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emilyplun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Mental illness
Moderate: Violence and Gun violence
Minor: Blood and Death
lizardbet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Dementia, and Kidnapping
Minor: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Violence
bowler_hatted_trex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Kidnapping, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Gun violence
nyoom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Drug abuse, Medical content, and Suicide attempt
bailey1196's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Mental illness
codywolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, and Forced institutionalization
mscalls's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cursing
leahrosereads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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!
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death
Minor: Gun violence
sammieiris's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Slavery, and Toxic relationship
rorikae's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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.
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Violence