Play Book Tag discussion

Wool by Hugh Howey - 4* - My Review

Wool is the first book in Hugh Howey’s Silo Trilogy. It introduces a postapocalyptic world where humanity’s remnants live in a massive underground silo with 144 floors and no elevators. The floors are separated into classes, with the highest on top. The world outside is toxic and deadly, and those who break certain rules are sentenced to death by exposure to the outside environment, where they are expected to clean the lens on the sensor that feeds images back to the silo, and surprisingly, they have (so far) all complied.

I found this to be solid dystopian sci-fi that hooked me with its claustrophobic atmosphere and curiosity about what has happened to produce such a world. The world-building is impressive. The concept of people living their entire lives underground, forbidden to access the history of the outside world (and their own history as a population), is genuinely eerie and well-executed. The book comprises five interconnected novellas, so the flow is a bit choppy. There were a few parts where I found it difficult to suspend disbelief, but the world and central mystery kept me turning the pages.

I liked this book a lot, but the 2nd book I found so depressing that I never read the final one,

I probably won't read further into the series (I rarely read beyond the first book) unless I need it for a challenge. Thanks for the heads-up.

I’ve read the series and liked them all. I also watched the Apple TV show Silo which is very good.

I don't watch much TV and don't subscribe to Apple TV but I have heard that the show is worthwhile. Silo is a much better title than Wool, which made no sense to me

It’s the Wool you clean the screen with.

Or the wool being pulled over your eyes …

My husband read all three in the series and loved them. They sounded really interesting and sparked some great conversations.

I was sure there was someone who knit in Wool, hence the name. But it’s been a long time since I read it.

I also didn’t like that the first book went back and explained some of how the situation started. I was fine with keeping it mysterious.

Jason wrote: "It’s the Wool you clean the screen with."
I know, but it made no sense to me. Surely with all those mechanics and tech guys they could have designed a robot cleaner, and wool is not an ideal cleaning fabric for glass.

Nicole wrote: "Or the wool being pulled over your eyes …

My husband read all three in the series and loved them. They sounded really interesting and sparked some great conversations."
Yes! Haha. Glad to hear your husband enjoyed them.

Robin P wrote: "I was sure there was someone who knit in Wool, hence the name. But it’s been a long time since I read it.

I also didn’t like that the first book went back and explained some of how the situation s..."
Knitting is mentioned once (maybe twice?) early in the book in the first novella, then I don't recall it ever being mentioned again. I think it might have been an idea the author planned to use but later abandoned.