The Boys Review: Piranesi
A labyrinth of words worth getting lost in.
Entry for the fourth day of the seventh month in the second year of Boys Book Club. This will be the ninth book review we have completed thus far.
And if that seems like a strange way to open a newsletter, that’s only because you have yet to read the critically acclaimed Piranesi by Susanna Clarke.
Join us as we step into a world of endless halls, mysterious statues and dangerous tides.
Let the exploration begin.
Missed our last review? See what we had to say on The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
Details
Author: Susanna Clarke
Page Count: 272
Year Released: 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Buy Piranesi at Indigo, Amazon or Bookshop.org
Plot Summary (No Spoilers… We Promise)
With its endless corridors leading to infinite rooms that display thousands upon thousands of unique statues, the place Piranesi calls the House is no ordinary building. Even stranger still is the ocean that is trapped within the walls of this bizarre place, which thunders up staircases and floods rooms with little forewarning. However, despite the treacherous nature of the house, Piranesi isn’t afraid. Instead, he spends his days exploring the corridors and rooms, learning as much as he can from them.
There is also another person who inhabits the House. Piranesi refers to him as the Other and they meet twice a week to discuss their scientific findings. The Other needs Piranesi’s help, as he believes the House is the key to his research on a Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi soon finds out through his exploration, the world he finds himself in isn’t exactly as it initially seems.
The Boys’ Reviews
David’s Review
There is something magical about Piranesi, and I don’t just mean the setting.
Coming in at just shy of three hundred pages, you’ll quickly find yourself burning through pages as you race to uncover the mystery of the “House”. That’s largely because of its unusual structure. Clarke forgoes chapters entirely, instead dividing the story into seven parts, each composed of journal entries from the main character’s point of view.
At first, you’ll be just as lost and confused as the titular character (I can’t tell you how many times I audibly said, “What the hell am I reading?” out loud). But the deeper you go, the more the pieces fall into place, and the larger story gradually reveals itself. This is due in large part to the structure, as each journal entry offers a few more breadcrumbs about the overall plot. It's so easy to become infatuated and read “just one more journal entry” before putting the book down. I can’t say I’ve ever read a book this fast in my life.
It should come as no surprise that most of your reading time will be spent with Piranesi himself, and what a joy that is. As both the narrator and central character, he’s unlike anyone you’re probably used to. He’s intelligent, yet sees the world with a childlike wonder and an unbridled optimism that you can’t help but be charmed by. His meticulous attention to detail with how he records the world around him is deeply relatable, especially if, like me, you tend to notice the little things.
“I paused and examined Myself for signs of imminent madness or tendencies to self-destruction. Finding none, I read further.”
― Piranesi
Where I struggle the most with Piranesi is how it asks you to put logic to the side. The magic that appears in Piranesi is just that: magic. There are no rules, no systems, no explanations. It simply is. While I don’t mind it when authors leave things up to the reader’s interpretation, I find it works best when there are guardrails in place to guide the experience. So, if you’re anything like me and appreciate clarity, then this could be a potential turnoff. I was also hoping for a few more answers regarding certain mysteries in the “House” but that never came to be.
There’s a lot more to be said, both good and bad, about Piranesi but I’d rather not risk spoiling anything. This is one of those rare books where going in blind really is the best way to experience it. While it is by no means a perfect book based on my own personal criteria, I can easily see why so many others have given this book five stars, ranked it S-Tier or even consider it their favorite book of all time. If I’m being honest, part of me couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t quite smart enough to fully “get” it.
Maybe one day, when I’m a little wiser, I’ll come back to Piranesi, and see if I feel any differently.
Verdict: 👍👍👍👍
Evan’s Review
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke is one of those books that truly fits the bill of a page-turner. I finished it in two days and, no, that isn’t meant to be some braggadocious reference to my reading prowess. Instead, it’s a nod to how captivating this novel is from start to finish and I thoroughly enjoyed my journey through this fantastical setting.
First off, the book just starts. Instead of letting you dip your toe into the water, it wraps you in a big bear hug and dunks you head first into the deep end. Don’t be alarmed if the first few pages have you thinking “I have absolutely no idea what’s going on”. You soon realize that this story is essentially one long trail of breadcrumbs. The entire book is a series of journal entries from the perspective of the titular Piranesi. Each entry provides the reader with some nugget of information and, with every passing slice of information, you start to feel more and more at ease within the strange world. Then, at one point, the story starts to unravel at a pace that makes putting the book down a truly arduous task.
The plot is an interesting diversion from a typical story. While the tale does follow a chronological order (albeit with some backstory provided in spurts along the way), the disorienting nature of the world and its inherent strangeness never has you feeling quite sure about when or where events are taking place. While Piranesi is happy to describe the House and its many rooms, statues, and other details, its vastness is overwhelming enough to leave you perpetually lost. This element is, in the end, all by design and ends up playing a key role in the delivery of its climax. While I’d love to reveal more about the plot, I can’t for obvious spoiler reasons but quite honestly I’m not sure I would be able to describe it in a way that makes a whole lot of sense. It’s more of a “read it and you’ll understand” kind of book.
Additionally, the characters of Piranesi are extremely well written. Piranesi himself is an extremely likeable character who is intelligent and capable, but also thoughtful and superstitious about the world he lives in. His daily struggle to survive the House and its many quirks have you instantly rooting for him. The supporting cast, headlined by the Other, add elements that enhance the story in certain ways, but the real star of the show from start to finish is the narrator.
“The World feels complete and whole, and I, its Child, fit into it seamlessly.”
― Piranesi
There were a few areas of this book that I think could’ve been improved upon. For instance, I found that some of Piranesi’s gaps in knowledge were puzzling enough that they took me out of the fantasy world for a brief moment. Without giving specifics, there were some concepts not present within the House that the main character was familiar with, while others that would seemingly be easier to grasp that he had no knowledge of. The story attempts to explain this in its final third but I still found it bizarre. Also, the way in which someone reaches the House itself fell short for me. In my own opinion, other books and movies have done a better job explaining similar concepts than this one.
These gripes aside, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Piranesi. The world and characters are enthralling, the story itself and the mystery it unravels at just the right pace had me hooked from beginning to end. While it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I can see why so many consider it an absolute delight of fantasy storytelling.
Verdict: 👍👍👍👍
Final Thoughts
David Closing Remarks
Braggadocious? Arduous? I see Evan decided to bust out his thesaurus for this particular review. Or maybe I should be concerned that he’s gone full highbrow on me and will now start sporting a monocle and quoting obscure philosophers. Either way, I can’t say that I’m shocked that he read Piranesi even faster than I did (considering he’s the more avid reader). It’s just further proof of how addictive and well-written this book is. So take it from us, two people who clearly need fantasy concepts explicitly explained to them, take a chance and get lost in its pages. It’s one journey you won’t soon forget.
Evan’s Closing Remarks
I’m not entirely surprised to see that David and I both found this to be a quick read, while also having some mixed feelings about the fantastical elements of the story. Very presumptuous of him to suggest he’ll come back and read the book again when he’s wiser… based on the sheer volume of “brain rot” social media content he consumes, I would’ve guessed he’s getting dumber. Also, I do fear that him saying “what the hell am I reading” out loud may only worsen with the next book on our list. Only time will tell, so stay tuned for that.
What did you think of Piranesi?
Chime in with your thoughts in the comments below.
And thanks again for hanging out with the boys 🤙
- David & Evan
Join us for next month’s read: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt