Piranesi

272 pages

English language

Published April 7, 2020 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

ISBN:
978-1-5266-2242-6
Copied ISBN!
Goodreads:
49255502

View on OpenLibrary

View on Inventaire

(368 reviews)

Piranesi's house is no ordinary building; its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house.

There is one other person in the house--a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.

For readers of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Piranesi introduces …

21 editions

Well Worth Waiting For

I've been excited by Susanna Clarke's writing since I first picked up Jonathan Strange, and when I first heard this book was coming out, I was suddenly aware that I hadn't heard about her in a long while! Some Googling revealed that she'd been suffering from severe health issues for years now, and this book was the result of more years of hardship than I could fathom. I preordered it immediately, and read it the moment it arrived.

Wow. So different, so quiet, and so, so good.

I've read plenty of reviews that disparage the book (usually because they felt the plot was thin or easily deduced, or because the narration was too simple or unrelatable), but I enjoyed the hell out of it. I was surprised when reveals came, I was drawn into the narration and worldbuilding, and I found the narrator endearing, if a bit alien in perspective. …

Review of 'Piranesi' on 'LibraryThing'

No rating

It has been some months since I read Piranesi and I have hesitated to review it. To do so feels like coming in at a stride from a bracing country walk, entering a beautiful room, and trampling mud, tufts of dead grass, and clumps of peat all over their fabulous Tabriz carpet.

returnreturn

Piranesi is a remarkable book. It tells the deeply weird story of a man, the narrator, who spends his days in close examination of the statues that populate the halls of the House he lives in. ‘House’ does the place an injustice; it is a world in itself, with an ocean in the lower floors and birds circling the upper. The original Piranesi, the eighteenth-century engraving artist, produced a series of ‘invented prisons’, but they could hardly be more involved or complex than the House.

returnreturn

Piranesi has, he believes, always lived in the House, and is …

Unfolding into the (Un)known

I didn't know what to expect coming into this and I firmly recommend trying to go in with as little knowledge as you possibly can. The unfolding that occurs throughout the narrative was the payoff, the end just another event along a wave of experience.

A library book that has inevitably made it to my own collection, amongst the shelf of favorites that are destined to be reread over and over again.

Even better the second time

Content warning Plot point

A mystery of a diary

Content warning Spoilers - in second half

Magical

I loved this one!

It's the story of "Piranesi", as written in his diary. Piranesi lives in a place he calls the house, which is filled with halls and rooms, no two of which are the same, and with statues all over the place. There are clouds in the upper level of the house, and water in the lower levels, water which sometimes floods the middle levels. As far as Piranesi knows, he has alwas lived in the house, and the only other person we meet is the Other, who meets with Piranesi once a week, but who's whereabouts the rest of the time are unknown.

The quickly suspects things are not quite as Piranesi describes them, and the rest of the plot consists of Piranesi finding his place in the world again.

I loved the prose and the setting of this one, and there were a number of callouts …

Splendid tale, in a symbolic setting which is strikingly and evocatively minimal.

Content warning Minor spoiler, which reveals a mid-book event which is very different in setting than the consistency of the opening chapters might suggest.

Perfectly Crafted... Fantasy Novel? Oneiric Mystery?

It's hard to overstate how much this book feels written specifically for me - I love books with any sort of physically improbable gigantic building, fantasy books where people enter other worlds, academic thrillers, etc - and Piranesi nails the blend perfectly. A sheer delight with an extremely thoughtful denouement.

Wonder, unfolding

This is one of those "sense of wonder turned to 11" books for me. A great story that unfolds beautifully in the moment, and also makes you continually re-evaluate what you've read along the way.

The book's description mentions "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" and "Circe" as reference points. While those feel fair, I found myself thinking more about Patrick Rothfuss's "The Slow Regard of Silent Things" and M.R. Carey's Rampart Trilogy ("The Book of Koli", etc). There's a certain feeling I don't have the words to describe, but which feels shared among those books. "Reverence for the mundane" isn't quite it, but maybe close.

I had passed over "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" despite many recommendations, and now I feel compelled to revisit that!

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

This is one of those books that's unlike any other. It's surreal and dreamy and the sheer "what the heck's going on?" factor compelled me to read it all in one day.

A novel like this - light on plot, with an extremely limited cast of characters, told in an epistolary style - really sinks or swims on the narrative voice. Luckily the titular Piranesi is fun to read, and comes across as practical and clever, curious and sweet. His ignorance is charming rather than frustrating, and of course his naivete is all part of the mystery.

Highly recommended to anyone who loves an atmospheric and/or experimental story.

Review of 'Piranesi' on 'Goodreads'

They were all enamoured with the idea of progress and believed that whatever was new must be superior to what was old. As it merit was a function of chronology!

This booked flirted with DNF territory multiple times. The first third felt tedious and repetitive. I can embrace the unfamiliar and unknown but I prefer to have a reason to keep reading. With Piranesi I kept reading because it had to get better, right?

After a conversation The Other had with Piranesi the story began to take shape, my interest was piqued and I pushed through.

This book may have only been a few hundred pages but it felt like it kept going like one of the hundred Halls in the House. Had the book been longer it would have been easier to stop reading, but sunk cost fallacy got me and I justified a few more hours of time …

avatar for Bruce

rated it

avatar for knowledgelost

rated it

avatar for Racketmensch

rated it

avatar for Mollarom

rated it

avatar for ScottSchlueter

rated it

avatar for Bruce

rated it

avatar for jkwatson

rated it

avatar for petconroy

rated it

avatar for chadkoh

rated it

avatar for erinmalone

rated it

avatar for kbg

rated it

avatar for jellybeyreads

rated it

avatar for janbartosik

rated it

avatar for Library_Orb

rated it

avatar for mikewilson

rated it

avatar for giantrobot

rated it

avatar for Satch

rated it

avatar for JPo34

rated it

avatar for AnsgarFrej

rated it

avatar for robothor

rated it

avatar for phraserbrown

rated it

avatar for SleepingMushroom

rated it

avatar for SleepingMushroom

rated it

avatar for dmje

rated it

avatar for hello_navi

rated it

avatar for chrisw_b

rated it

avatar for maxy

rated it

avatar for zemoko

rated it

avatar for harrisj

rated it

avatar for tcoil

rated it

avatar for mouse

rated it

avatar for mysteriarch

rated it

avatar for bobcatfish

rated it

avatar for sifuCJC

rated it

avatar for marcuslowx

rated it

avatar for herin

rated it

avatar for tempse

rated it

avatar for whami

rated it

avatar for aparrish

rated it

avatar for mckmak

rated it

avatar for ChrisIkin

rated it

avatar for Elspeth

rated it

avatar for mattmcmanus

rated it

avatar for drb

rated it

avatar for NoAbbyOnlyZuul

rated it

avatar for jzacsh

rated it

avatar for sinie

rated it

avatar for kevolek

rated it

avatar for Nnnnnnnn

rated it

avatar for robd

rated it

avatar for ArchivalOwl

rated it

avatar for sethmdoty

rated it

avatar for fjordic

rated it

avatar for mondayxius

rated it

avatar for tertullian123

rated it

avatar for Zidica

rated it

avatar for Yogthos

rated it

avatar for mttktz

rated it

avatar for lark_annex

rated it

avatar for opendoorgonorth

rated it

avatar for Xan_Reads

rated it

avatar for emily_rj

rated it

avatar for unfortunatalie

rated it

avatar for sagramoure

rated it

avatar for whitingx

rated it

avatar for xavierroy

rated it

avatar for jumpinggrendel

rated it

avatar for j6m8

rated it

avatar for LuisVilla

rated it

avatar for tmarsh1024

rated it

avatar for floreani

rated it

avatar for julienmartlet

rated it

avatar for Chaostheorie

rated it

avatar for paulralph

rated it

avatar for Smoak

rated it

avatar for kain

rated it

avatar for knizer

rated it

avatar for kattrigarszky

rated it

avatar for KidDogDad

rated it

avatar for sparky_005

rated it

avatar for Old_Tim

rated it

avatar for jaymeb

rated it

avatar for Drumclem

rated it

avatar for idomenee

rated it

avatar for phoenixashes76

rated it

avatar for annemarijn

rated it

avatar for timhutton

rated it

avatar for lukeg

rated it

avatar for Stratski

rated it

avatar for mrkvm

rated it

avatar for ItsGG

rated it

avatar for jellybeyreads

rated it

avatar for mikianes

rated it

avatar for stinkingpig

rated it

avatar for michjnich

rated it

avatar for 73pctGeek

rated it

avatar for cjhubbs

rated it

avatar for Rigo

rated it

avatar for gawwrgi

rated it

avatar for Adem

rated it

avatar for theo_the_artist1

rated it

avatar for tgt

rated it

avatar for TheCacklingCrow

rated it

avatar for Satch

rated it

avatar for bluehillsgreenriver

rated it

avatar for jfflak

rated it

avatar for JohSny

rated it

avatar for sebastost

rated it

avatar for mpmurawski

rated it

avatar for fabriek

rated it

avatar for JonnyPencils

rated it

avatar for CSND

rated it

avatar for satyajit

rated it

avatar for claracd

rated it

avatar for imbrandon

rated it

avatar for hexarchate

rated it

avatar for nightgolfer

rated it

avatar for boomboxnation

rated it

avatar for AwkwardTurtle

rated it

avatar for brstf

rated it

avatar for oox

rated it

avatar for charlottereadstoo

rated it

avatar for Way2

rated it

avatar for aimeekgunther

rated it

avatar for Astraea

rated it

avatar for JuniperusVox

rated it

avatar for Young_sw

rated it

avatar for hermes.tetramegistus

rated it

avatar for skrud

rated it

avatar for God-Is-Love

rated it

avatar for dmbuchmann

rated it

avatar for carlbrown

rated it

avatar for Aram1s

rated it

avatar for laprunminta

rated it

avatar for CaerBannog

rated it

avatar for dan80

rated it

avatar for leifbhammer

rated it

avatar for CaptManiac

rated it

avatar for aaronhktan

rated it

avatar for syni44

rated it

avatar for Gretrascis

rated it

avatar for moohan

rated it

avatar for ginkgo

rated it

avatar for Rinn

rated it

avatar for Shepy

rated it

avatar for princeofspace

rated it

avatar for CuriousLibrarian

rated it

avatar for duck

rated it

avatar for Stacks

rated it

avatar for ahill

rated it

avatar for no_u14

rated it

avatar for thekerker

rated it

avatar for Bospaddestoel

rated it

avatar for Pablonaj

rated it

avatar for syni44

rated it

avatar for ion

rated it

avatar for pauln99

rated it

avatar for ch1n3du

rated it

avatar for doubtshrine

rated it

avatar for peter_hall

rated it

avatar for grislyeye

rated it

avatar for Orso

rated it

avatar for Kyrylys

rated it

avatar for robhedges

rated it

avatar for chaos_angel

rated it

avatar for Shtakser

rated it

avatar for anaulin

rated it

avatar for rlittleton

rated it

avatar for WorzelFG

rated it

avatar for neilernst

rated it

avatar for animalculum

rated it

avatar for rleyton

rated it

avatar for HerrXRay

rated it

avatar for bentreegecko

rated it

avatar for VerinEmpire

rated it

avatar for ilchinealach

rated it

avatar for cleopas

rated it

avatar for Stalwart

rated it

avatar for Batsandbyrds

rated it

avatar for lown

rated it

avatar for PineappleButtonUp

rated it

avatar for schellenberg

rated it

avatar for fizzbiz

rated it

avatar for billiamthesecond

rated it

avatar for nogoodnik

rated it

avatar for Scopique

rated it

avatar for wildenstern

rated it

avatar for MatthiasvW

rated it

avatar for jamid

rated it

avatar for olena

rated it

avatar for Minnozz

rated it

avatar for ESPaulsonAuthor

rated it

avatar for iamtom

rated it

avatar for d4rko

rated it

avatar for biblio_creep

rated it

avatar for jterryn

rated it

avatar for FredJohansen@books.theunseen.city

rated it

avatar for barffalo

rated it

avatar for mwhancock

rated it

avatar for Kom

rated it

avatar for andrlik

rated it

avatar for actuallym

rated it

avatar for Phiznlil

rated it

avatar for yo.ian.g

rated it

avatar for balise

rated it

avatar for billybooknews

rated it

avatar for Khezu_01

rated it

avatar for TimMason

rated it

avatar for mad_frisbeterian

rated it

avatar for enniscats

rated it

avatar for jameswynn

rated it

avatar for jnyrose

rated it

avatar for doc-halo

rated it

avatar for JennyJaybles

rated it

avatar for Farber_001

rated it

avatar for gangles

rated it

avatar for joergr

rated it

avatar for elreycriollo

rated it

avatar for Way2

rated it

avatar for jankmammal

rated it

avatar for usernameerror

rated it

avatar for avid-reader

rated it

avatar for objelisks

rated it

avatar for HorseyChobunso

rated it

avatar for DerekCaelin

rated it

avatar for hadaly

rated it

avatar for Bibulousphile

rated it

avatar for trubalix

rated it

avatar for AtticusInSpace

rated it

avatar for gntoni

rated it

avatar for hyrrokkin

rated it

avatar for JudgeR

rated it

avatar for ijc

rated it

avatar for auntie.terror

rated it

avatar for datwizzerd

rated it

avatar for Replica

rated it

avatar for claresreads

rated it

avatar for sfinksie

rated it

avatar for niechec

rated it

avatar for BEZORP@books.theunseen.city

rated it

avatar for tsvallender

rated it

avatar for Scordatura

rated it

avatar for GuerricHache

rated it

avatar for RaquelPinkPanther

rated it

avatar for chayote

rated it

avatar for nekokat

rated it

avatar for jdcarrieri

rated it

avatar for LKBM

rated it

avatar for thniels

rated it

avatar for SquarePancake

rated it

avatar for kf6gpe

rated it

avatar for Coleysscrollies

rated it

avatar for WintermuteSeeks

rated it

avatar for ApricotBoy

rated it

avatar for malaknight

rated it

avatar for Nakata

rated it

avatar for RobynGoodfellow

rated it

avatar for Liva_Battleangel

rated it

avatar for ibnussabel@comelibros.club

rated it

avatar for Xifax

rated it

avatar for vile_reads

rated it

avatar for rychly

rated it

avatar for chris@wyrms.de

rated it

avatar for dnoate

rated it

avatar for pejotu

rated it

avatar for mebitek

rated it

avatar for roof77

rated it

avatar for twhiston

rated it

avatar for asciiphil

rated it

avatar for senda@lectura.social

rated it

avatar for Wyrmling

rated it