A review by grace_astudentreading
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

challenging mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

Reading this book leaves you with the same feeling as the moment you wake up and are trying to hold on to the tendrils of your dream. It gets a full five stars just for the out of body experience it gave me. But onto the rational review. I don't usually like unreliable narrators, but I loved Piranesi. There is something so pure about his voice. It is made clear from the start that everything is not what it seems, turning the book into a puzzle the Piranesi unwittingly gives us the pieces to. And despite the strange nature of the book, I found that the writing style, of short journal entries, made the book quite readable. As for the plot, it is leaning towards the mystery side of things, and while rather slow paced I really enjoyed coming up with theories. I have conflicted feelings about the ending, and I truly cannot decide whether or not it fits the rest of the book. That is possibly my only critic. Of course, my favorite part of this book was the setting. It is intricate, dreamlike, and utterly beautiful. This book is an experience everyone should have.