the outside have been lost. The one truth left behind is that death waits for any who venture outside. But some would seek out the past. Those who would see the order of the Silo disrupted to calm their curiosities. But order must be kept, and there are certain individuals in place that will maintain it at any cost.

Wool tells stories of the Silo through multiple viewpoints. Each story weaves together to establish the foundations of the world. There will be a succession of main characters as Hugh Howey draws readers deeper into the inner workings of the Silo. Each learns the truth in different ways and has varying degrees of reactions to it.

There was a wonderful opportunity to use the various stories to entice readers into the truth of the Silo. Yet there was a lack of tension surrounding the reveal. Readers' attention is drawn more toward solving crimes occurring in the Silo. And while the political machinations were devious and sure to keep readers engaged, the execution felt disjointed. This could have been caused by the writing style.

There were also some character plot points revealed at odd times. Feelings like jealousy were used for plot progression when characters were in situations that didn’t line up. If someone’s life is in immediate danger, I’m not sure their romantic interest would be worried about jealousy. The safety and well being of the character they care for would overtake their emotions. While moments like this enhanced the reader’s understanding of character backgrounds, the catalyst could have been done better.

The story of the Silo is fascinating though and readers will be eager to see what comes next. With the information revealed in this first Omnibus, there is so much left to explore in this world. I’m willing to give this series another try in the hopes of uncovering the events that led up to the Silo. ( )

I went into this knowing nothing but the title and was somewhat dismayed by the premise of a pocket of survivors of humanity on a destroyed, toxic, dystopian Earth. Nevertheless, the characters seemed interesting enough - Sheriff Holston, Mayor Jahns, Deputy Marnes…

And then Howey goes GRRM and kills them all off and leaves us in an even worse situation:

»The silo was rotten to the core; an evil man was acting Mayor; a puppet stood where a good sheriff had been; and all the good men and women were gone.«

Enter Jules, a gifted technician - who’s sent off to face certain death next; or perhaps death is not so certain after all?

The entire beginning was slow-paced and disillusioning: We get introduced to potentially interesting people who are promptly taken away. Most of their backstories are never told, many important facts omitted and only ever alluded to but never properly resolved.

Sadly, the pacing is also very uneven: Initially, we accompany the characters at a leisurely pace, then things get rushed, literally, through the door. Immediately after, the pace slows down to a crawl but at least some suspense is building up - only to quickly and easily dissipate.

This pattern repeats itself: We’re watching the protagonists act, everything is moving quickly, then we “zoom in” on some (usually disastrous) detail and wade through endless descriptions of how those characters feel and how incredibly dark the darkness is.

Unfortunately, the characters are neither very interesting, nor do they have depth but mostly appear as sketches of well-known archetypes. Thus, it’s hard to root for or even like any of them. I for one only liked Jules for her unbreakable spirit and iron will but that’s it. Her love interest is an unlikeable, opportunistic, weak individual. Jules’ main adversary is a malicious follower who claims to be just carrying out orders and shirks any personal responsibility.

Except for Jules herself, I didn't care about the fate of any of the characters. I also kept wondering where the story would go: Will Jules rescue her silo? Will she establish a better society?? (And how?) Will she choose to remain at the other location? What will happen to the people she encounters on her journey? Will we learn more about the backstory of the silo's origins? What will the future look like?

None of these questions are ever answered or even alluded to. The ending also felt very rushed and so many unlikely things happened (particularly with one character who underwent a completely unbelievable transformation).

So, characters without depth, a likeable heroine, uneven pacing, suspenseful page-turner parts, plot holes that could fit galaxies, a passionate rebellion and friendship, many stairs and much darkness, and lots of good intentions as can be deduced from the story and the epilogue:

»This collected work is dedicated to anyone who dares dream of a better place.«

For this uneven “ride” of a read: Three out of five stars.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam ( )

Je craignais que cette histoire post-apocalyptique ressemble à beaucoup d'autres avant de commencer la lecture. Mais dès les premières pages, on comprends vite qu'il n'en sera rien.
Silo est une histoire originale, bien menée, sans temps morts. On se laisse emporter, et on veut voir où cela va nous mener. Vraiment une belle découverte. ( )

A very fascinating universe. Juliette is a great character and I really love her. I'm definitely planning to ready the next one in the series and see where this goes, as well as planning to check out the show too. ( )