Piranesi
Ratings1,267
Average rating4.2
Few books pull the reader into their world quite like this one does. I think the thing that makes this story feel so special is that by witnessing it, you feel like you're a part of it. Stepping into this world without context puts you in the shoes (or lack thereof) of the protagonist perfectly. The mystery at the core unfolds at a pace that keeps you just ahead of the hero and every page is packed with the most wonder-filled descriptions. You get to inhabit this childlike innocence through Piranesi that makes every discovery he makes so pure. The story was excellent, but the way it was told is what makes this a five star for me. I wanted to frame every page.
The craft on display here is something you don't see often in things that are actually fun to read. Pick it up!
Comienza lento, quizás confuso, bastante descriptivo (como una obra del arquitecto cuyo nombre inspira al libro y a su personaje principal) sin que pase mucho, pero al coger impulso evoluciona a un misterio oscuro, fantástico y sicológico. Recomendadísimo.
4.5/5
Like when you wake up from a beautiful and weird dream and you only remember splashes of paint, impressions, sensations.
You don’t really know what’s going on when you start Piranesi, but in a wonderfully mysterious way. I really enjoyed the morphine drip of information this book gives, slowly revealing what’s actually going on while also introducing several new questions every few pages. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the journal-entry writing style and how charmed I was by the main character.
Really loved it. I don't know the last time I read a book so quickly.
2.5 stars for the first half for being too painfully slow and descriptive for my liking... 4 stars overall thanks to the insane last third!
I really wanted to love this like everyone else did but I'm really left feeling underwhelmed. maybe I hyped it up too much in my mind but this book didn't really illicit any reaction out of me. I wanted to figure out wtf was happening and then I did and that was it.
Such a strange little book.
Beautifully well written, fast paced, intriguing and enjoyable.
I had a lot of fun reading it, id personally describe this as a magical realism with strong mystery elements, so if that sounds good, pick this up.
Tiene todos los elementos para que me encantase, pero al final me he quedado un poco sin más...
Great book overall. The world building is quite awesome. The end was a little abrupt. It is forgettable tho
Der Anfang war sehr langsam, aber ab der Mitte, ab dann, als man mehr über Piranesis Vergamgenheit erfährt und mehr Kontext hat ist es sehr interessant und einfach zu lesen. Der Inhalt ist sehr originell, hab noch nie etwas ähnliches gelesen. Und obwohl ich eigentlich Erzähler, denen man nicht vertrauen kann, nicht mag, fand ich das Buch gut und entertaining.
This was a very different book. I enjoyed it. It was mystical, dreamy and a great fantasy mystery book. I really enjoyed it.
4.5. I loved it. It was so good. I have to admit I struggled through the first part because of the immense amount of places, rooms, and things described, but I was so intrigued with the story and the way Piranesi saw the world. I know this book will not be for everyone, but I thought it was beautifully written, with an engaging plot, and characters that you couldn't help want to know better. Ultimately, I think this is a story about identity, about connecting with others, and connecting with your environment. How seeing the world through the lens of being grateful, kind, and curious will reveal the true beauty of our surroundings. Piranesi's empathy and passion for life was so compelling and pure.
Sorry, this was not for me. 72 pages in I dropped. Nothing interesting happening that would make me want to continue to read. No plot or characters that would be interesting. Also laborious descriptions about exotic environments that don't really give me a reason to pick up the book once I put it down.
Pros: The way this books reads like a classical novel (which is something Clarke know very well how to do), the language is so pretty.
The setting of the House has its charm - freely flowing water, thousands of statues, star constellation named Good mother, the Lamppost, the Rose; fish and clams and an octopus.
I liked the protagonist - he is trusting, practical, kind, curious and in general I feel like he embodies the good in human nature.
The plot and the way it unravels and is reflected in the language.
Cons: I'd love more lore! Not that this is necessarily a flaw but I'm sure I'm not the only one who is left wondering about a lot.
4,5
a thrilling and easy read! i devoured it in a few hours. some people in the reviews are complaining about overlong descriptions of The House but honestly i can't imagine thinking that having read more than two books in your lifetime. i did find the ending somewhat underwhelming though, it seemed a bit small for such a large, exhilarating story.
I haven't been this taken and lost in a book in so long. I couldn't stop reading it. It was wonderful in every way.
Susanna Clarke does so much with so little all the time.
(3.5/5) I found the creativity and general tone of this fantasy novel to be very rejuvenating. I must admit I wasn't necessarily going into it expecting what it turned out to be, but that's really more of a me problem than anything else. It felt a bit more like young adult fiction than I was anticipating, which isn't really my thing- but I enjoyed it overall. There are some really great ideas in here; ones well-worth the praise it often receives. I can certainly understand why so many readers have fallen in love with it (I'm admittedly more confused by how so many reviewers found it to be hard-to-follow, but anyway.) In another world, ahem I almost wish there was a version of this novel that spent more time exploring it's fascinating world than on any other additional plot elements... but I digress. This is a short, imaginative read that wants to remind us of the wonders of living. In that, I'd say it's largely successful!
4.5 stars. One of the most unique and immersive reads I've had. It was very hard to get into at the beginning because it was so different. And the descriptions were difficult to wrap my head around but it mirrors the experience of the characters themselves in this strange world. Once the plot thickened, it had me at the edge of my seat.
My Rating System:
5⭐️: Excellent book AND influenced a change in my views
4.5⭐️: Excellent read ⬅️⬅️⬅️
4⭐️: Great read, will recommend
3.5⭐️: Enjoyable read but missing something that will make it great
3⭐️: An okay read that I didn't regret spending time on it
2⭐️: Didn't enjoy
1⭐️: Didn't enjoy and had serious issues. Will suggest to avoid.
A sweet, bite-sized version of Susanna Clarke's world. I much preferred her massive tome, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, which I still consider a supreme masterwork of fantasy fiction. Mamma mia.
But that one is, admittedly, a kinda daunting read: 1k pages! This is a much more manageable ~300, and it has many of the same charming qualities of her other book:
- Magical Englishness
- Deep (19th century, capital R) Romanticism
- Characters who are fallible and amusing and fussy
This one has a much slower reveal - the book itself is basically a slow reveal, and we conclude with the “ah ha!” - but there's no surprises, necessarily. Or no false leads; every hint is just a straightforward increment in knowledge.
It was fine, good.