Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
We’ve had to wait 16 years for Susanna Clarke to write her second novel, with just some short stories in between. Was it worth the wait or was it a ‘difficult’ second novel?
It was definitely the former!
Piranesi is one of those uncategorisable novels that has a bit of everything in it: SF, Fantasy, History, Art, Nature, Mystery, Psychology and more, and is full of rich intertextual references. The story of a man who lives in a self-contained building with infinite halls housing its own ocean, and what happens when the balance is upset.
And Bloomsbury have done such a lovely job with the physical hardback too, with lovely boards and end papers. I shall direct you to head straight over to Shiny New Books to read my full review.
My Shiny Review is HERE
I shall close by saying I loved this book so much I’d give it 11/10!
Source: Review copy – Thank you! BUY at Blackwell’s via my affiliate link (free UK P&P).
Susanna Clarke, Piranesi (Bloomsbury, Sept 2020) Hardback 245 pages.
Yessssss me toooooooo! Gosh I was so nervous about this book and whether I’d love it (I desperately wanted to love it), but I shouldn’t have worried a single minute. It was delightfully funny and sad and weird. I had an e-ARC so I haven’t bought the physical book yet, but I am definitely asking for it for Christmas. I loved it.
Yessssss indeed! I was surprised at the range of emotion in it too, and my mind is still reeling as it is still making me think of so many other things, for a short book, the detail was phenomenal.
Well, I may just have to read it after that score!
If I didn’t have such a big pile of books to read, I’d read it again straight away and take copious notes this time. It’s very special and always surprising with some gorgeous writing. I hope you’d enjoy it too …
High praise indeed Annabel! I’ve seen this one doing the rounds and it looks beautiful (and also if it’s anything to do with Piranesi I’m interested)
I am so looking forward to reading this. Jonathan Strange & mr Norrell is one of my favorites and I have been waiting for a new book ever since I read it 8 years ago.
16 years wait for me! It was worth it.
I’ve been avoiding too close a perusal of your review and others as, though I have a copy, I’m letting Emily read it first (as she did with JS&MN) and I want to enjoy it as if it were a new continent floating within my reach! Then I’ll come back to your review… 😁
I hope you love it too when it’s your turn.
I couldn’t get anywhere with the first one so I think I shall give this a kiss, but so glad it lived up to your expectations; it’s devastating when a book you’ve been longing for turns out to be a damp squib.
It is totally different, but don’t force yourself 🙂
VERY keen to read this – glad to hear you enjoyed it so much!