Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

222 reviews

kitkathw871's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Brilliant storytelling that feels like walking in a labyrinth. I am not a fantasy person so the world building in the first part was a little hard to get through, but I read the rest of the book in one go. I love the way the story unfolds as you gain more and more information alongside Piranesi, but the focus stays on him and his wonderment of discovery even while the fascinating backstory unravels. This book is a delight even while handling some dark subject matters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Confinement, and Kidnapping

ursa_arlo's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I really liked this book, especially the slow unraveling of Myself's mystery and the descriptions of the House, but I think I was led astray by all of the positive reviews. 

Because, while Piranesi is a good book with an interesting format and mystery, I have read similar books that are similar in subject that hit a little harder and push the boundaries a little further. (A personal favourite is Beneath the world, a sea.) So ultimately I was a bit disappointed by the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death, Kidnapping, and Abandonment

Minor: Blood

lonelylooper's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Dementia, Confinement, and Mental illness

Moderate: Murder, Slavery, Death, Homophobia, and Gun violence

Minor: Fatphobia, Deadnaming, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Cursing

eni_iilorak's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Confinement, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Mental illness, Death, and Gun violence

Minor: Murder and Cursing

aristarcodisamo's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping

Minor: Vomit, Addiction, Cursing, Excrement, and Mental illness

hobby1's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

rubyredders's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

,I get why this is a highly rated book but it is just not for me. 

I felt very distant from the characters, short of a general feeling of

Ketterley is a massive cunt I would like to see get his comeuppance and a feeling of sympathy for Piranesi for being so blindly optimistic.

 

Despite the shortness of the story it felt like it really dragged to me. It took until after the first 50% before I felt anything other than god I hope this speeds up soon. 

The world sounded interesting but I just couldn't engage with it and found the mapping of the place difficult (although I think that was kind of the point, it was still somewhat frustrating) 

The ending left me more confused as to if I was supposed to feel some grand awe inspiring emotion or not - that was it? Huh, ok then.

The references to other media and locations were neat though when noticed, such as the allusion to C.S.Lewis' Mr Tumnus speaking to Lucy under the lamppost early on in the first half. 
 
I think this is one of those books you'll either really enjoy or will struggle to connect to and for me it was the latter. 

The slow start and unsatisfying ending is what ultimately has me giving this such a low rating though I can see how this would be a compelling story for others if you can really sink yourself into the mystery of the world early on, as Piranesi has such an optimistic view of the world and joyful nature that you want to see him achieve a happy ending

(the lack of which is part of the reason why I think the ending feels so unsatisfying)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Death, and Abandonment

acorny's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Gaslighting

Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Death

yellowbinge's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Vomit

lianaet's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

It was certainly a struggle to get through Part 1 of this book, and the rest was still fairly hard to read in big chunks (until this last bit). The confusing aspect of the World is hard to follow most of the time, but you do kind of just have to accept that's how this book is. And it's an important aspect, with Piranesi's character.

Also minor spoilers? Kind of? But this book resonated with me towards the end, with the gaslighting, and the realisation of what's really going on - but still feeling a confusing type of way towards that person. As well that Piranesi is forever changed by the House and what he lived through there.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Kidnapping

Minor: Vomit, Murder, Gun violence, Death, and Excrement