Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Are all books labyrinths or just this one? Are all readers, in their own way, Piranesi?

Books, like labyrinths, are easy to get lost in. They keep their readers hooked, trapped, unable to stop turning the pages, and therefore unable to find their way out.

This is one of the many reasons why we, as readers, love books. We want to get lost, we want the challenge of finding our way through, and eventually finding our way out.

Susanna Clarke has given her readers one of the most magnificent and awe-inspiring labyrinths.

This book, like the countless marble statues it contains, is a true work of artistic genius.

Interior view of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, from Views of Rome by Giovanni Battista Piranesi ~ Source: Art Institute of Chicago

The structure of the story, which is in a diary entry format, made me feel deeply connected to the character of Piranesi. It felt as if I had actually found his journals washed up on the shores of a beach or in a grand South-Western Hall. Piranesi showed me his World, his Halls and Vestibules. He taught me about the Tides and how to find food. He confided in me, and we discovered the truth together. I didn’t just read this book, I Lived it with Piranesi.

Piranesi’s narrative voice is rhythmic, strong, and humble as well as wise. His (Clarke’s) enthralling descriptions of the House and the Statues are rich with life and meaning.

Despite the unsettling circumstances Piranesi is in, and which the House is at the center of, I felt oddly at peace in the World. Of course I also felt trapped and anxious, but the House itself felt safe and serene. Through Piranesi’s eyes, I saw the immeasurable Beauty of the House and its infinite Kindness. This is a perspective I was most certainly not expecting to have, and there lies Susanna Clarke’s genius.

Although this can be seen as a Greek myth retelling, of the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, it is entirely original and unique.

Theseus and the Minotaur Statue by Antonio Canova ~ Source: The Victoria & Albert Museum (London)

The pacing was also brilliantly done. In the beginning, Piranesi/Clarke, gives the reader information slowly, like a drizzle. As time passes, they reveal many things at a faster and more intense rate, like a downpour… or flood!

The atmosphere and tone were exceptional. From the small details to the towering pillars in the endless Halls, I was enchanted from the very start.

I wouldn’t be surprised if, on days when I’m feeling overwhelmed in our busy, noisy, and bustling world, I found myself back in the House, listening to the sound of the Tides and finding comfort in the Statues.