Reviews tagging Death

Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke

258 reviews

emlo's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Usually I stay away from award winning books because I find them hard work. This book was extremely clever and intriguing but also quite frustrating. I read it late into the night just to find out what was going on and it's certainly a book that will stay with me for a while. I can't say I enjoyed reading it though. 
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ayamaro's review against another edition

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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

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thebookfetishist's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What the fuck was that? Do it again.
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juksu's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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sofiajearally's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

What a fantastic Read! Although I was slightly disappointed by the Revelation (I preferred my own Theories about What was happening), it was very well executed and engaging. What a World Susanna Clarke created! 

The strong plus of this Book is obviously Piranesi himself, who is one of the most precious characters I've met. I didn't want him to lose his Innocence and the Ending was bittersweet, which I love, but it ripped out my heart. The themes broached as we discover the House through Piranesi's eyes are beautiful and it comes down to the very important subjects of Humanity and Nature. The writing style is gorgeous as well and enhances the Story, even if it takes some getting used to (I loved the capitalized Letters).

It is a work of Art.
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isabelmary's review against another edition

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mysterious 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

4.5

blazed through in one sitting. So weird. Quite tender at times. It should have felt slow but swept me along.
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maceydowns's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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conspystery's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • 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? Yes

5.0

 This book is a masterpiece, I think. It’s about so many things at once: the pursuit of knowledge, blissful ignorance, loneliness versus solitude, trust or the lack thereof, unknowability, and contentment. What makes a person who they are, even when identity seems totally lost. The world around us and how we appreciate it, find meaning in it. All of these themes and questions are conveyed richly and beautifully throughout Piranesi. 

I absolutely adored the title character of this book. I loved his simple sense of personal meaning and awareness of the world around him; his voice throughout the story evokes a keen sense of irony in the reader, as his nonchalance is so dissonant with the perplexity of his circumstances, and this serves to endear him to his audience even more. He is a guide to the magnificent setting of the book, and he both complements it and brightens it with his routine wonder and dedication to his duties. I loved how the audience could put the mystery of his existence together long before he himself could, yet his journey to that knowledge was compelling regardless because of the voice he gave to it. Even as he develops as a character, he holds true to the same duty guiding him: to be kind. It motivates his every action. This is further detailed by the writing style of the novel, which gives him a voice that is distinctly his own, appreciative and curious and simple but in good faith even through the evolution of the story. He is an incredible character.

The plot of this book, its supporting cast, and its setting are intertwined in a deeply satisfying manner. The questions raised by this interconnectedness are answered mostly thematically, bringing conclusion to the philosophical concerns of the novel but leaving a tiny bit of space as gaps in the gaps in the reader’s knowledge of the story. I felt that this kind of conclusion suited the story incredibly well, especially with a main character like this one at the helm. The plot itself was perfectly mysterious and dark to explore the issues it did, and the questions of abstraction and figurativity served its themes in kind. There are so many layers to this book: the surface level of the plot’s events, the motivations of the characters, why the atmosphere and setting of the book is presented as it is, what it communicates about its themes through figurativity, the deeper meaning of all that happens… I loved it all. Piranesi has so much to say about all that it covers on both a surface level and thematically, and it does so with skillful depth and grace. 

Overall, I really loved this book. I can’t think of a better way to describe it than utterly compelling. Everything about this book-- the atmosphere, the protagonist, the mystery, the themes, the writing-- drew me in completely. It’s a relatively short read, but one that holds a lot to consider, and definitely one that I’ll be thinking about for a long, long time. It merits a reread, I think, or two or three or many more. 
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abrasieve's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-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

5.0

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seanml's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Piranesi is almost like a deluxe short story: the idea is concise with no frills, but allows you to sit in the moment for enough time to appreciate the story. The voice that Clarke uses for our protagonist makes the story easily readable, but also endearing. I don't know what else to say other than I enjoyed it. 250 pages usually don't go by that quickly! 8.5/10.
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