August Book Club: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Upon picking up Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, I expected it to be much of what it was: a relatively slow paced, rather beautiful, magical novel with a wholesome, inquisitive protagonist at its centre. The book follows Piranesi, one of only two living inhabitants of an infinitely large house, as he finds clues of another person’s existence and discovers truths about himself and the world he lives in. What I didn’t expect was that Piranesi, instead of existing within a fantastical realm, is actually held captive in an alternate universe, an ‘Other World’, by a power-hungry psychologist, making the book a Portal Fantasy. One of many things I enjoyed about this book was the fact that I never knew quite which direction it was taking me. Who could I trust? Was this going to be an escape novel? Or was the world really entirely made up of the House?

Narrative Voice

Something I love to discover within the fiction I read is that the narrator is unreliable, especially when it takes time for this to be revealed. It was done particularly well in this novel, where Piranesi’s unreliability was hinted at gradually. When the Other told Piranesi that his memory was deteriorating, I didn’t know whether or not to believe him. I thought this was potentially the Other’s way of manipulating Piranesi, to make himself appear more sound of mind than him, which was partially true. But then it became clear that Piranesi really had been losing his memories, becoming more forgetful over time. At this point, despite feeling fond of the protagonist, I almost didn’t know who to trust: Piranesi seemed to remember so much, with his endless bank of detailed knowledge, and yet he was almost too knowledgeable: there were things he inexplicably knew, such as the names of sausage rolls and crisp packets, food he could not access with the resources he has inside the House. It is almost as though he once knew these things, was once part of a world in which these things existed. Similarly, the Other provides Piranesi with items such as shoes and saucepans, yet the grateful recipient never questions their origins. It’s as if deep down he recognises these things; even though they are out of place, they don’t seem so. He must have forgotten them.

Setting/ Architecture

This was possibly one of my favourite aspects of the whole novel, as the setting played a huge role in establishing the whimsical tone of the story, and many traits of Piranesi’s character. The large, magnificent house becomes a place of worship for the protagonist. Sweeping marble floors and walls adorned with millions of statues, the House is highly impressive and it is no wonder that Piranesi has spent hours marvelling at it. But my favourite thing about the House was the Tides! I love water in fiction (the beauty and power, the possibility of drowning hugely upping the stakes, swimming, mermaids, etc.). In this book, the water is simultaneously a source of fear and of life. It is a threat to the characters’ safety but also a resource, from which Piranesi obtains food and seaweed for twine. Piranesi’s thorough record-keeping serves as a constant reminder of his diligence, intelligence and everlasting, contagious respect for the House.

Character

Piranesi is an entirely heart-warming character. He is grateful for everything that he has, protective and loving towards others, and also quite tragically isolated, at times desperate for human connection. He takes care of those living and dead, bringing offerings to the skeletons of previous inhabitants of the House, and going out of his way to ensure the safety of the Other and 16, no matter their sense of morality. His emotional, romantic side is particularly endearing and I found myself truly wishing for his happiness throughout the entire novel. Piranesi’s guilty conscience added a complexity to his character that I found intriguing; it made him all the more real and human. He was rational and naïve at the same time. Intelligent in some aspects yet perhaps overly trusting, making him blind to the true evils of certain Other characters. One issue I found with Piranesi was that his eternal sense of optimism lowered the stakes for me (I enjoy high stakes when the plot allows for it). But I suppose this was an intentional decision by Clarke, because the novel isn’t meant to be super thrilling or exciting. The plot has the potential to be that, but taking the story in this direction wouldn’t align it with its purpose. At its core, Piranesi is just a sweet tale of a man who has been through terrible things and yet is still so kind and thankful. I found the novel inspiring, it made me think about humans' capability of finding joy and appreciation for life no matter the hardships that come our way. I will always remember Piranesi for his soft, grateful presence.

The Ending

I have to say I found the climax slightly anticlimactic. Perhaps I expected the novel to be building up to a big, tense situation, where Piranesi has uncovered everything, the tides are about to flood the second floor, and a fight is about to be had. I think, to be honest, this was my own fault, because of course Piranesi and the Other didn’t have an epic good vs. evil battle (Piranesi is not against anyone, he still cares for the Other and forgives him despite his wrongdoings). This would’ve happened in another, louder novel, but not this one. I also appreciated the lack of glorification when it came to the Other’s eventual death. After all, we are fed the story through Piranesi’s perspective, and this loss made him sad rather than relieved. I think Clarke made a lot of excellent decisions with this book, like not showing us the reunion between Matthew and his family, which would’ve perhaps suggested an immediate shift to ‘normality’, something Piranesi wasn’t capable of, and letting us know that even though he decides to return to the regular world, he still enjoys his alone time, and visits the House out of true love and respect. He is able to live a happy life, accepting his new identity as a combination of both Matthew Rose Sorensen and Piranesi. For me, this was a satisfying ending.

Overall Thoughts and Rating

Piranesi is a short, sweet treasure of a novel which tackles themes of isolation, memory, mystery, identity and the pursuit of knowledge. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it: the tides, the impressive narrative style and form, Susanna Clarke’s flawless writing, Piranesi as a protagonist. My main takeaway from the novel was his undying gratitude and kindness, even in the face of true adversity. If I were rating this book based on its objective quality, I think I would give it 5 stars, but because I didn’t form a deep emotional connection to it, despite enjoying it immensely, I have to rate it lower. I hope you enjoyed this book if you have read it, and if you haven't, I highly recommend!

Rating: 3.5/5.