Book Review: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Piranesi lives in a labyrinthine world. Branching out from his central point it contains a seemingly endless maze of rooms and halls, each lined with ornate statues depicting people engaged in all manner of activity. Water flows through the halls, flooding some and avoiding others, following a tide controlled by the moon which is visible through windows or gaps in the structure. Birds and sea life abound, but otherwise Piranesi is alone, except for brief, twice-weekly meetings with a man he calls The Other, who he presumes resides in some far-off area of the House.

The Other is obsessed with the idea of gaining A Great and Secret Knowledge from the House. Since Piranesi is meticulous in keeping notes about his discoveries within it, he is often enlisted to help The Other learn about distant spaces and in exchange he is provided with useful items of mysterious origin. Other humans have existed in the House before, now they are but corpses which Piranesi tends to out of kindness.

One day evidence appears that suggests another person may be coming. The Other warns that this person is dangerous, but Piranesi begins to wonder about his friend’s intentions and whether or not the House was truly always his home.

Susanna Clarke proves a masterful writer in this short but elegant and idea-filled epistolary novel. It’s a joy to spend time in the mind of the kind, inquisitive, and humble title character, as it is with the fully realized and highly imaginative world he inhabits. Answers to the mystery that drives the story forward are delivered with perfect pacing, building suspense as we work towards a conclusion that satisifies, even if many will be able to piece most of it together well before our hero.

Rife with symbolism and smart references (look up the artist and architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi), this feels like a book that will richly reward repeat readings. How much do our memories impact our identities? What is our relationship with nature, with the dead? What do we want it to be? What are the costs we’re willing to pay in the pursuit of knowledge? These questions and more will be swirling around in readers’ minds during and after their journey through this book. Those who can fully open themselves to what Piranesi is saying will likely treasure the experience of reading it for years to come. ★★★★★