PLEASE Read Piranesi

Pulse Perspective by Deacon Tuttle

Have you ever been lost? You would have to define that term. Definitions are important and funnily enough, not unlike Piranesi's himself, they are all subject to interpretation. One could find being lost as captivating while another sees it as something to escape. 

Piranesi is a beautiful blend of sleuthing and contemplative thoughts. Its story and mysteries are equal parts entertaining and harrowing. Altogether, Susanna Clarke's writing is as magical as the House the novel is set in. 

YOU NEED THIS BOOK 

This novel was released in 2020 so I’m a little late to the bus. As someone who has recently re-discovered their love of reading with Piranesi, the need I have for this brand of fiction was indescribable (though I will try). 

I believe you NEED this book in your life as much as Piranesi clings to his trusty journal. If you like: 

● First-person storytelling where you discover clues along with the character

● A light fantasy setting with questions that are curious and not overwhelming

● Non-linear writing that throws you in the deep end but is incredibly rewarding in the end (not the end, the end, more like 50 or so pages) 

● Quick, fast, and standalone stories 

● A strong concise cast of character 

● Witty and heightened writing styles 

Then, you will indeed be mesmerized with this book. Yes, you. Even if you don’t like reading yet you will. 

Going into this book fresh is the greatest thing I could recommend to someone. OK, TIME FOR THE STORY SYNOPSIS 

You will follow the life of Piranesi who is a man in a vast (and I mean vast) house. The story is conveyed through journal entries of each day that Piranesi has lived in his paradise. Speaking of the days they are dated in a way that is not normal to our everyday life.

Entry for the Tenth Day of the Fifth Month in the Year the Albatross came to the South-Western Halls 

Throw out the calendar style you are used to 

The story consists of Piranesi documenting what the House holds, what he remembers (or doesn’t) in his past, and the conflicts that arise when you leave with a Housemate. Even if there are more than a thousand Vestibules that often separate their weekly get-togethers. 

GET LOST 

This is as much as I can give without writing a whole thesis on the way that Susanna Clarke handles isolation, identity, and the way that we interact with the world around us. There is a common trope in stories where “Everything is not as it seems” but what happens when that’s not only an external threat, but an internal one. 

I’m thankful that Clarke wrote this book as it takes so many things I’m fond of in any type of fictional medium and mixes it into this special book. The fact that it’s a novel makes me even more thankful that I’ve since sought out and read other books. 

I found my enjoyment in reading again through Piranesi even though I doubted if that could happen. Now, the goal is to make sure that I don’t get as lost as Piranesi in my inevitable TBR (to be read) pile after the spark for literature has reignited, as yours may too if you read this book.