A review by merin_aran
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

Many words spring to mind after reading this book! It is so incredibly unique and unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s truly breath-taking, beautiful, fantastical, eloquent, thought-provoking, rich and surreal...the list could go on, but none seem to really sum up my thoughts or do justice to this incredible book. It was so gripping; I devoured the book in a day because I so desperately wanted to see how the puzzle and mystery unfolded. In this sense it felt fast paced, but it was also slow and meditative; I felt so calm and at peace walking the halls with Piranesi. The mind-bending ideas and themes presented has given me so much food for thought and I adore the numerous allegories and questions that it has left me still pondering about. This truly is a masterpiece and deserves all the praise it gets. I will end this review with my favourite extract, a truly revelationary moment for me: 
“I realised that the search for the Knowledge has encouraged us to think of the House as if it were a sort of riddle to be unravelled, a text to be interpreted, and that if ever we discover the Knowledge, then it will be as if the Value has been wrested from the House and all that remains will be mere scenery....The House is valuable because it is the House. It is enough in and of Itself. It is not the means to an end.” 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings