funqandsoul's review against another edition
4.0
First of all, it was NOT GREEK MYTH. Idk why I thought it was in the first place.
Okay and I’m still pretty much conflicted about it. Because at first it was just sooo boring. Lengthy descriptions about this infinitely vast labyrinth called ‘the House’. And I thought I just have to skim over it. But I kept going. And then somewhere along the way it became captivating and since then it’s been really good till the very end. I can’t say the start was absolutely useless now that I’ve read it.
Seriously the writing and the world building! Being honest, I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I was impressed by the writing and the whole idea of this novel. But it was good overall.
Okay and I’m still pretty much conflicted about it. Because at first it was just sooo boring. Lengthy descriptions about this infinitely vast labyrinth called ‘the House’. And I thought I just have to skim over it. But I kept going. And then somewhere along the way it became captivating and since then it’s been really good till the very end. I can’t say the start was absolutely useless now that I’ve read it.
Seriously the writing and the world building! Being honest, I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I was impressed by the writing and the whole idea of this novel. But it was good overall.
artmuseam's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
what a lovely and interesting read! im honestly not entirely sure if i got the full grasp of the story correctly, but i will say that i absolutely adored the beautiful writing and imagery throughout this piece. the book had such an unexpected turn and left me both pleasantly surprised and slightly horrified at the twists. im not a huge fan of stories told through diary entry formats, but this book was an exception. definitely recommend to lovers of fantasy and greek mythology!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Confinement
Minor: Gun violence
carissachirico's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ayamaro's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Confinement
Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Death, Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
Minor: Fatphobia
jacqui_hoepner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
gunnaraj's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
anniesmanybooks's review against another edition
5.0
Piranesi was such a pleasant surprise. I went into it not knowing what to expect, other than it being described as a fantasy taking place in a house filled with labyrinths. This had me a bit worried. That flute-playing faun on the book cover also made me have second thoughts. (Fauns creep me out.)
But the best advice I got was to power through the beginning, as it’s pretty confusing, until things start to reveal themselves. And disorienting it is, quite literally. I’m not going to provide a plot summary, because the loss of direction is an important part of the book. The less you know, the better it is. Susanna Clarke creates an amazing world of wonder and magic, but what I really admired was how this books works on so many levels at once.
You can choose to read the book as an intriguing mystery. But first, you need to figure out what crime has been committed, who the victim is, and who the perpetrators are. There are clues spread through the story that Piranesi uncovers, and the reader can solve this puzzle together with him.
You can also read the story as meta fiction, a story about reading. Like a book, the House is filled with secret messages and symbols—statues, an albatross, the Dead—which the reader/Piranesi/the visitors need to decode: “a sort of riddle to be unraveled, a text to be interpreted,” Piranesi says.
Or you can read it as magic realism, accepting the blend of the real and the magic worlds as equally valid. In the end, once the puzzle has been solved, is reality better than the beauty of the House? Piranesi will not ask you to choose one world over another.
Piranesi a perfect book for our times, as we are all seeking comfort in reading at home, isolated from the rest of the world. There is anxiety and grief under the surface, repressed but bubbling up. Even though melancholy permeates the story, there is a powerful message of healing through calm contemplation, stillness, and art.
Piranesi is a wonderfully strange and clever world to enter and revisit. The next time I walk through Piranesi’s house, I’m sure it will be a completely different adventure. Highly recommended!
But the best advice I got was to power through the beginning, as it’s pretty confusing, until things start to reveal themselves. And disorienting it is, quite literally. I’m not going to provide a plot summary, because the loss of direction is an important part of the book. The less you know, the better it is. Susanna Clarke creates an amazing world of wonder and magic, but what I really admired was how this books works on so many levels at once.
You can choose to read the book as an intriguing mystery. But first, you need to figure out what crime has been committed, who the victim is, and who the perpetrators are. There are clues spread through the story that Piranesi uncovers, and the reader can solve this puzzle together with him.
You can also read the story as meta fiction, a story about reading. Like a book, the House is filled with secret messages and symbols—statues, an albatross, the Dead—which the reader/Piranesi/the visitors need to decode: “a sort of riddle to be unraveled, a text to be interpreted,” Piranesi says.
Or you can read it as magic realism, accepting the blend of the real and the magic worlds as equally valid. In the end, once the puzzle has been solved, is reality better than the beauty of the House? Piranesi will not ask you to choose one world over another.
Piranesi a perfect book for our times, as we are all seeking comfort in reading at home, isolated from the rest of the world. There is anxiety and grief under the surface, repressed but bubbling up. Even though melancholy permeates the story, there is a powerful message of healing through calm contemplation, stillness, and art.
Piranesi is a wonderfully strange and clever world to enter and revisit. The next time I walk through Piranesi’s house, I’m sure it will be a completely different adventure. Highly recommended!
lady_dizdain's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
cjbeaupa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0