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A review by josiah17
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
adventurous
mysterious
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
"The Beauty of the House is immeasurable, its Kindness infinite."
Took me a little bit to get into this, not necessarily due to the book itself but more so due to my previous read. However, around the 50 page mark I quickly found myself immersed and quite intrigued by the mystery of this labyrinth and Piranesi's existence in it. I loved the way Piranesi describes things, conveying this otherworldly atmosphere and presence of the labyrinth's sights and sounds. And I loved his appreciation of the both the simplistic things of the Halls and it's grandeur.
I found the mystery pretty well written, though I wouldn't say I was ever super shocked by the revelations.
Overall certainly an enjoyable read. Certainly incredibly unique as well. Clarke's writing and Piranesi's narrative voice created a wonderful little reading experience. But I do have to say I think this book is a bit overhyped, or rather I once again fell into the trap of overhyping something for myself, resulting in slight disappointment despite enjoying the novel. Anyway, it's definitely worth reading. I could see myself coming back to this as well considering how short and captivating it is, and I simply enjoyed experiencing the tremendous labyrinth vicariously through Piranesi.