A review by finnft4
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.75

I appreciate the imagery, but that's really the only thing I especially liked about it? And even that got excessive at points. It was particularly difficult to get through, as some points were just unimaginably boring. However, my main gripe is that it leaves far too much unexplained. The ending was not satisfying and I found the few characters included to be inconsistent. It's strange - it's like I get it, but at the same time I've never read anything more confusing in my life. I had three major questions (I won't disclose them for the sake of spoilers) the entire time, and only ONE of them was answered, if that tells you anything. 

Most of the legitimate story goes on in the background. As the reader, you're getting the story through the words of an amnesiac, unreliable narrator. It feels like there's a party going on in the room next to you and you're stuck with this person telling you about Star Trek. Like, thank you, I'm happy you're so happy, but I do NOT care at all. Could I leave please? I understand that that's the point (and to an extent I appreciate the uniqueness), but it gets frustrating after... (checks) ...245 pages? And practically NO disclosure? If I had known more, I could've liked it more. It got me around the middle, which is where it peaked, in my opinion, but then it lost me again.

After finishing I stared at a wall for maybe 15 minutes because my head hurt so much. Who knows, maybe I'm not intelligent and refined enough to truly enjoy its beauty. But as it stands, it's not for me.
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