A review by moonlightreads007
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

adventurous mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This was a very interesting read! It was a little hard to follow the writing style and to keep track of all the information at first, but it got easier as I kept reading. 

There are certainly a few things that stood out to me thematically; first of all, Piranesi always had love within himself for both himself and for others - this is clearly demonstrated through his respect for the dead of the House and his open-mindedness towards differing perspectives. He never became bitter or cynical, no matter what took place in the House. Because of all this, he was able to create the love he wanted for himself both while isolated and in the company of others (no matter who those people were). 

Additionally, Piranesi's character development shows how we are always continually reinventing ourselves throughout our lives.
Even though he lost the memories of his previous life outside the House, he clearly didn't lose his spirit or the essence of who he was - it was within him all along. His open-mindedness also allowed him to acknowledge the multiple truths and perspectives about his life, even if he didn't remember everything clearly. Also, I really love how he was able to find new (and better) friendships and to reconnect with his family!
 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys deciphering characters in mystery books while reading them, and to those interested in contemplating the relationship between memories and reality, and how our perceptions of these things may change over time.
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