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Piranesi
From the New York Times bestselling author of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, an intoxicating, hypnotic new novel set in a dreamlike alternative reality.
Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house.
There is one other person in the house-a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.
For readers of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Piranesi introduces an astonishing new world, an infinite labyrinth, full of startling images and surreal beauty, haunted by the tides and the clouds.
Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house.
There is one other person in the house-a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.
For readers of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Piranesi introduces an astonishing new world, an infinite labyrinth, full of startling images and surreal beauty, haunted by the tides and the clouds.
7 pages, Audible Audio
Published September 15, 2020
18 people are currently reading
459 people want to read
About the author
Susanna Clarke
36 books12.6k followersSusanna Clarke was born in Nottingham in 1959. A nomadic childhood was spent in towns in Northern England and Scotland. She was educated at St Hilda's College, Oxford, and has worked in various areas of non-fiction publishing, including Gordon Fraser and Quarto. In 1990, she left London and went to Turin to teach English to stressed-out executives of the Fiat motor company. The following year she taught English in Bilbao.
She returned to England in 1992 and spent the rest of that year in County Durham, in a house that looked out over the North Sea. There she began working on her first novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
From 1993 to 2003, Susanna Clarke was an editor at Simon and Schuster's Cambridge office, where she worked on their cookery list. She has published seven short stories and novellas in US anthologies. One, "The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse," first appeared in a limited-edition, illustrated chapbook from Green Man Press. Another, "Mr Simonelli or The Fairy Widower," was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award in 2001.
She lives in Cambridge with her partner, the novelist and reviewer Colin Greenland.
She returned to England in 1992 and spent the rest of that year in County Durham, in a house that looked out over the North Sea. There she began working on her first novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
From 1993 to 2003, Susanna Clarke was an editor at Simon and Schuster's Cambridge office, where she worked on their cookery list. She has published seven short stories and novellas in US anthologies. One, "The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse," first appeared in a limited-edition, illustrated chapbook from Green Man Press. Another, "Mr Simonelli or The Fairy Widower," was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award in 2001.
She lives in Cambridge with her partner, the novelist and reviewer Colin Greenland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
September 30, 2020
These are the strange examinations of a scientist. Or maybe, more accurately, of what was once known as a Natural Philosopher. Two, in truth: Piranesi and The Other. Or are there yet others that also come into play?
By the way, Piranesi is not really called Piranesi - the name was given to him by The Other (we don’t know why at first). Both meet twice every week. And we know in much detail what they look like. Why? Because Piranesi, in his capacity as a scientist, loves to describe what he sees exactly.
Piranesi keeps journals. As we find out in the beginning, what he calls a year or a week is not necessarily our equivalent thereof (though a year does consist of twelve months). Or is his sense of time just completely screwed up? We simply do not know!
And no, Piranesi is not the faun you see on the book cover. The faun is a statue, one of several, in The House. The House is a mysterious, partially derelict place that accommodates the aforementioned statues as much as the remains of other people and provides a home as well as a work place for Piranesi and The Other.
But what is this book really ABOUT, I hear you ask? Well, that is a rather complicated question. I think this is one of those tales that need to be explored and experienced for it is as much about the gorgeous writing and sheer unimaginable worldbuilding as it is about the events themselves. We, the readers, become as much explorers as Piranesi is. Or is he less explorer and more trapped animal? There's only one way to find out ...
What I can tell you is this: it’s about memory, it’s about discovery, it’s about curiosity and satiating it, it’s therefore also about travels (both physical and of the mind).
And it’s about questions. Questions such as: How did Piranesi and The Other arrive at The House? Are there yet other people? Or, in my case, while reading: ?
And: is this story linked to the world of Clarke’s previous book (because there is magic here / is there truly magic here)?
While I was following the path the afore-mentioned questions laid out, many more musings began crossing my path like butterflies flitting about, making me follow them. It was all quite mysterious and puzzling and strange.
So the book makes you question the narrator as much as the plot and you’re marveling at everything Piranesi tells you about. In that, it is simultaneously very engaging and very confusing. To me, that is brilliant, however, as it gets the reader all the more invested.
The writing, as I said before, was beautiful. The quality was as high as in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. This goes not only for the writing but also for the balance of the story (worldbuilding versus mysteries to be solved). It was just so smart and refreshingly different. The book is, sadly, short(er), but has the perfect length for the story it is telling. No, I did not love it as much as the one about the British magicians, but I loved and very much enjoyed it all the same.
By the way, Piranesi is not really called Piranesi - the name was given to him by The Other (we don’t know why at first). Both meet twice every week. And we know in much detail what they look like. Why? Because Piranesi, in his capacity as a scientist, loves to describe what he sees exactly.
Piranesi keeps journals. As we find out in the beginning, what he calls a year or a week is not necessarily our equivalent thereof (though a year does consist of twelve months). Or is his sense of time just completely screwed up? We simply do not know!
And no, Piranesi is not the faun you see on the book cover. The faun is a statue, one of several, in The House. The House is a mysterious, partially derelict place that accommodates the aforementioned statues as much as the remains of other people and provides a home as well as a work place for Piranesi and The Other.
But what is this book really ABOUT, I hear you ask? Well, that is a rather complicated question. I think this is one of those tales that need to be explored and experienced for it is as much about the gorgeous writing and sheer unimaginable worldbuilding as it is about the events themselves. We, the readers, become as much explorers as Piranesi is. Or is he less explorer and more trapped animal? There's only one way to find out ...
What I can tell you is this: it’s about memory, it’s about discovery, it’s about curiosity and satiating it, it’s therefore also about travels (both physical and of the mind).
And it’s about questions. Questions such as: How did Piranesi and The Other arrive at The House? Are there yet other people? Or, in my case, while reading: ?
And: is this story linked to the world of Clarke’s previous book (because there is magic here / is there truly magic here)?
While I was following the path the afore-mentioned questions laid out, many more musings began crossing my path like butterflies flitting about, making me follow them. It was all quite mysterious and puzzling and strange.
So the book makes you question the narrator as much as the plot and you’re marveling at everything Piranesi tells you about. In that, it is simultaneously very engaging and very confusing. To me, that is brilliant, however, as it gets the reader all the more invested.
The writing, as I said before, was beautiful. The quality was as high as in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. This goes not only for the writing but also for the balance of the story (worldbuilding versus mysteries to be solved). It was just so smart and refreshingly different. The book is, sadly, short(er), but has the perfect length for the story it is telling. No, I did not love it as much as the one about the British magicians, but I loved and very much enjoyed it all the same.
Did not finish
March 13, 2026DNF @ 57%
June 2, 2021
I loved this book; since I finished, I've been missing it.
I did listen to this one on audio. Remembering that Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell worked well on audio I anticipated this one might, too, and oh boy, did it: narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor, it won the Audie Award Audiobook of the Year. Having access to the text helps, though; without it, for one thing, the reader (listener!) wouldn't know that some nouns are capitalized, giving the text a certain archaic or religious aspect. And it's a beautiful book. The audio, however, is quite an experience, one to savor, and I suspect that had I read it straight through, I would not have savored but instead tried to swallow whole. Unlike Strange & Norrell, Piranesi not a long one, so I was glad to stretch out my time with it a little.
The books starts with the protagonist, who we discover is only called Piranesi, resides in a strange series of halls replete with marble statues of all sorts, which I want to call "heroic," but not in the propaganda sense. House and all is huge and classical. However did it come to be there? And since the tides rush in from below and the rains from above, I was put in mind of Genesis. Only the mid-level floors are habitable. Piranesi is the only living soul around -- except for the Other, with whom he visits weekly.
Right away a puzzle presents itself: Piranesi has been there "forever," and what he sees is all there is -- it is the World -- yet evidently he knows words for objects that he does not see. There are no trees in the House, which is what Piranesi calls this domain, yet when a new object washes up, he surmises it's a leaf. (More Genesis?) He knows what the statues represent and what they are called -- minotaurs, gorillas, a lady carrying a beehive, and on and on. He knows an albatross when he sees one. And his faithfully-kept journals begin with a recognizable year -- 2012 -- and progress from there to names such as, "the year the albatross came to the south-western halls," yet he continues to refer to the months and days in the usual numerical way.
That's the premise, the beginning: this man, alone for the most part in this strange watery and sculpture-filled world. From there, the spool of the narrative inexorably unwinds. How did he come to be there? Why? Is there a relationship between this world and our ordinary one?
Susanna Clarke is as good at endings here as in Strange & Norrell.
Not to be missed.
I did listen to this one on audio. Remembering that Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell worked well on audio I anticipated this one might, too, and oh boy, did it: narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor, it won the Audie Award Audiobook of the Year. Having access to the text helps, though; without it, for one thing, the reader (listener!) wouldn't know that some nouns are capitalized, giving the text a certain archaic or religious aspect. And it's a beautiful book. The audio, however, is quite an experience, one to savor, and I suspect that had I read it straight through, I would not have savored but instead tried to swallow whole. Unlike Strange & Norrell, Piranesi not a long one, so I was glad to stretch out my time with it a little.
The books starts with the protagonist, who we discover is only called Piranesi, resides in a strange series of halls replete with marble statues of all sorts, which I want to call "heroic," but not in the propaganda sense. House and all is huge and classical. However did it come to be there? And since the tides rush in from below and the rains from above, I was put in mind of Genesis. Only the mid-level floors are habitable. Piranesi is the only living soul around -- except for the Other, with whom he visits weekly.
Right away a puzzle presents itself: Piranesi has been there "forever," and what he sees is all there is -- it is the World -- yet evidently he knows words for objects that he does not see. There are no trees in the House, which is what Piranesi calls this domain, yet when a new object washes up, he surmises it's a leaf. (More Genesis?) He knows what the statues represent and what they are called -- minotaurs, gorillas, a lady carrying a beehive, and on and on. He knows an albatross when he sees one. And his faithfully-kept journals begin with a recognizable year -- 2012 -- and progress from there to names such as, "the year the albatross came to the south-western halls," yet he continues to refer to the months and days in the usual numerical way.
That's the premise, the beginning: this man, alone for the most part in this strange watery and sculpture-filled world. From there, the spool of the narrative inexorably unwinds. How did he come to be there? Why? Is there a relationship between this world and our ordinary one?
Susanna Clarke is as good at endings here as in Strange & Norrell.
Not to be missed.
November 5, 2020
“The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.”
This is a new novel by Susanna Clarke. She stormed fantasy world with her debut novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, in 2004, which won Hugo and Locus awards and was nominated for Nebula (among other awards). After that she was silent for years owing to health issues. Finally, in 2020, she published this book. I read is as a part of monthly reading for November 2020 at SFF Hot from Printers: New Releases group.
The book captures from the start. Its prose while quite different from the debut novel is still captivating. Here follow some minor spoilers from the beginning (less than first 10%).
The book is presented as a diary of some man, living in a strange giant building, filled with statues and having water (and tides) in its lower parts. The narrator sees himself as a scientist, from the start making quite strange statements, like “Since the World began it is certain that there have existed fifteen people.” With only two currently alive – he and the Other. While claiming scientific curiosity, he has no name and this doesn’t surprise him the least. The Other calls him Piranesi and he is fine with it. Usually, modern fiction protagonists are absorbed with own troubles and identity; Piranesi, it seems, has no ego or identity at all. Like a small child, he lives in a world full of wanders, from statues to birds, all of which are able to transfer messages of a great importance. He wanders the labyrinthine complex of Halls, Stairs, Vestibules (author’s capitalization) that constitutes the World/House, feeling himself the beloved child of the place.
He is an opposite to the Other, who, as we can see (but not Piranesi in his innocence), uses him to reach own goals of getting “a Great and Secret Knowledge hidden somewhere in the World that will grant us enormous powers once we have discovered it.”
This is a great, deep, profound story, a psychological study and a story of solitude.
The title and name are hinting on Giovanni Battista Piranesi and the House possibly a version of his Imaginary Prisons
There are also allusions to C.S. Lewis Narnia
This is a new novel by Susanna Clarke. She stormed fantasy world with her debut novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, in 2004, which won Hugo and Locus awards and was nominated for Nebula (among other awards). After that she was silent for years owing to health issues. Finally, in 2020, she published this book. I read is as a part of monthly reading for November 2020 at SFF Hot from Printers: New Releases group.
The book captures from the start. Its prose while quite different from the debut novel is still captivating. Here follow some minor spoilers from the beginning (less than first 10%).
The book is presented as a diary of some man, living in a strange giant building, filled with statues and having water (and tides) in its lower parts. The narrator sees himself as a scientist, from the start making quite strange statements, like “Since the World began it is certain that there have existed fifteen people.” With only two currently alive – he and the Other. While claiming scientific curiosity, he has no name and this doesn’t surprise him the least. The Other calls him Piranesi and he is fine with it. Usually, modern fiction protagonists are absorbed with own troubles and identity; Piranesi, it seems, has no ego or identity at all. Like a small child, he lives in a world full of wanders, from statues to birds, all of which are able to transfer messages of a great importance. He wanders the labyrinthine complex of Halls, Stairs, Vestibules (author’s capitalization) that constitutes the World/House, feeling himself the beloved child of the place.
He is an opposite to the Other, who, as we can see (but not Piranesi in his innocence), uses him to reach own goals of getting “a Great and Secret Knowledge hidden somewhere in the World that will grant us enormous powers once we have discovered it.”
This is a great, deep, profound story, a psychological study and a story of solitude.
The title and name are hinting on Giovanni Battista Piranesi and the House possibly a version of his Imaginary Prisons
There are also allusions to C.S. Lewis Narnia
June 5, 2022
I review most books I read, mostly to remind myself later what I thought and to spark my memory. This is a book that has me stumped. It is going to take me a long time to decide how I feel and what I think about this unusual read. In some ways I loved it and too often I felt mystified. I had listened to many reviews of it soon after it won the Women's Prize last year. So I did have some idea going into it. Yet nothing prepared me for this listening experience. It was a puzzle of a book often without a clear idea for me where it was heading or what the reader was to find in the early narrative. I often felt I was looking at a landscape or the road ahead through a thick fog, unable to decipher or make out the objects ahead.
The writing was excellent but I am not sure audio was the best way to go with this book. Yet I was not sure I could have got through it in print form alone.
So while I am still pondering this one, I do know several things
1. A star rating can not do it justice
2. I won't be forgetting it anytime soon.
3. The author's message and what I heard and took away initially are in different worlds
4. It is a wonderful and very intriguing way to tell a story
5. I wish my mind or brain could expand to understand more beyond the obvious
So 4 or 5 stars. Lets see how it sits.
The writing was excellent but I am not sure audio was the best way to go with this book. Yet I was not sure I could have got through it in print form alone.
So while I am still pondering this one, I do know several things
1. A star rating can not do it justice
2. I won't be forgetting it anytime soon.
3. The author's message and what I heard and took away initially are in different worlds
4. It is a wonderful and very intriguing way to tell a story
5. I wish my mind or brain could expand to understand more beyond the obvious
So 4 or 5 stars. Lets see how it sits.
January 25, 2021
House of leaves meets memento meets dead poets society.
January 14, 2026
What an enchanting, delightful book. I've read it twice and absolutely loved it both times. I do think it is rewarding to go in blind, so to speak, that is to have no preconceived notion of what awaits you as a reader. I don't think there is anything I can say about it that wouldn't be a spoiler in one way or another. So be forewarned before you read on.
Piranesi is the nickname given to The Beloved Child of the House, a man who lives in a labyrinth that defies the rules of spatial organization familiar to us. The labyrinth takes the form of a vast house -- so vast that our protagonist has never found an end to it -- made up of "halls" and "vestibules" that go on forever. The top floors open to the sky -- it rains, the sun shines, there are stars. The bottom floors are filled with water. The middle floors are periodically flooded, sometimes slowly, sometimes in a rush as the tides coming from different directions collide. The house is filled with statues that are references to literature, myth, characters and landscapes familiar to readers: minotaurs, a fawn with a lamp-post, gardeners, families. Our protagonist knows how to identify and describe the statues by name. They are, for him, referents to things that exist.
But anything that does not have a referent within the house does not exist for our protagonist. Proper names like 'Manchester' or institutions like 'police station' have no meaning. Minotaurs? Ok, yes, there are statues of minotaurs. There are depictions of mountains, yes, so mountains are real. But police stations?
Our protagonist survives by fishing. He is incredibly resourceful. He creates fish leather and makes tools from it. He charts the tides and maps the labyrinth. He understands it. It is infinitely generous and kind. It provides him with everything he needs. Our protagonist is, as wary as I am of absolutes, probably the most likable character I've ever come across in literature. He is infinitely generous and kind. He loves the house. He is self-reliant without being arrogant. He has found the remains of 13 humans in the labyrinth, "his" dead, and he cares for them. He brings them offerings and ensures their bones are safe from floods, respectfully stored and stowed.
At the beginning of the story, our protagonist counts the total number of human beings in the world as 15. The 13 dead, himself, and one other living person, a well-dressed man whom he calls the Other. It is the Other who has named him Piranesi, but he does not accept that as 'his' name. The Other comes and goes. He brings our protagonist items he cannot make or find in the House, most importantly multivitamins. I guess a fish- and seaweed diet has many benefits but doesn't prevent scurvy? The dramatic tension in the story begins when the Other warns our protagonist about another living person, a 16th person, who has found their way into the House. This person's imputed motives and their potential effect on our protagonist interrupt a life based on careful routines -- fishing, maintenance, charting of tides, caring for skeletal remains.
I cannot think of a person I so thoroughly admire as the Beloved Child of the House, the name our protagonist gives himself (he doesn't like Piranesi, so I won't call him that).
Now the REAL spoilers begin. Only read on if you've already read the book.
Matthew Rose Sorenson seems like a fine enough fellow. He does careful research and is a decent person as far as we know. But we really don't know much about him. Even when the Beloved Child of the House learns that he once was Matthew Rose Sorenson, he no longer identifies as him. Something about him has changed through his time in the House. Obviously he has suffered from amnesia, and that's not nice. Solitary confinement is considered -- in most civilized countries -- to be torture. According to an article published by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, "Research shows that the effects of solitary confinement on mental health are often fatal." And exposure to the House clearly was fatal for others, and possibly drove Ritter mad. What, then, can we make of the fact that Matthew Rose Sorenson became such a beautiful, gentle, loving, forgiving, empathetic, and kind person when left for something like seven years all alone, aside from weekly (roughly) visits by a sociopath?
Piranesi is the nickname given to The Beloved Child of the House, a man who lives in a labyrinth that defies the rules of spatial organization familiar to us. The labyrinth takes the form of a vast house -- so vast that our protagonist has never found an end to it -- made up of "halls" and "vestibules" that go on forever. The top floors open to the sky -- it rains, the sun shines, there are stars. The bottom floors are filled with water. The middle floors are periodically flooded, sometimes slowly, sometimes in a rush as the tides coming from different directions collide. The house is filled with statues that are references to literature, myth, characters and landscapes familiar to readers: minotaurs, a fawn with a lamp-post, gardeners, families. Our protagonist knows how to identify and describe the statues by name. They are, for him, referents to things that exist.
But anything that does not have a referent within the house does not exist for our protagonist. Proper names like 'Manchester' or institutions like 'police station' have no meaning. Minotaurs? Ok, yes, there are statues of minotaurs. There are depictions of mountains, yes, so mountains are real. But police stations?
Our protagonist survives by fishing. He is incredibly resourceful. He creates fish leather and makes tools from it. He charts the tides and maps the labyrinth. He understands it. It is infinitely generous and kind. It provides him with everything he needs. Our protagonist is, as wary as I am of absolutes, probably the most likable character I've ever come across in literature. He is infinitely generous and kind. He loves the house. He is self-reliant without being arrogant. He has found the remains of 13 humans in the labyrinth, "his" dead, and he cares for them. He brings them offerings and ensures their bones are safe from floods, respectfully stored and stowed.
At the beginning of the story, our protagonist counts the total number of human beings in the world as 15. The 13 dead, himself, and one other living person, a well-dressed man whom he calls the Other. It is the Other who has named him Piranesi, but he does not accept that as 'his' name. The Other comes and goes. He brings our protagonist items he cannot make or find in the House, most importantly multivitamins. I guess a fish- and seaweed diet has many benefits but doesn't prevent scurvy? The dramatic tension in the story begins when the Other warns our protagonist about another living person, a 16th person, who has found their way into the House. This person's imputed motives and their potential effect on our protagonist interrupt a life based on careful routines -- fishing, maintenance, charting of tides, caring for skeletal remains.
I cannot think of a person I so thoroughly admire as the Beloved Child of the House, the name our protagonist gives himself (he doesn't like Piranesi, so I won't call him that).
Now the REAL spoilers begin. Only read on if you've already read the book.
Matthew Rose Sorenson seems like a fine enough fellow. He does careful research and is a decent person as far as we know. But we really don't know much about him. Even when the Beloved Child of the House learns that he once was Matthew Rose Sorenson, he no longer identifies as him. Something about him has changed through his time in the House. Obviously he has suffered from amnesia, and that's not nice. Solitary confinement is considered -- in most civilized countries -- to be torture. According to an article published by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, "Research shows that the effects of solitary confinement on mental health are often fatal." And exposure to the House clearly was fatal for others, and possibly drove Ritter mad. What, then, can we make of the fact that Matthew Rose Sorenson became such a beautiful, gentle, loving, forgiving, empathetic, and kind person when left for something like seven years all alone, aside from weekly (roughly) visits by a sociopath?
January 4, 2022
I love how little but enormous this world is.
This plot is confounding, sometimes creepy but other times oddly comforting.
And I realize I’m using opposites here. But this short book is worth your attention, especially when you need to break up some of your bigger and heavier reads/listens.
Don’t pre-read the book summary and just jump into the tide (and let it carry you away for the moment).
This plot is confounding, sometimes creepy but other times oddly comforting.
And I realize I’m using opposites here. But this short book is worth your attention, especially when you need to break up some of your bigger and heavier reads/listens.
Don’t pre-read the book summary and just jump into the tide (and let it carry you away for the moment).
January 21, 2022
Allison knows why.
August 2, 2021
I just finished this audiobook an hour ago and have already started it over again from the beginning. It's THAT GOOD. I need to experience it again, knowing what I now know.
May 14, 2022
4.5 stars
It's like Memento but with less answers.
The writing is brilliant, and the narrator is fantastic. He really captured the etherealness of the story, told from the POV of a man who is called Piranesi - but he's certain that's not his real name - living in a grand house - or world - filled with creatures - possibly magical. He's the caretaker, and researcher, and guardian. And there's something very strange going on around here.
This is a fun one for those who like to try to figure things out, and it's not your usual kind of mystery at all. Nor does it have your usual resolution. I had a lot of theories. Some panned out, others didn't, but even when they did, they didn't resolve in the way I expected. And even at the end, it's more open-ended than most stories, which I loved. And even trying to assign my usual genre shelves to this could in itself be spoilers, so I'll refrain.
I do think it went on a little longer than it should have though, but that's the only real complaint I have.
It's like Memento but with less answers.
The writing is brilliant, and the narrator is fantastic. He really captured the etherealness of the story, told from the POV of a man who is called Piranesi - but he's certain that's not his real name - living in a grand house - or world - filled with creatures - possibly magical. He's the caretaker, and researcher, and guardian. And there's something very strange going on around here.
This is a fun one for those who like to try to figure things out, and it's not your usual kind of mystery at all. Nor does it have your usual resolution. I had a lot of theories. Some panned out, others didn't, but even when they did, they didn't resolve in the way I expected. And even at the end, it's more open-ended than most stories, which I loved. And even trying to assign my usual genre shelves to this could in itself be spoilers, so I'll refrain.
I do think it went on a little longer than it should have though, but that's the only real complaint I have.
May 28, 2021
Es muy probable que éste sea uno de los mejores libros que he leído en el año. La imaginación de Susanna Clarke no tiene límites. Me sentí transportada a ese extraño laberinto repleto de estatuas y mareas.
El narrador de este audiolibro fue espectacular.
Estoy segura que se puede hablar sin fin de todos los recursos que toma Clarke para hablar de la identidad, la soledad, la ambición y la sociedad.
Preciosísimo.
El narrador de este audiolibro fue espectacular.
Estoy segura que se puede hablar sin fin de todos los recursos que toma Clarke para hablar de la identidad, la soledad, la ambición y la sociedad.
Preciosísimo.
August 5, 2021
I was wary to read this book, as I wasn't entirely sure it would be my style. And it isn't really. But the character of Piranesi was just so wonderful and precious that I couldn't help but be won over.
The writing was beautiful, the world magical and atmospheric. There wasn't a huge amount of plot but the mystery was enough to keep me interested and for the most part guessing.
It did play with my mind, alongside the amount of numbers quoted, and turned my brain into mush at times but the character of Piranesi will always have a special place in my heart now.
The writing was beautiful, the world magical and atmospheric. There wasn't a huge amount of plot but the mystery was enough to keep me interested and for the most part guessing.
It did play with my mind, alongside the amount of numbers quoted, and turned my brain into mush at times but the character of Piranesi will always have a special place in my heart now.
March 9, 2020
Electronic ARC provided by Edelweiss.
Piranesi is nothing at all like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but it might be even more brilliant. It's best to go into this book with no expectations and just let it unfold. The setting is both surreal and peaceful, while managing to feel like a real place, and the characters are some of the most intriguing that I've come across in a long time.
Piranesi has one of the best unconventional narrators I've ever seen, and the fact that he himself is unclear as to what is happening for most of the book is what leads to it's brilliant pacing and constant sense of wonder. I don't even honestly know what to say except that if this book interests you at all, you should read it. You'll be glad that you did.
(If you're looking for something more to convince you, this book is several hundred pages shorter and much less dense then Jonathan Strange. So if you liked things about that book but felt it was tough to get through, then give this a try).
Piranesi is nothing at all like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but it might be even more brilliant. It's best to go into this book with no expectations and just let it unfold. The setting is both surreal and peaceful, while managing to feel like a real place, and the characters are some of the most intriguing that I've come across in a long time.
Piranesi has one of the best unconventional narrators I've ever seen, and the fact that he himself is unclear as to what is happening for most of the book is what leads to it's brilliant pacing and constant sense of wonder. I don't even honestly know what to say except that if this book interests you at all, you should read it. You'll be glad that you did.
(If you're looking for something more to convince you, this book is several hundred pages shorter and much less dense then Jonathan Strange. So if you liked things about that book but felt it was tough to get through, then give this a try).
May 2, 2021
The audio is so good.
December 19, 2024
Very pleasant with an absolute honey voice for a narrator.
January 9, 2025
First thought: Ejiofor has such a beautiful, soothing voice
Book thoughts: I wish I had read this book when it came out, since I think topically it would have been interesting to experience this when I was also isolated (thanks COVID!) and the world was shut down. But even though I didn’t read it back then, I could really feel the isolation of this book.
I think where some people get frustrated when reading this is that this book is really about theme / character more than it is about plot. The plot is sort of a side-thought. So if you are expecting a nice jaunt through a story that is tied up with a bow at the end, you are likely not going to enjoy this book.
But Clarke’s writing is so haunting, so beautiful, and I loved her exploration of self and what makes you YOU, especially in a setting so devoid of other human influence and input.
Overall, a wonderful read - I’m glad this one was recommended to me!
Book thoughts: I wish I had read this book when it came out, since I think topically it would have been interesting to experience this when I was also isolated (thanks COVID!) and the world was shut down. But even though I didn’t read it back then, I could really feel the isolation of this book.
I think where some people get frustrated when reading this is that this book is really about theme / character more than it is about plot. The plot is sort of a side-thought. So if you are expecting a nice jaunt through a story that is tied up with a bow at the end, you are likely not going to enjoy this book.
But Clarke’s writing is so haunting, so beautiful, and I loved her exploration of self and what makes you YOU, especially in a setting so devoid of other human influence and input.
Overall, a wonderful read - I’m glad this one was recommended to me!
April 12, 2021
Susanna Clarke did something outstanding.
I felt captured by The House, the colors, the sounds, the waves, everything is depicted with artistic precision. I consider this book a masterpiece from beginning to end.
The House level design reminds me of the videogame Castlevania. It's the feature I like the most in the book, I've experienced it like it was somehow real, not fictional. If you like Steven Moffat's works and if you are fan of Doctor Who, you have to read this story and follow Susanna Clarke!
Chiwetel Ejiofor (the Narrator) did a wonderful job at reading Piranesi, I strongly suggest the experience.
I felt captured by The House, the colors, the sounds, the waves, everything is depicted with artistic precision. I consider this book a masterpiece from beginning to end.
The House level design reminds me of the videogame Castlevania. It's the feature I like the most in the book, I've experienced it like it was somehow real, not fictional. If you like Steven Moffat's works and if you are fan of Doctor Who, you have to read this story and follow Susanna Clarke!
Chiwetel Ejiofor (the Narrator) did a wonderful job at reading Piranesi, I strongly suggest the experience.
December 5, 2021
Oh Piranesi❤️
Tak toto nebolo vôbec také ako som čakala, ale to vôbec nevadí, lebo v tom spočíva čaro tohto príbehu. Neskutočne krásne a magické. Čím menej o príbehu viete, tým lepšie!
Odporúčam audioknihu, ktorú číta Chiwetel Ejiofor a výborne sa počúva.
Tak toto nebolo vôbec také ako som čakala, ale to vôbec nevadí, lebo v tom spočíva čaro tohto príbehu. Neskutočne krásne a magické. Čím menej o príbehu viete, tým lepšie!
Odporúčam audioknihu, ktorú číta Chiwetel Ejiofor a výborne sa počúva.
January 29, 2024
The labyrinth full of huge statues... made this book felt like a fever dream for me.
I also love Pirenesi's narration. It perfectly described how mad he was, especially because Susanna Clarke chose to write in first POV... I felt like I was also mad.
I also love Pirenesi's narration. It perfectly described how mad he was, especially because Susanna Clarke chose to write in first POV... I felt like I was also mad.
April 20, 2021
Piranesi opens with a note dating a diary entry: “When the Moon rose in the Third Northern Hall I went to the Ninth Vestibule.” And then he lost me somewhere near the Nine-Hundred-and-Sixtieth Hall to the West… or was it the Eight-Hundred-and-Ninetieth Hall to the North “where Clouds move in slow procession and Statues appear suddenly out of the Mist?” This wasn’t the mesmerizing reading experience I was hoping for. It was as frustrating as putting a 50-piece puzzle together but nothing fits and there are 6 pieces that look like they’re from a completely different puzzle.
May 15, 2024
My first read of 2021, and what a way to set the bar! I already want to read it again, keeping my eyes open for metaphor this time. Even without the beautiful symbolism (because it mostly escaped my notice as I read) the immersive setting, the air of ancient mystery, and the general atmosphere of the book awed me. I want to describe it more but I can't - words are hard - read it for yourself - enjoy the journey.
January 4, 2022
Oh my goodness, this is just simply beautiful on all levels.
At first, I'll admit, I was a bit confused - in a most delightful way - but when the pieces all come together... (insert explosion sound here).
Forever and always re-reading!
At first, I'll admit, I was a bit confused - in a most delightful way - but when the pieces all come together... (insert explosion sound here).
Forever and always re-reading!
Read
August 5, 2023I’m left… speechless. I will say, for now, a lot of seaweed.
Reader: 5/5
Listener’s auditory comprehension: 0.5/5
I’ll hold my stars for when I re-read w/ my eyes.
Reader: 5/5
Listener’s auditory comprehension: 0.5/5
I’ll hold my stars for when I re-read w/ my eyes.
March 7, 2026
This was so different from any fantasy book I’ve read. Fantasy/lit fic/mystery? I enjoyed the journal style (even though I had no idea what was going on for the longest time. And interesting and enjoyable book, but I wanted a little more from the ending.
September 8, 2021
This is my review of the complete novel (own copy) and audiobook.
My thanks to Bloomsbury U.K. Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘Piranesi’ by Susanna Clarke. It was published in September 2020 and is narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor with a running time of 6 hours, 58 minutes.
‘Piranesi’ was one of the most anticipated novels of 2020 and like many I had been eagerly waiting years for Clarke’s next novel. Long before I read and listened to this novel, I was intrigued by its cover art of a faun playing a flute and the title’s link to the labyrinthine prisons depicted by the Neoclassical artist Giovanni Piranesi. It more than fulfilled my expectations.
“Piranesi has always lived in the House.” The House is the World as far as Piranesi is aware: a watery labyrinth with many halls and corridors that imprisons an ocean. Every hall and passageway contains statues that he is currently cataloguing.
Piranesi isn’t quite alone. There is The Other, who is a scientist like Piranesi. He is convinced that somewhere within the House is a Great and Secret Knowledge that will grant them enormous powers once discovered. They meet twice a week to discuss their ongoing work. Also resident in the House are thirteen other people though all of these are skeletons.
Then messages begin to appear, scratched in chalk. Clearly there is someone new in the House. The Other claims that they are dangerous and to speak to them could send Piranesi mad.....
This was such a perfect novel that I was completely transported into its world for the duration. It is a novel that I expect to return to again and again to appreciate its layers and to re-experience Clarke’s elegantly lyrical writing.
As with ‘Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell’, the novel explores metaphysical themes and is especially concerned with what happened to magic and the wisdom of the ancients once science and reason became the dominant paradigm. As a student of the Mysteries, it is a subject close to my heart.
With respect to the audiobook, it was an incredible immersive experience. Chiwetel Ejiofor is a highly acclaimed actor and his rich voice was the perfect vehicle to capture the powerful images of Piranesi’s world and drawing the listener skilfully through its labyrinthine narrative. It was a sublime experience.
Very highly recommended.
My thanks to Bloomsbury U.K. Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘Piranesi’ by Susanna Clarke. It was published in September 2020 and is narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor with a running time of 6 hours, 58 minutes.
‘Piranesi’ was one of the most anticipated novels of 2020 and like many I had been eagerly waiting years for Clarke’s next novel. Long before I read and listened to this novel, I was intrigued by its cover art of a faun playing a flute and the title’s link to the labyrinthine prisons depicted by the Neoclassical artist Giovanni Piranesi. It more than fulfilled my expectations.
“Piranesi has always lived in the House.” The House is the World as far as Piranesi is aware: a watery labyrinth with many halls and corridors that imprisons an ocean. Every hall and passageway contains statues that he is currently cataloguing.
Piranesi isn’t quite alone. There is The Other, who is a scientist like Piranesi. He is convinced that somewhere within the House is a Great and Secret Knowledge that will grant them enormous powers once discovered. They meet twice a week to discuss their ongoing work. Also resident in the House are thirteen other people though all of these are skeletons.
Then messages begin to appear, scratched in chalk. Clearly there is someone new in the House. The Other claims that they are dangerous and to speak to them could send Piranesi mad.....
This was such a perfect novel that I was completely transported into its world for the duration. It is a novel that I expect to return to again and again to appreciate its layers and to re-experience Clarke’s elegantly lyrical writing.
As with ‘Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell’, the novel explores metaphysical themes and is especially concerned with what happened to magic and the wisdom of the ancients once science and reason became the dominant paradigm. As a student of the Mysteries, it is a subject close to my heart.
With respect to the audiobook, it was an incredible immersive experience. Chiwetel Ejiofor is a highly acclaimed actor and his rich voice was the perfect vehicle to capture the powerful images of Piranesi’s world and drawing the listener skilfully through its labyrinthine narrative. It was a sublime experience.
Very highly recommended.
December 19, 2020
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars
Piranesi, child of the great house. Piranesi, not who he once was and will never again be. Piranesi, who prefers to be among people rather than alone. Piranesi, who religiously keeps a journal whoever he is, a journal that is indexed.
What a great house it is. A house that has tides that are different in different places. A house that has great statutes. A house that has birds, including albatrosses. A house with an ocean, sometimes rough and sometimes quiet and full of fish. A house with 13 human skeletons.
Piranesi believes their is only one other person living in the great house. Piranesi calls him "The Other." Piranesi meets with the Other twice a week. While Piranesi knows the great house, knows how to get places and knows when the tide will rise and fall, the Other is afraid of the house, the birds, the tides, the ocean.
Piranesi comes to a realization that the Other's search for the knowledge of the ancient is irrelevant and should be stopped. The Other tells Piranesi that he has told him the same thing three times before and again explains the importance. Piranesi agrees to continue to help and goes to the room with only one door from which you can see the sky and the constellations to take measurements for the Other. Piranesi knows he's been there before but doesn't remember things he now sees so he goes to his journal index, only to discover things that make no sense - has he forgotten things?
The Other tells Piranesi that another person is trying to find him, the Other, and to beware of that person. Piranesi dubs the seeker 16 and later catches the Other calling 16, Raphael.
Piranesi encounters another person that is not 16. Piranesi anoints him the Prophet but Piranesi does not tell the Other about the Prophet. The Other tells Piranesi that 16 must be killed before he drives Piranesi mad and warns Piranesi not to communicate with 16. Piranesi sees and hears 16 and is flabbergasted to learn that 16 is female. Piranesi continues to discover things in his journals that make no sense. What is going on?
Well, you'll need to read the book to know what it is!
Piranesi, child of the great house. Piranesi, not who he once was and will never again be. Piranesi, who prefers to be among people rather than alone. Piranesi, who religiously keeps a journal whoever he is, a journal that is indexed.
What a great house it is. A house that has tides that are different in different places. A house that has great statutes. A house that has birds, including albatrosses. A house with an ocean, sometimes rough and sometimes quiet and full of fish. A house with 13 human skeletons.
Piranesi believes their is only one other person living in the great house. Piranesi calls him "The Other." Piranesi meets with the Other twice a week. While Piranesi knows the great house, knows how to get places and knows when the tide will rise and fall, the Other is afraid of the house, the birds, the tides, the ocean.
Piranesi comes to a realization that the Other's search for the knowledge of the ancient is irrelevant and should be stopped. The Other tells Piranesi that he has told him the same thing three times before and again explains the importance. Piranesi agrees to continue to help and goes to the room with only one door from which you can see the sky and the constellations to take measurements for the Other. Piranesi knows he's been there before but doesn't remember things he now sees so he goes to his journal index, only to discover things that make no sense - has he forgotten things?
The Other tells Piranesi that another person is trying to find him, the Other, and to beware of that person. Piranesi dubs the seeker 16 and later catches the Other calling 16, Raphael.
Piranesi encounters another person that is not 16. Piranesi anoints him the Prophet but Piranesi does not tell the Other about the Prophet. The Other tells Piranesi that 16 must be killed before he drives Piranesi mad and warns Piranesi not to communicate with 16. Piranesi sees and hears 16 and is flabbergasted to learn that 16 is female. Piranesi continues to discover things in his journals that make no sense. What is going on?
Well, you'll need to read the book to know what it is!
November 9, 2024
Piranesi is one of those books where you have absolutely no idea what is going on, at least for the first part. The key with books like this is to keep reading and trust that, at some point, it will all come together - to believe that you will be rewarded your patience. Trust me, you will.
The story is narrated by Piranesi who lives in a labyrinth of halls and rooms inside which are wild waves of rising and falling tides (a captured ocean?), statues, birds, aquatic life, bones and his journals. Piranesi is not afraid, he understands the tides and the labyrinth and the statues, he loves the house and feels honor bound to care for those whose remains are within. “The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.” He spends his days documenting the tides and exploring the house’s secrets. Twice a week a man he thinks of as “The Other” visits and seeks Piranesi’s assistance with his research, searching for a “Great and Secret Knowledge”. Piranesi does not agree with the research, saying,“The House is valuable because it is the House. It is enough in and of Itself. It is not the means to an end.”
Piranesi is a compelling read, one that you could read again and find different meanings and possibilities. I enjoyed it on both audiobook and on ebook.
A beautifully written, fascinating story. I was unable to put it down ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#EmptyNestReader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #Piranesi #SusannaClarke #WomensPrizeforFiction2021 #magicalrealism #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #DecemberReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #audible #audiobooks #ebooks #Librarybooks #EmptyNestReaderAudioBooks🎧
The story is narrated by Piranesi who lives in a labyrinth of halls and rooms inside which are wild waves of rising and falling tides (a captured ocean?), statues, birds, aquatic life, bones and his journals. Piranesi is not afraid, he understands the tides and the labyrinth and the statues, he loves the house and feels honor bound to care for those whose remains are within. “The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.” He spends his days documenting the tides and exploring the house’s secrets. Twice a week a man he thinks of as “The Other” visits and seeks Piranesi’s assistance with his research, searching for a “Great and Secret Knowledge”. Piranesi does not agree with the research, saying,“The House is valuable because it is the House. It is enough in and of Itself. It is not the means to an end.”
Piranesi is a compelling read, one that you could read again and find different meanings and possibilities. I enjoyed it on both audiobook and on ebook.
A beautifully written, fascinating story. I was unable to put it down ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#EmptyNestReader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #Piranesi #SusannaClarke #WomensPrizeforFiction2021 #magicalrealism #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #DecemberReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #audible #audiobooks #ebooks #Librarybooks #EmptyNestReaderAudioBooks🎧
February 5, 2026
Piranesi - Clarke
Audio performance by C. Ejiofor
5 stars
This may have been the book that I was looking for when I read The Starless Sea. Truthfully, the books have little in common other than their mysterious, other-worldly settings. The setting is strange. The plot is initially very confusing, with an obviously unreliable narrator who is called Piranesi, although he is sure that isn’t his real name. Bits of the mystery are gradually revealed through Piranesi’s pseudo-scientific journal entries, ending with a satisfying conclusion.
Given the faun musician on the cover of the book, I was expecting a mythological theme. The story feels like a myth. The strange setting is a decaying labyrinth full of dangers and odd decorations. Clarke’s descriptions of this labyrinth, Piranesi’s benevolent house, become a real place for me. Like several characters in the book, I wouldn’t mind going back there.
I knew nothing about the inspiration for this weird setting until I finished the book and did a google search. I think I was visualizing something like an Escher drawing from Clarke’s descriptions. The work of Giovanni Batttista Piranesi comes even closer.
Audio performance by C. Ejiofor
5 stars
This may have been the book that I was looking for when I read The Starless Sea. Truthfully, the books have little in common other than their mysterious, other-worldly settings. The setting is strange. The plot is initially very confusing, with an obviously unreliable narrator who is called Piranesi, although he is sure that isn’t his real name. Bits of the mystery are gradually revealed through Piranesi’s pseudo-scientific journal entries, ending with a satisfying conclusion.
Given the faun musician on the cover of the book, I was expecting a mythological theme. The story feels like a myth. The strange setting is a decaying labyrinth full of dangers and odd decorations. Clarke’s descriptions of this labyrinth, Piranesi’s benevolent house, become a real place for me. Like several characters in the book, I wouldn’t mind going back there.
I knew nothing about the inspiration for this weird setting until I finished the book and did a google search. I think I was visualizing something like an Escher drawing from Clarke’s descriptions. The work of Giovanni Batttista Piranesi comes even closer.
May 21, 2025
5⭐
¡Qué preciosura de novela!
"Piranesi" es una obra muy difícil de describir. Tiene una atmósfera muy intensa pero sin ser opresiva; es todo mar, estatuas gigantes y espacios inconmensurables. Es, un poco, como un sueño súper inmersivo, extraño y fascinante.
El personaje principal tiene un modo de vida en el que acepta sin cuestionar todo lo que le sucede, y me resultó un poco frustrante; es demasiado inocente y bien intencionado como para sobrevivir en el mundo real, pero lo hace bien en su Casa.
Poco a poco van saliendo a la luz algunos secretos muy perturbadores y, de ese modo, esta historia tan seductora se vuelve, por momentos, desgarradora.
En definitiva, y tratando de revelar lo menos posible sobre la trama, se podría decir que es un libro sobre un hombre que abre su mente a nosotres, con sus pensamientos sencillos y sus meditaciones sobre la vida. Podemos leer, a través de la excelente escritura de su autora, la inocencia con la que Piranesi trata temas como la identidad, el duelo, el perdón y la necesidad de compañía.
El final da mucho que pensar y me parece que tiene varias interpretaciones subtextuales que cada lector puede asignar. Lo que no tiene discusión es que se trata de un texto bellísimo y un personaje entrañable.
¡Qué preciosura de novela!
"Piranesi" es una obra muy difícil de describir. Tiene una atmósfera muy intensa pero sin ser opresiva; es todo mar, estatuas gigantes y espacios inconmensurables. Es, un poco, como un sueño súper inmersivo, extraño y fascinante.
El personaje principal tiene un modo de vida en el que acepta sin cuestionar todo lo que le sucede, y me resultó un poco frustrante; es demasiado inocente y bien intencionado como para sobrevivir en el mundo real, pero lo hace bien en su Casa.
Poco a poco van saliendo a la luz algunos secretos muy perturbadores y, de ese modo, esta historia tan seductora se vuelve, por momentos, desgarradora.
En definitiva, y tratando de revelar lo menos posible sobre la trama, se podría decir que es un libro sobre un hombre que abre su mente a nosotres, con sus pensamientos sencillos y sus meditaciones sobre la vida. Podemos leer, a través de la excelente escritura de su autora, la inocencia con la que Piranesi trata temas como la identidad, el duelo, el perdón y la necesidad de compañía.
El final da mucho que pensar y me parece que tiene varias interpretaciones subtextuales que cada lector puede asignar. Lo que no tiene discusión es que se trata de un texto bellísimo y un personaje entrañable.
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