Book Review: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Magical Realism, Adult, Literary Fiction
Pages: 245
Format: Physical
Rating:

Initial Thoughts

I was still in my Greek Mythology era when Piranesi by Susanna Clarke was added to my TBR. I was able to pick up the physical copy not too long ago when I went to McNally Jackson bookstore in New York. My coworker wanted to buddy read it together; but of course the time we chose ended up being right after I finished Glow of the Everflame. If you read that review, you know how desperate I was to start Heat of the Everflame. However, I kept my promise and started Piranesi right away. I went in blind, only knowing that readers said: “you’ll be confused at first.”

The Plot (Spoiler-Free!)

Piranesi is a scientist and explorer who lives in a House that is divided by Halls. More than 1,000 exist, and he’s explored almost all of them. There are Halls to the north, south, and west, upper Halls, Halls with water, Halls with clouds, Halls with sea creatures, and statues. There’s a statue of an angel caught on a rose bush, the woman carrying a beehive, a faun, a gorilla, a young boy playing the cymbals, and many, many others. Piranesi shares this world with one other person he calls The Other, who is searching for a Great and Secret Knowledge with Piranesi’s help. But as the mysteries of the House deepen, Piranesi begins to question both The Other’s motives and his own reality.

What I Liked

I liked that this story was different from my typical genre. And even though I thought I was reading about Greek Mythology and it turned out it absolutely was not. But I continued on with the story because it was well-written and engaging. I appreciated how the writing style clicked into place the further I read. What felt disorienting at first turned out to be intentional and brilliant.

I really loved Piranesi as a character. While he is in his 30s, he has this boyish innocence about him. I think he kind of reminds me of Patroclus from The Song of Achilles: gentle, thoughtful, and deeply good.

Piranesi is someone who cares for those around him, living or dead; he cares for people who he doesn’t know; he cares for people who aren’t the kindest to him; he cares for inanimate objects; he cares for those have tried to hurt him. But despite him caring so much, he is still very sure of himself, he knows he’s smart, a scientist, and his own worth as a person.

Piranesi’s ability to see beauty and meaning in the simplest details — wind, flowers, statues, tides — was beautiful to read, especially contrasted to The Other, who seems the view the world in gray.

What Didn’t Work for Me

I really don’t have many notes for this book. I can’t fault it for not knowing what’s going on in the beginning, because it ends up making sense in the end. But speaking of the end, I do wish it ended differently. It wasn’t a bad ending, but without spoiling it, I felt like something was kept a secret that didn’t have to be.

Final Thoughts

I absolutely recommend Piranesi. This is the kind of book that makes you pause mid-read just to process what you’ve uncovered. The weaving of mystery, beauty, and revelation is masterful, and it’s a story I’d gladly reread now that I know how it unfolds. If you enjoy thoughtful, atmospheric books with a touch of mystery and magical realism, or if you’re looking for something totally different from the typical fantasy books you may read (if you read a lot of romantasy like me) this is for you.