myiscoh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Spoiler
The House is valuable because it is the House. It is enough in and of itself. It is not the means to an end.The beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.
I dont think anything could have prepared me for this. Already mentioned how amazing the world-building of the House is, especially for me the hall Piranesi (for lack of a better name for him) travels to for the Other with the huge door revealing the moon and the hundreds of statues reaching out towards it from the dark - all very evocative.
Another thing i loved was the ending, specifically how the almost split personalities of Piranesi and Matthew Rose Sorensen end up as just two aspects in a new personality that Piranesi (again, for lack or a better way to refer to him) takes on when returning to the old world. I feel like it would not have suited either side of his character to keep Piranesi dominant in the mind or to have Matthew come back in full, so i love that it was kept “split” (though not really as both are now part of a new whole)
I wish i was in a place where i could analyse the more philosophical parts of this book, but for now the two excerpts i quoted at the start really hit me. I have so many thoughts but i cant find worlds that really convey them in the way i mean without sounding like i'm rambling. But especially the relationship between those two passages that i immediately think of is this: we are all reflections of the House (our world) and it, like everyone, should be treated with the same endless love, empathy, care, and respect that Piranesi shows the statues and the dead and the House as a whole.
Other notes: wish i could have known Raphael for longer, she seemed like such a nice person. The journals used as a device to exposit about the events from the old world was really interesting. Unfortunately(? maybe not unfortunate, not sure) i did see most of the reveals coming from way off, though they were still enjoyable and the twist that Piranesi was actually trapped by the Other (like how James Ritter was trapped by Arne-Sayles) was not what i was expecting, even if i never really did trust the Other at all.
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Slavery, Vomit, Murder, Child death, Kidnapping, Suicide, and Death
chwinters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Slavery, and Confinement
lillieb130's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Mental illness
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Murder, Slavery, and Gaslighting
kimberleysreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Slavery
Minor: Vomit
briiforte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Spoiler
becomes apparent that The Other is not a protagonistGraphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Mental illness
Minor: Emotional abuse, Confinement, Death, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Cursing, Gun violence, Slavery, and Vomit
ayoderable's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Slavery
Minor: Child death, Death, Vomit, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Murder, and Suicide
scribblesandsuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Slavery
catching5tars's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Slavery and Kidnapping
be_ll_ame's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Graphic: Kidnapping
Minor: Slavery and Sexual assault
spineofthesaurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death, Animal death, Torture, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Slavery, and Ableism