trade paperback, 245 pages
English language
Published Sept. 28, 2021 by Bloomsbury Publishing.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, an intoxicating, hypnotic new novel set in a dreamlike alternative reality.
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 …
From the New York Times bestselling author of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, an intoxicating, hypnotic new novel set in a dreamlike alternative reality.
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 an astonishing new world, an infinite labyrinth full of startling images of surreal beauty, haunted by the tides and the clouds.
This description comes from the publisher.
Daat: Knowledge - The Hidden Sphere | Element: Water | Speculative fiction, liminal spaces, mythic structures
sentinme atrapado pola Casa (o Mundo) de Piranesi, polo xeito en que describe todos os seus currunchos, as proporcións dos espazos, as alegorías que representan os elementos decorativos, os meteoros, a súa relación coa Casa, como se sinte agradecido e bendecido, como comparte (ao seu xeito) esas bendicións.
Que en dous días lese a novela xa fala do xeito en que me metín nela.
A historia... non vou contar nada para non quitarlle a emoción do descoñecido e de onde procede todo ese fluxo de pensamento compartido en primeira persoa.
Quizás algo positivo pero que no momento me fixo dubidar: durante unhas cuantas páxinas tiven a impresión de estar lendo unha novela de Dan Brown, diosmeperdone, pero non, non tirou por esa parte, se non por salientar a beleza e a bondade.
The most remarkable work of fiction I've read in a long time.
The most remarkable work of fiction I've read in a long time.
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 book is about the COVID-19 pandemic
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.
Ik heb in het begin een beetje moeten doorzetten om niet op te geven. Een uniek verhaal, een beetje speciaal.
Ik heb in het begin een beetje moeten doorzetten om niet op te geven. Een uniek verhaal, een beetje speciaal.
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.
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.
What a wonderful experience.
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.
Ein tolles Buch. Zunächst wie ein Traum, dann wird es real und zurück bleibt dann doch ein Traum.
Interessante Menschen, andere Menschen:
„Als Teenager erzählte D‘Agostino einer Freundin, sie wolle später einmal Tod, Sterne und Mathematik studieren.“
Die Autorin zeigt die Grenzen der Wissenschaft auf. Und es ist wichtig zu wissen, dass sie Grenzen hat. Genauso wie die Vernunft, die so gern hoch gehalten wird. Die Vernunft, die vieles auch kaputt machen kann. In diesem Buch nicht. Das ist der Trost.
Das Buch ist ein Tipp für Leser*innen, die offen sind. Die es lieben zu spekulieren und sich trauen über den Rand hinaus zu schauen. Ob man dann wiederkehren möchte, sei der eigenen Entscheidung überlassen.
Ich würde gerne noch viel mehr erzählen, aber die Spoilergefahr ist groß. Deshalb danke ich der Tippgeberin für diesen Lesetipp.
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).
wow that was cool
Edit: I keep thinking about this book and the writing, so it’s now a 5 star instead of 4.5
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.
