Reviews with content warning for Forced institutionalization - Piranesi

Upon re-read, I have no idea why I almost DNFd this. Maybe just not in the right headspace, but this is still so amazing! Everything else I said below is definitely how I felt during this second readthrough. Bumping this from a 4.5 to a 5!

Well this was a rollercoaster of a read. I started off almost DNFing it, then became intrigued, then horrified, and ended melancholic. It was beautiful, frightening, and strangely magical, and also weirdly simplistic and complex. I feel like I should have been on something to fully understand this story. It was definitely too smart for me a lot of the time, but I still thoroughly enjoyed what I did understand!

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sammieiris's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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rorikae's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

In 'Piranesi,' Susanna Clarke weaves a haunting and evocative tale. The story is told through the journal entries of a man, sometimes called Piranesi, who lives in a large house with numerous rooms, lots of statues, and tides. Piranesi appears to be alone in this house apart from another individual that he calls the Other, who comes and goes, and who Piranesi helps with his research.
That's all that you need to know going into this story and I think the story works best if that is all that you do know. Clarke begins to unravel Piranesi's experience and his surroundings slowly throughout the book as we start to learn more about who he is. Clarke does such an expert job of peeling back layers of the story slowly and part of why this is done so well is that we as the reader are learning right alongside the narrator.
Though this is in many ways the complete opposite of Clarke's most well known novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, she brings the same mastery of storytelling to Piranesi. Though Piranesi is short, it is instantly evocative and I found it hard to put the book down as the full story began to take shape. Through letting the reader uncover the truth of what is going on right alongside Piranesi, Clarke creates a sense of intrigue that is peppered throughout the entire novel. It's so hard to describe because anything beyond the most basic description of the plot is a spoiler and the less you know about the story going in, the more impactful I believe it will be. This is a story that is both devastating and hopeful. One that needs to be read and fully experienced. I highly recommend it, especially if you have enjoyed Clarke's other works and if you are interested in uncovering the mystery of the world right alongside the protagonist.

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