Piranesi Paperback – 18 September 2021

At first glance, ‘Piranesi’ appears to be Clarke’s interpretation of the ‘Minotaur and the Labyrinth’ -- the Classical tale of a mythical minotaur who dwelled at the center of an infinite maze-like structure -- but this simplistic description only goes so far as the synopsis on the dust jacket. Because ‘Piranesi’ is so much more than just another creative retelling.From the very first page, it becomes clear that our titular character is a scholar: a man of reason, a meticulous chronicler, and the grateful inhabitant of an expansive, labyrinthine building he simply refers to as “the House”, with a capital H. Piranesi, we learn, is suffering from memory loss. Piranesi has what might be called plot amnesia—he doesn’t remember who he is or any of the important events that brought him to his present self. In plot amnesia stories, the main character starts off in the same position as the reader: neither knows their past, their purpose, or their world. They set off together on the adventure to learn who they are and what they’ve been.Piranesi is in the House, as you are in the book, and he wanders through it to learn his own identity just as you do. Clarke deftly weaves together highbrow and lowbrow so Piranesi as the reader is both symbol and story. Twice a week, for 1 hour only, he has an appointment with the man known as the Other. The Other is always dressed smartly, while Piranesi is dressed in the rags that remain of the clothes he must have worn when he arrived at the House. Piranesi dresses his hair with seashells and seaweed. Piranesi does not know where the Other comes from or goes outside these two weekly appointments, but believes, at least in the beginning, the Other to also live in the House. And so ... this simple life carries on ... until there are messages left for Piranesi from an intruder and signs of an intruder's presence. The Other warns the young man that the new presence is a mortal danger to him.This novel was surely a delight. It had strong elements which were woven together by Clarke’s prose to come up with a lush tapestry. The worldbuilding was fascinating. The suspense was gripping. The conclusion was subpar but it was nevertheless an insightful read. It may be mind-boggling at points but Piranesi is a riveting tale that also ironically captures our recent plight.

TLDR - 7/10. Piranesi is an atmospheric tale that defies conventional categorization. Similar in some ways to my last read The Sense of an Ending, this novel also explores themes like the fragility of truth, the impermanence of memory, and how identity is shaped by experience and environment. While the dense world-building may feel slow at first, it ultimately draws you into its surreal and intricate setting.Plot - Piranesi lives in The House—a vast, otherworldly labyrinth of endless halls, statues, and tides. The only other inhabitant is The Other, whom Piranesi considers a friend. As the story unfolds, the mysteries of The House deepen, Piranesi’s bond with The Other evolves, and his presence in The House itself turns out to be no coincidence.Clarke’s prose is spare yet hauntingly atmospheric. Though the pacing takes some getting used to, the journal-style narrative pulls readers into Piranesi’s mind, making his thoughts and observations feel deeply personal.Should you read it? Pick up Piranesi if you’re looking for a richly imaginative fantasy novel that blends philosophical musings with intricate world-building. But if you’re frustrated by ambiguity or the feeling of half-remembered dreams, this one might not be for you.

Great cover and delivery

As shown in the picture listed

I started this and completed it in one sitting. It starts off a bit too descriptive. But as I got familiar with the journaling style, it picked up the pace. The lead character is very well written. He is smart, resourceful, curious and a hard worker. He calls himself a scientist and enjoys observing, recording and analysing everything around him. He is also optimistic to a fault, but I found that charming.I'm ignoring other locations and characters in the book because I believe one should learn about them in the way the author envisioned. The book is short and is entirely made up of journal entries, which makes it a swift read. I enjoyed the ending quite a bit as it connects everything and answers all questions in a way that works in this universe.

The book started off really slow. I didn't know where it was going. Skimmed through the first few pages. About 70 pages in, is when the actual story begins to emerge. While the setting is intriguing, the story itself is nothing new. It reminded me a LOT of The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and a little bit of some true crime article I had read in the New Yorker. A lot of things in the story seemed forced, too many convenient things happen, danger doesn't seem real enough, and motivations don't feel strong enough. It's an okay read. Nothing to gush about.

Restrictions leads to appreciations.The book urges you to unravel any confusion you face going into this, by admiring the certainties given by the protagonist as they carefully explain their world to you. While the fondness, admiration and love for the world has you following them behind quietly, lurking in the corners of your consequences is the constant question of 'why?'Why does this world exist? Why are we here? Why is everything the way it is?Within a few dozen pages, I quickly started to have growing concern for the lovable protagonist. Who did this to them? When will they realise what could have happened?The writing is admirable and though I found myself glazing over a lot of the text later on, the feeling of wonderment and fear with every reveal is coupled with the awe of the subtleties of cherishment the protagonist has for their world.Piranesi shows that verbosity doesn't make a classic, carefully captured emotions do.