Piranesi

Author: Susanna Clarke
Published: 2020
Target Audience: Adults (appropriate ages 15+)

The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.

‘Piranesi’ is an adult magical realism novel written by English author Susanna Clarke which tells the story of a man who lives in a curious place called the House. Each day, in his journals, he records the wonders and happenings of the House: the unending labyrinth of Halls, the movements of the Tides that flood and fall from the Lower Staircases, the thousands of stone Statues, the Drowned Halls of fish and seaweed, the Upper Halls of obscuring clouds, even the appearance of an Albatross one day. With the Sun, the Moon, and Stars, the House makes up everything there is in the World, and provides all that this man, known as Piranesi, needs to survive.

Piranesi loves the beauty and immensity of the House, although it can be a little lonely sometimes. As far as he can discover, there have existed fifteen people since the World began: Himself, thirteen Dead, and his friend, the Other; a man who visits on Tuesdays and Fridays, and cannot be found on the rest of the days.

Piranesi is happy, but something new has come to the House. Mysterious messages appear, scrawled in chalk on the pavement, on scraps of paper, or formed with rocks. The Other becomes agitated, warning of madness and an Enemy, a potential Sixteenth Person. As Piranesi attempts to make sense of all this, he realises something even more alarming. There are gaps in his memories and inconsistencies in his journals, hints that there may be something far more sinister at work. What is going on?

Excerpt:

I had got halfway across the Hall when I noticed a scattering of white shapes lying on the Pavement. I picked them up. They were pieces of torn paper with writing on them. They were crumpled and so I smoothed them out and tried putting them together. Two - no, three - of the scraps fit perfectly, forming part of a small sheet of paper with one jagged side. It appeared to be a page torn from a notebook.

I could see that, even when reconstructed, the page would be difficult to decipher. The writing was atrocious - like a tangle of seaweed. After some minutes of peering at it I thought I could make out the word 'minotaur'. A line or two above I thought I saw the word 'slave' and a line or two below the phrase 'kill him'. The rest was completely impenetrable. But the reference to 'minotaur' intrigued me. The First Vestibule contains eight massive Statues of Minotaurs, each one different from the others. Perhaps the person who had written this had visited my own Halls?

First published in 2020, 'Piranesi' is Susanna Clarke’s second novel since her award-winning debut ‘Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell’ in 2004. It is a magnificent addition to the fantasy and magical realism genres, and will especially appeal to fans of Madeline Miller, Erin Morgenstern, Bridget Collins, and Neil Gaiman.

'Piranesi' is a powerfully emotive tale, with Clarke blending intrigue and impossibilities to create a truly unique literary experience that will fascinate and delight readers. The core of what makes this novel so enthralling can be attributed to the way it evokes a peculiar sense of dissonance. On one hand, we, the reader, recognise that the world Piranesi inhabits and the events described are so abnormal and beyond logical existence that there must be something unnatural at work. Yet on the other hand, because this is told from Piranesi’s point of view through his notebooks, we are introduced to the House through the lens of Piranesi's contentment with his life and the world he inhabits, conveying a sense of peace and surety that comes from simply being. Piranesi's deep love and gratitude to the House contrasts with the reader's distrust in the world that is portrayed, and creates a particular sense of emotional dissonance that drives the mystery and appeal of this novel, making for a highly engaging read.

'Piranesi' is not a long read, totalling just over 200 pages. It functions more as a contemplative mystery rather than a fast-paced, plot-driven whodunnit, and so may not appeal to every reader. It is also very different in style and content compared to Clarke's near-800 page Dickensian debut, so readers approaching 'Piranesi' expecting a reprise of 'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell' may be disappointed. Yet, 'Piranesi' is an undeniably beautiful book, being hauntingly memorable, solemn, and gentle at the same time. It explores concepts of isolation vs solitude, academic arrogance, transgressions in the pursuit of knowledge, and despair and rebirth.

'Piranesi' is a spellbinding tale and wonderful literary experience. I greatly recommend it!