Piranesi: WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE 2021

LOVED THIS BOOK!

I received the book damaged.

Stunning cover. Good quality book.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke the novel that asks, "What if we took a guy, stuck him in an impossible house, gave him amnesia, and made readers spend 200 pages figuring out what literally everyone else understood by page 30?" It's like a mystery box where the mystery is less "whodunit" and more "why is our protagonist the last person to realize he's been had?" Let's talk about our narrator, Piranesi (spoiler: not his real name, but he doesn't know that because of course he doesn't). He's living his best life in a House of infinite halls and statues, journaling about tides and birds with the enthusiasm of someone who's never heard of Netflix. He's got a whole routine going—mapping rooms, cataloging statues, befriending birds, avoiding floods. It's all very Walden Pond meets The Twilight Zone, and he's utterly convinced this is normal. The writing is gorgeous in that specific way that makes you feel like you're reading someone's really pretentious dream journal. Everything is Capitalized for Importance. The House. The Sea. The Other. Clarke has created a narrator so earnest and sincere that you almost feel bad for him as he cheerfully describes his captivity like it's a quirky lifestyle choice. And then there's "The Other" the only other person Piranesi sees regularly, who shows up to ask cryptic questions and is so obviously sinister that you'll spend half the book wanting to reach through the pages and shake our protagonist while screaming "DUDE, READ THE ROOM. LITERALLY. READ ANY ROOM IN THIS WEIRD HOUSE." The pacing is... deliberate. Clarke takes her sweet time letting you piece together what's happening, which is either masterful atmospheric storytelling or the literary equivalent of watching someone fail to solve a puzzle you finished an hour ago. Your mileage will vary depending on whether you enjoy feeling smugly ahead of the protagonist or prefer everyone to be confused together. But here's the thing that's infuriating: it works. The slow reveal is actually kind of perfect. The House is legitimately enchanting and creepy. Piranesi himself is impossibly likable despite being aggressively oblivious. And when the pieces finally click together, there's a genuine emotional payoff that sneaks up and punches you right in the feelings. The problem? It's short enough that you'll finish it in one sitting, but slow enough that you'll spend the first half wondering if you're missing something or if Clarke is just really committed to the bit. (It's the latter. She's very committed.) Perfect for readers who enjoyed Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell but wished it was shorter and weirder. Also perfect for people who like their fantasy served with a side of existential dread and architectural impossibility. Side effects may include: an irrational desire to live in a mysterious house, trust issues with anyone who asks you philosophical questions, and the sudden urge to start capitalizing random Nouns in your own Writing. Bottom line: It's a beautiful, strange little book about memory, identity, and what happens when you're too pure-hearted to realize you're trapped. You'll either love it immediately or spend 100 pages going "is this it?" before suddenly, unexpectedly, loving it anyway. Clarke remains the queen of making you wait for it. And annoyingly, it's worth the wait.

Great weekend read. Original, quirky and pleasantly surprising. Highly recommend.

La calidad es buena, llego en buen estado, sin rasgaduras, manchas de tinta ni errores de inpresion. En mi opinion el papel que usaron es algo poroso y se siente aspero al tocarlo. Obviamemte no es un defecto pero hay personas que son muy sensibles a las texturas. La historia es... peculiar. No muy llamativa pero te mantiene lo suficientemente enganchado para querer saber que pasa el final. Si buscas fantasia tal vez no sea la mejor eleccion.

Amazing story and also received in good condition

Such a curious and thought provoking book, I couldn’t put it down. The structure is deceptively simple with a series of diary entries which build the world, mystery, and tension. I loved the mystery of the opening where we’re left to wonder what the world is and who Piranesi is. Like others I felt a little disappointed by the emerging ‘explanation’ but as you continue to the end it is clear that there is no real explanation, returning us to the beginning state of wonder. I especially liked the child like innocence that Piranesi maintains despite the circumstances, then his eventual evolution that provokes questions about self. For such a small book it creates a huge world and provokes the reader to question the world but also larger questions. Brilliant.