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emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ending made me cry
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship
Minor: Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My rating is subject to change upon rereading, which I do intend to do!
The unreliable narrator is used quite well in this text, and I really like the epistolary format for unveiling the mysteries of The House and Piranesi. Some parts felt slower and others faster, but the story still kept me coming back and turning the pages.
The unreliable narrator is used quite well in this text, and I really like the epistolary format for unveiling the mysteries of The House and Piranesi. Some parts felt slower and others faster, but the story still kept me coming back and turning the pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Gun violence
adventurous
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
While the first half of this book was slow and difficult to follow at times, the plot quickly picked up as the mystery unraveled and the main character unveiled his shrouded past life. The unique composition of this novel that told the story via journal entries not only allowed readers to follow Piranesi directly alongside the story, but also granted insight to his fragmented memories and the naive way he viewed the world. The character development was critical to the unfolding of this story, and the reflection Piranesi undergoes is symbolic of the introspection readers are challenged to face about the hard truths and our perspective of the world around us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Dementia, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Slavery, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Child death, Mental illness, Violence
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
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:
Complicated
I can confidently say that I have never read a book like this before, and probably will never read a book like this again. I picked this book up because it has been mentioned in various reading circles a good piece of background literature prior to reading RF Kuang’s “Katabasis”. And I can easily see why. This book blends literature such as “The Magician’s Nephew” and “the Allegory of the Cave” into a work of speculative fiction and world building that crosses the genres of magical realism, fantasy, and thriller. There are strong elements of Grecian and Roman philosophy and literature in this book, while also keeping a firm foothold in reality. If I were a high school English teacher, I would make this required reading for my students as it is a short and relatively fast paced read.
I go back and forth between giving this book four and five stars, and ultimately landed on four just because I would have liked to the ending fleshed out a bit more. In spite of that, though, I found the world building and prose to be highly captivating and enjoyable, and loved the narration of the story through journal entries. This was such a welcome palate cleanser after reading “The Poisonwood Bible” which made me deeply regret reading at times. Overall, a really well done read that I can anticipate being used in high school and collegiate level literature classes!
I go back and forth between giving this book four and five stars, and ultimately landed on four just because I would have liked to the ending fleshed out a bit more. In spite of that, though, I found the world building and prose to be highly captivating and enjoyable, and loved the narration of the story through journal entries. This was such a welcome palate cleanser after reading “The Poisonwood Bible” which made me deeply regret reading at times. Overall, a really well done read that I can anticipate being used in high school and collegiate level literature classes!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Truly difficult to emphasise how this book genuinely gets you entrapped in the mind of Piransei. There isn't a book I can compare this to that has such a unique world and understanding of derealisation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-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:
Complicated
This is the second book of 2024 (and third overall) that I'm giving a five star rating. Aside from not reading many books this year, I would consider myself picky to what I give five out of five stars, especially with fantasy.
I think what really made this book special is Susanna's writing style and the way she builds up her characters' personalities through their actions (subtle and not so subtle ones). Her words are direct, simple, but together weave very dense paragraphs that I think of as poetic. I think her style of writing is as close to 'painting a picture with a thousand words' as someone can get.
Piranesi is such a loveable, rootable character. His naivety is charming (never annoying) and makes it easy to feel like the reader is there with him, slowly unconvering more about the House, it's inhabitants, and the mysteries of who The Other and Piranesi himself really are.
I only have one main nitpick.The Prophet/Laurence Arne-Sayles falls into the predatory gay stereotype as he is the only gay man explicity stated within the narrative. And with him being the one to groom his students and trapping a man in the Labyrinth and his walls until the man suffers psychosis doesn't exactly bode well for his narrative. That being said, I do believe this was out of ignorance and possibly unchecked biases and not out of malice and I don't think Susanna had any ulterior motive for it. (Still deserves to be mentioned).
Coming from a gay man, I still did enjoy the book. It's not the biggest part of the story, and thus didn't hinder my experience (it was just in the back of my head). I had a lot of fun uncovering the mysteries of the House, and the twist in Part Five was shocking and made me more eager to see how it all unfolds. Most of all, I really enjoyed and adored Susanna's writing style.
I'm happy I was recommended this book and I definitely would recommend it to others, especially fantasy lovers.
I think what really made this book special is Susanna's writing style and the way she builds up her characters' personalities through their actions (subtle and not so subtle ones). Her words are direct, simple, but together weave very dense paragraphs that I think of as poetic. I think her style of writing is as close to 'painting a picture with a thousand words' as someone can get.
Piranesi is such a loveable, rootable character. His naivety is charming (never annoying) and makes it easy to feel like the reader is there with him, slowly unconvering more about the House, it's inhabitants, and the mysteries of who The Other and Piranesi himself really are.
I only have one main nitpick.
Coming from a gay man, I still did enjoy the book. It's not the biggest part of the story, and thus didn't hinder my experience (it was just in the back of my head). I had a lot of fun uncovering the mysteries of the House, and the twist in Part Five was shocking and made me more eager to see how it all unfolds. Most of all, I really enjoyed and adored Susanna's writing style.
I'm happy I was recommended this book and I definitely would recommend it to others, especially fantasy lovers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Minor: Excrement, Vomit, Murder
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
The prose is beautiful, the world fantastical and the lasting impression a mixture of hopeful and disquieting. I feel a bit gentler for having read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I didn't get into Piranesi by Susanna Clarke until about 30% of the way through the book. However, I don't fault the author because she did a great job creating an intriguing world. Once I got past that point, I found myself engrossed in the story and eager to find out what would happen next.
I'm still not entirely sure what my key takeaway from the book is, but perhaps it's about the human need for connection - there's a part of you deep in your heart that longs for companionship and social interaction. Maybe the book also suggests that periods of isolation can be beneficial, allowing us to reflect and become comfortable with ourselves.
It might even be a reminder for me to start journaling again, capturing the mundane details of life so that I can look back and remember who I was. Perhaps it's also about rediscovering my curiosity about people and the unique experiences that have shaped them.
Maybe it's the reminder that throughout our lives, we may become versions of ourselves that feel unfamiliar, but that's a natural part of growth. It's not something we should be afraid of because as people say, "We are the sum of our experiences."
If you're looking for a book with a captivating world and a mysterious atmosphere, even if it's light on plot, then Piranesi might be the perfect choice for you.
I'm still not entirely sure what my key takeaway from the book is, but perhaps it's about the human need for connection - there's a part of you deep in your heart that longs for companionship and social interaction. Maybe the book also suggests that periods of isolation can be beneficial, allowing us to reflect and become comfortable with ourselves.
It might even be a reminder for me to start journaling again, capturing the mundane details of life so that I can look back and remember who I was. Perhaps it's also about rediscovering my curiosity about people and the unique experiences that have shaped them.
Maybe it's the reminder that throughout our lives, we may become versions of ourselves that feel unfamiliar, but that's a natural part of growth. It's not something we should be afraid of because as people say, "We are the sum of our experiences."
If you're looking for a book with a captivating world and a mysterious atmosphere, even if it's light on plot, then Piranesi might be the perfect choice for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping
Moderate: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis