Vuelve la autora de Jonathan Strange y el señor Norrell con una novela hipnótica ambientada en una realidad onírica. La casa de Piranesi no es un edificio cualquiera: sus habitaciones son monumentales, con paredes llenas de miles de estatuas, y sus pasillos, interminables. Dentro del dédalo de corredores hay un océano aprisionado en el que las olas retumban y las mareas inundan los aposentos. Pero Piranesi no tiene miedo: comprende las embestidas del mar igual que el patrón del laberinto, mientras explora los límites de su mundo y avanza, con la ayuda de un hombre llamado El Otro, en una investigación científica para alcanzar El Gran Conocimiento Secreto. La crítica ha dicho... «Nos recuerda el poder de la ficción para llevarnos a otro mundo y ampliar así la comprensión del nuestro. [...] Supera las expectativas en todo.» The Guardian «Como un sueño febril: desorientador, fascinante, persistentemente extraño. [...] Se introduce …
Vuelve la autora de Jonathan Strange y el señor Norrell con una novela hipnótica ambientada en una realidad onírica. La casa de Piranesi no es un edificio cualquiera: sus habitaciones son monumentales, con paredes llenas de miles de estatuas, y sus pasillos, interminables. Dentro del dédalo de corredores hay un océano aprisionado en el que las olas retumban y las mareas inundan los aposentos. Pero Piranesi no tiene miedo: comprende las embestidas del mar igual que el patrón del laberinto, mientras explora los límites de su mundo y avanza, con la ayuda de un hombre llamado El Otro, en una investigación científica para alcanzar El Gran Conocimiento Secreto. La crítica ha dicho...
«Nos recuerda el poder de la ficción para llevarnos a otro mundo y ampliar así la comprensión del nuestro. [...] Supera las expectativas en todo.»
The Guardian «Como un sueño febril: desorientador, fascinante, persistentemente extraño. [...] Se introduce en el subconsciente con acertijos que van mucho más allá de la última página. Brillante y singular.»
The Sunday Times «Una lectura sutilmente cómica y completamente seductora.»
Daily Mail «Espectacular. [...] Una segunda novela que roza la perfección.»
The Times «Una fábula deslumbrante sobre la soledad, la imaginación y la memoria.»
The Spectator «Bella, extraña, fascinante.»
Mail on Sunday «¿Por qué no atreverse con el nuevo libro de Susanna Clarke para viajar al subconsciente sin necesidad de tomar nada?»
New York Magazine «Una lectura adictiva de máxima calidad. [...] Una hazaña sobresaliente.»
The Wall Street Journal «El ingenio y la imaginación singulares de Clarke siguen intactos. Una historia mucho más comprimida pero no menos cautivadora.»
The Boston Globe «De una agudeza inmensa.»
The Washington Post
Luin Piranesin nyt toisen kerran. Matka oli erilainen nautinto nyt kun tiesin mitä tapahtuu. Kirjassa on niin rauhaisa, epätodellinen tunnelma, ja selitys on ihmeellinen, toivoisi sen olevan totta. Aallot, linnut, loppumattomat salit ja tuhannet patsaat.
This was a quick read. I didn't really know what to expect as I only have a mild familiarity with the author (I've tried Strange & Norrel but not finished it).
Ended up quite enjoying this, it's got a compelling combination of unease and fantasy that I loved. I don't really know what I took from it - I think you'd need to read it at the right time and mood otherwise this might be a bit of a miss.
I really enjoyed the point of view character having to piece themselves back together, and the melancholy sadness of people who don't quite fit being able to perceive something more.
I'd recommend it if you've read one too many tomes recently and want a palate cleansing escape.
Apparently there's going to be a movie adaptation which I'll be interested to see.
This was a quick read. I didn't really know what to expect as I only have a mild familiarity with the author (I've tried Strange & Norrel but not finished it).
Ended up quite enjoying this, it's got a compelling combination of unease and fantasy that I loved. I don't really know what I took from it - I think you'd need to read it at the right time and mood otherwise this might be a bit of a miss.
I really enjoyed the point of view character having to piece themselves back together, and the melancholy sadness of people who don't quite fit being able to perceive something more.
I'd recommend it if you've read one too many tomes recently and want a palate cleansing escape.
Apparently there's going to be a movie adaptation which I'll be interested to see.
He is a fish out of water, but he has adapted. The way he adapted, studying his environment with an innocent yet scientific eye, was the most appealing aspect for me. The descriptions of the statues; the meaning the myth and art embedded in them was a wonderful cherry on the cake.
The way Susana Clarke stuck the landing was also perfect.
What a wonderful experience.
Piranesi appealed to me on so many levels.
He is a fish out of water, but he has adapted.
The way he adapted, studying his environment with an innocent yet scientific eye, was the most appealing aspect for me.
The descriptions of the statues; the meaning the myth and art embedded in them was a wonderful cherry on the cake.
The way Susana Clarke stuck the landing was also perfect.
I read Piranesi over the course of a few days. In reality, I probably could have read it in 1 or 2 days tops but life catches up to you.
I don't want to post any spoilers or give any details about the book in this review. I went into Piranesi blind - meaning I had not read anything about the book up until I picked it up. I think what I liked most about this book is that despite its page count, most of the characters felt fleshed out. I felt some aspects of the story felt a bit rushed, but all things considered, it was still a fun read.
I read Piranesi over the course of a few days. In reality, I probably could have read it in 1 or 2 days tops but life catches up to you.
I don't want to post any spoilers or give any details about the book in this review. I went into Piranesi blind - meaning I had not read anything about the book up until I picked it up. I think what I liked most about this book is that despite its page count, most of the characters felt fleshed out. I felt some aspects of the story felt a bit rushed, but all things considered, it was still a fun read.
This was a lovely, interesting, engaging book. It was rammed with Narnia references that you simply wouldn't have noticed if you happened not to be familiar with Narnia, but which were huge fun if you were. Piranesi himself was likeable, and I rooted for him from the start, even as he started to understand that he hadn't always been a person he could like.
But so many world-building questions were left completely unanswered!
This was a lovely, interesting, engaging book. It was rammed with Narnia references that you simply wouldn't have noticed if you happened not to be familiar with Narnia, but which were huge fun if you were. Piranesi himself was likeable, and I rooted for him from the start, even as he started to understand that he hadn't always been a person he could like.
But so many world-building questions were left completely unanswered!
Una verdadera joya. Una lectura más introspectiva y reflexiva que enfocada en la trama, si bien esta última tiene una estructura atrayente y marcada por el misterio. Es una de esas historias que abre puertas a un montón de interpretaciones y parece dejar mensajes sobre muchos asuntos, entre ellos, la relación que existe entre nuestra identidad individual y nuestros recuerdos, la manera misma que tenemos de percibir el mundo y su belleza y cómo nos relacionamos con aquello, la relación entre la paz de la contemplación o el silencio y la carga de la soledad o el aislamiento, paralelos con problemas de salud mental, espiritualidad, los ideales de perfección y eternidad, etc. A ratos filósofico, a ratos enigmático, este libro hace pensar tanto como hace maravillarse con el relato de su protagonista, con quien vamos descubriendo poco a poco la singular realidad del mundo (o los mundos) en que habita. …
Una verdadera joya. Una lectura más introspectiva y reflexiva que enfocada en la trama, si bien esta última tiene una estructura atrayente y marcada por el misterio. Es una de esas historias que abre puertas a un montón de interpretaciones y parece dejar mensajes sobre muchos asuntos, entre ellos, la relación que existe entre nuestra identidad individual y nuestros recuerdos, la manera misma que tenemos de percibir el mundo y su belleza y cómo nos relacionamos con aquello, la relación entre la paz de la contemplación o el silencio y la carga de la soledad o el aislamiento, paralelos con problemas de salud mental, espiritualidad, los ideales de perfección y eternidad, etc. A ratos filósofico, a ratos enigmático, este libro hace pensar tanto como hace maravillarse con el relato de su protagonista, con quien vamos descubriendo poco a poco la singular realidad del mundo (o los mundos) en que habita. Desde su perspectiva partimos explorando lo que parece ser un infinito y gentil santuario, pero que también podría entenderse como una prisión, o un nuevo mundo, o una ilusión.
Piranesi is a stark contrast for me. Throughout the book, I swung like a pendulum between utter fascination and horror. I recommend it, but it left me hollow whereas Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel, the author's first book I also recently read, was much more high-spirited (although similar themes appear).
Piranesi is a stark contrast for me. Throughout the book, I swung like a pendulum between utter fascination and horror. I recommend it, but it left me hollow whereas Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel, the author's first book I also recently read, was much more high-spirited (although similar themes appear).
This one was a recommendation - and a very welcome one. A mystery which is never really wholly explained - but it doesn’t need it. Piranesi is a wholly absorbing character; his world is intriguing and, just like him, we come to it with an understanding that is limited by the narrative. In the unfolding of this, a true gem of a story. Loved it.
Pas facile de vous faire le pitch sans trop en dire… c’est un roman très atypique et je vous voudrais pas vous en dévoiler trop. Je vais tâcher de me contenter de planter le décor puis de vous laisser, si vous le souhaitez, découvrir la suite par vous-même.
Piranèse, c’est le nom du héros de notre roman. Il vit de pêche et de débrouille, tel Robinson sur son île… sauf que Piranèse n’est pas sur une île mais dans un immense palais. Monumental. Et infini. Ou, en tout cas, Piranèse ne lui en connait pas de fin, et il ne semble rien connaître d’extérieur au Palais. Il sait juste que, de certains salles, on peut contempler le ciel et les étoiles. Malgré son immensité et sa complexité, Piranèse connait le Palais comme sa poche, à force de l’avoir silloné. Les salles sont immenses, peuplées de gigantesques sculptures, reliées par …
Pas facile de vous faire le pitch sans trop en dire… c’est un roman très atypique et je vous voudrais pas vous en dévoiler trop. Je vais tâcher de me contenter de planter le décor puis de vous laisser, si vous le souhaitez, découvrir la suite par vous-même.
Piranèse, c’est le nom du héros de notre roman. Il vit de pêche et de débrouille, tel Robinson sur son île… sauf que Piranèse n’est pas sur une île mais dans un immense palais. Monumental. Et infini. Ou, en tout cas, Piranèse ne lui en connait pas de fin, et il ne semble rien connaître d’extérieur au Palais. Il sait juste que, de certains salles, on peut contempler le ciel et les étoiles. Malgré son immensité et sa complexité, Piranèse connait le Palais comme sa poche, à force de l’avoir silloné. Les salles sont immenses, peuplées de gigantesques sculptures, reliées par des couloirs et des escaliers monumentaux. Et puis… il y a l’océan aussi, et ses marées qui pourraient être dangereuses s’il ne les connaissait pas si bien.
Piranèse n’est pas seul dans ce Palais. Il y a trouvé treize dépouilles, qu’il a nommé selon l’endroit et la façon dont il les a découvertes et dont il prend grand soin. Et puis, il y a « l’Autre ». Autant Piranèse est un naufragé, aux vêtements défraichis et raccommodés, autant l’autre est un explorateur, élégant et soigné. Piranèse ne le rencontre que deux jours par semaine, pour des entretiens de quelques heures tout au plus. Il essaie de l’aider dans ses travaux, des expériences qui semblent très importantes, en quête du « Grand savoir ».
Que cherche « l’Autre » ? Où est-t-il quand il n’est pas au Palais ? D’ailleurs, y a-t-il autre chose que la Palais dans ce Monde ? Et d’autres habitants ?
C’est très particulier (je le classerais volontiers dans les OLNI). Il n’y a que très peu d’action… et pourtant le suspens est là et c’est un page-turner. Piranèse est plus qu’un roman, c’est une découverte, un voyage onirique et poétique… mais c’est aussi une intrigue captivante et une histoire envoutante.
I loved the world in which this story is set. An infinite labyrinth of statues and sea, occupied by characters that I wanted deeply to know more about.
You follow the story through the journal of the point of view character. The best parts of the story are, to me, when the writer's and the reader's understanding of events diverge. It felt like a Hitchcock movie, where I, with full access to the main character's thoughts, started coming to different interpretations of information they've received - and what I knew compelled me to keep reading in hopes that the main character would catch up. I also appreciated the themes of the story: kindness, interaction with place, memory, ambition.
I loved the world in which this story is set. An infinite labyrinth of statues and sea, occupied by characters that I wanted deeply to know more about.
You follow the story through the journal of the point of view character. The best parts of the story are, to me, when the writer's and the reader's understanding of events diverge. It felt like a Hitchcock movie, where I, with full access to the main character's thoughts, started coming to different interpretations of information they've received - and what I knew compelled me to keep reading in hopes that the main character would catch up. I also appreciated the themes of the story: kindness, interaction with place, memory, ambition.
A beautiful reflection on the human condition. And an absolute masterclass in world building. Unlike other fantasy novels, the world is not very deep, but the way it is revealed and layered through the eyes of the protagonist is unlike anything I've read before.
A beautiful reflection on the human condition. And an absolute masterclass in world building. Unlike other fantasy novels, the world is not very deep, but the way it is revealed and layered through the eyes of the protagonist is unlike anything I've read before.