A review by foosreadsandwrites
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

dark mysterious slow-paced
  • 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

3.75

This book has some things I tend not to enjoy, and yet, I enjoyed the third act a ton. 

Things I don’t love in any book that are present in this book:
-dark academia
-slow, trudging exposition
-a frame narrative (told through journal entries)
-an unreliable narrator (this is clear from nearly the beginning)
-an overly innocent main character

All that being said, I read the last hundred pages or so in one sitting, and I stayed up late to do it. It would not be fair to say I didn’t enjoy the book, because I really did—but I might have skipped it if I knew a little more about it first. I have a feeling this is EXACTLY the book for some people. Like it should probably win awards. But, while it was well written and crafted, it wasn’t a perfect hit for me.

If you’re wondering why I’m giving it four stars, it’s because I rate books based on whether or not I feel the books accomplished its goals. I think this one largely did, except for the slow and often boring pace of the exposition.