Piranesi
Author: Susanna Clarke
Published by: Bloomsbury
Pages: 245
Format: Paperback (Proof Copy)
My Rating ★★★★
Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has. In his notebooks, day after day, he makes a clear and careful record of its wonders: the labyrinth of halls, the thousands upon thousands of statues, the tides which thunder up staircases, the clouds which move in slow procession through the upper halls.
On Tuesdays and Fridays Piranesi sees his friend, the Other. At other times he brings tributes of food and waterlilies to the Dead. But mostly, he is alone. Messages begin to appear, scratched out in chalk on the pavements. There is someone new in the House. But who are they and what do they want? Are they a friend or do they bring destruction and madness as the Other claims?
Lost texts must be found; secrets must be uncovered. The world that Piranesi thought he knew is becoming strange and dangerous. The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.
My thoughts:
Bloomsbury were kind enough to send me out an early proof copy of Piranesi a little while ago, and I went into it knowing almost nothing about the plot. The synopsis basically just says that Piranesi has always lived in the house. In hindsight I’m actually really glad I didn’t know anything more than that before I started reading.
I’d highly recommend going into this book without any prior knowledge about the premise. Things start out a little slow, but as more and more details begin to emerge, the pace quickens and becomes so intriguing. It’s a complicated story and the plot can be quite confusing, especially early on. The story is mystery-driven, and our protagonist knows very little. This is perhaps what is so immersive about the writing. It’s kind of a guessing game and a slow careful unravelling of information in order to figure out what exactly is the truth here.
If you can avoid reading any blurbs, do. I knew nothing about it and I enjoyed it so much because of this! It made the mystery that much more satisfying and allowed me to fully connect and empathise with the protagonist throughout.
The protagonist, Piranesi, is one of a kind, unforgettable, and the sort of character you are genuinely very sad to leave behind once you finish the book.
What else can I say? The book is glorious. I read it feverishly in a few hours and was blown away by this multi-layered little novel. It turned out to be far more emotionally touching than I anticipated. It’s so beautifully written, so strange, and I was instantly transported to the incredible world Susanna Clarke has created. Utterly unputdownable.
All in all, Piranesi is an intoxicating, hypnotic new novel set in a dreamlike alternative reality. I loved every second of it.
Overall reaction:
