Reviews
A mix of liminal spaces, mystery, philosophy and crime. One of the most unique well written books i have ever read
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke — ⭐️ 1.5/5I really wanted to like this book. I went into it completely blind, and the premise and atmosphere initially had me very intrigued. The labyrinth is easily the strongest part of the book—it’s strange, beautiful, eerie, and genuinely memorable.Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to carry the story for me.The biggest problem was the pacing. It took way too long for the story to actually start unraveling, and for a large portion of the book I felt like I was waiting for something to happen. I kept telling myself that the payoff was coming, but by the time the explanations finally started coming together, I wasn't invested enough anymore.I did enjoy trying to piece together what was happening and making theories along the way, but I found myself more interested in figuring out the mystery than actually enjoying the story. There were moments where I was genuinely intrigued, but there were also a lot of moments where I was just… bored.I also think the writing style contributed to that for me. I can appreciate what Clarke was doing with Piranesi's voice and the journal format, but it created an even slower reading experience than I wanted.Overall, Piranesi had a fascinating concept and an incredible atmosphere, but the execution just wasn't for me. I didn't hate it, and I can absolutely see why other readers love it, but I spent too much of the book waiting for it to become the story I thought it was going to be.1.5/5 ⭐️Beautiful concept. Incredible atmosphere. Unfortunately, I needed the actual story to give me more. And that ending??? Absolutely not.
This was a reread for me. This book is a slow start, but as it builds, it hooks you in and tears you apart. It's mysterious, tragic, and otherworldly all at once. Really makes you think.
A beautifully written book, unveiling a mystery to you bit by bit. A wonderful, sad read.
Nothing I could've expected would've been close to what it was!Yet, it was everything I needed, and ever will need!I'll never be able to forget this book and its characters!
proprio un bel libro. personalmente mi ha insegnato a vivere. resta con te per sempre e ne vale totalmente la pena. oltretutto non sono fan dei fantasy, ma questo mi fu regalato e ringrazio tanto!!
SpoilerI wanted to love this, I was initially delighted by the mystery surrounding this book and the countless reviews advising people to start the book without reading too much about it, and how the story develops wonderfully...I got bored halfway through, I started trying to figure out what was going on and what everything meant, looking for clues. I honestly wished there had been some context earlier in the story because it would have meant I could focus on the story progressing, finding out who the characters were and how they arrived. I'm glad it wasn't a very long book, I enjoyed the world-building at the start but the reveal was overdue for me... The book is a lot like Inception, without the gadgets.
I loved the descriptions of The House and how Piranesi seemed to find beauty in everything. This wasn't an incredible book for me, but it was something im glad I've read.
4.5 ⭐️ rounded upThis book is fantastic. The characters are interesting and dynamic. The descriptions are gorgeous and really build an image of this immense house. The storytelling through writing style keeps things interesting. I think the end falls a little flat for me, but i also understand that not much else could happen without fully expanding on many other story elements. Maybe a sequel/prequel would be nice to understand the stories of other characters prior to this book, answering questions that linger about the house and the knowledge, but i don’t think this is necessary as the book feels complete without expanding on these things.
Weird and wonderful.
Oh man this was beautiful. The way the author paints a picture with her words is absolutely breathtakingI think I need to reread this to fully grasp everything but I loved this so much
I personally don't get the hype. it's cute to some level and the idea of the house interesting but nothing of real consequence happens in my opinion. 2.5 stars.
I went into this book completely blind and was expecting something akin to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, which is one of my favorite books...Well...it's nothing like it...at all...but I did enjoy it.Susanna Clarke's writing really tickles a special part of my brain.The first 50 pages or so, were a bit of a struggle to get through, I was just so confused and couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on. But then, it got more interesting, and I got a glimpse into what actually was going on.It was a nice ride, trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and I liked the unraveling of it. It's not a book for everyone, I will say that, but it was definitely a book for me.
So weird but so fun. I was never really sure what we were doing, but it's well-written and a great time, so I was happy to be along for the ride. A great reveal and a very satisfying ending.