Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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I was so excited to hear the news about Clarke’s long-awaited novel, Piranesi. As a fan of the television adaptation of Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell, I sincerely hoped that her ability to transport readers to dreamlike, magical worlds would continue in this latest novel. When I saw it was a choice for Book of the Month, it was a no-brainer. This had to by my monthly pick. Readers, this book is like reading someone’s wild and hallucenagenic fever dream and I was completely entranced throughout the entire book.

Unlike Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell’s 800+ pages, this book comes in at a quick 245.

Piranesi lives in an extraordinary house filled with a never-ending number of halls, doors, and innumerable statues. He spends his days mapping his home and collecting scientific data for his friend, The Other. In between caring for his statues and noting the changing tides amongst the various halls, Piranesi fishes and collects seaweed to sustain himself. On occasion, The Other shares gifts of new shoes, tools, and supplies to which Piranesi is incredibly grateful. While collecting data for The Other, Piranesi becomes convinced that another person is lurking amongst his halls. This is shocking news to Piranesi as only 15 people live in his world, he included. As Piranesi becomes more convinced of the new person’s threat to his and The Other’s search for A Great and Secret Knowledge, his investigation uncovers disturbing facts about Piranesi’s home and the reality of his own existence.

This book is beautiful, hypnotic, and completely enthralling. For me, it was like looking in on someone’s dreams and getting to experience it in real time. It starts off completely bizarre and a little unsettling, but still somehow familiar and plausible. As our story unfolds, it slowly becomes clear that the reality we are perceiving is a false one, but what can you trust in a dreamlike world? Can you trust your one and only friend? Do the statues that line the hall tell another story? Piranesi’s investigation into his world unfolds through the most beautiful sentences, slowly releasing it’s clues bit by bit. Clarke is such a wonderful storyteller and I was immediately immersed in the world of Piranesi. Her descriptions of the labyrinthian halls and mysterious statues were enthralling I was drawn to the mystery of both. Piranesi was an incredibly captivating story and I thoroughly enjoyed my time within his mysterious world.

If you would like to add this imaginative and transportive book, you can find ordering information here:

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