Reviews

Wool Trilogy by Hugh Howey

localpeachthief's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

It's been a while since I read anything that could hold my attention. I found Wool absolutely gripping. Hugh Howey is really good at cliffhangers and surprise twists. I can't believe I don't hear of more people reading him!
There are a lot of details about life in the silo that aren't addressed. I'm hoping there's more information to come in the other books in the series but I'm also happy to imagine my own "how" and "why." 

viivacious's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

It's a very heavy book. The characters are complex and all get humanized.

Even as the war breaks out in Silo 18, you can understand the motivations on both sides.

The setting was interesting, though a lot was said about Silo 40 and I was disappointed we didn't get to see it.

 It's also very hopeful despite the things that happen. There were moments that were tense and that left me horrified. I thought I was going to be sick during the Elise chapters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Genocide, Child death, and Abortion

tamdot's review

4.0

Liked it enough that I immediately bought Shift and Dust upon finishing Wool.

_whiskersontherocks_'s review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

kmo5039's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

hidusty's review

4.0

I heard a lot of big exciting talk about this series being better than The Hunger Games. On some levels I agree and others not so much. In any case, this series was pretty great. The first book is really just a short story that sets the tone for the rest of the series. Book Two even feels a bit like a short story and almost filler but in books 3-5 the story really takes off into a nice arc. By the fifth book there is a underwater segment that literally took my breath away and made my pulse race. I think that says something great about an author when he can produce that kind of physical reaction with his words. It doesn't hurt his cause that he's killed characters we've grown to like. You find yourself wondering if this character is just the next in line. So it builds a nice suspense that you don't get in an novel where you know your protagonist is going to make it out alive.

atdiehm's review against another edition

4.0

Writing the review on the saga.

I love the world. The first book takes us on a bit of a tour, and has us wondering who the main characters may end up being. The fact that it initially was a set of short stories explains that a bit.

That setup really helps set the stage, and then get us wondering why we're here.

Shift then comes in and gives us the background, while Dust rolls the two together as we draw to a conclusion.

I was left a little wanting at the end...
- What about Silo 40 - are they there? Did they get out? Are they out in the world?
- My expectation is that a solid half of the silos are still running at the time of the book ending... what about other silos? Do they get released? What happens to silos after Silo 1 goes down.. computer systems flake out? Nobody on the other end of the line for IT... etc.

I can imagine that this is why Mr. Howey opens the world up to other writers - I have not read the sil0 stories yet, maybe some of that is in there before other authors weigh in.

Really glad I read the series - great combination of writing talent and a great world!

hcgambrell's review

5.0

OH MY GOSH. This is impressive. I've never read anything quite like this, and I'm so glad Hugh Howey exists.

robyy_g's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious fast-paced

4.75

gchaudh's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5