This was my first Susannah Clarke book and what a beautifully strange introduction. She has such a talent for building unique, immersive and extremely intricate worlds, especially in such a short novel and I found myself wanting to return to it as soon as I finished it. As someone with M.E, which the author also has, I also found this an interesting kind of exploration of being housebound and isolation. I can’t wait to hopefully read more of Clarke’s bizarre little books in the future!

Excellent; one of the best books I've read in years. I almost didn't pick it up because of the cover design and title.

This excerpt was really interesting. The writing is beautiful and poetic. The concept of this is really intriguing and I look forward to reading the rest of the book.

Weird, weird. Kind of like the movie Inception, the moment I put this down I wanted to reread it knowing what I know now. This is a very odd story; but very good. It sucked me in and even had me questioning my own reality at one point. If you read it in one or two sittings (which I did not) I think it could really make you feel surreal. I dragged it out because I love Susanna Clarke’s writing so much and there is so little of it to enjoy for the first time. No footnotes which made me a little sad (lol); but a superb piece of surreal magical(?) realism literature.

It has been a couple months now since reading Piranesi and I keep trying to find a way to express my love for it more appropriately than the summary paragraph above. Yet, I seem to come up short every time. The thing is that Piranesi is a unique story. Unlike any other I've read to date. And so it is not only very well written and framed but also absolutely engrossing. There are pieces of it that come back to me still weeks and weeks (and many books) later. I mean who doesn't want to be the caretaker of precious artifacts or bones; who doesn't want to have the ability to find 'holes' in the fabric of reality and find another land. In fact Piranesi is almost like the Narnia for adults. We are led into a quite, relatively safe space, just as a wardrobe once put us next to a light post with snow beneath our feet. Instead we are taken to a land of stone and carvings; with lots of water, that has its own magical properties.

Overall Piranesi is brilliant. I just can't find a way to say that strong enough. So you'll just have to read it and find out for yourself if you agree. Luckily its a short page count and so not a huge investment in time; although be prepared as you may sit down to read it and not want to stop until you reach the final pages.

While I received an excerpt (sampler) from the publisher in advance to publication; I also made sure to purchase a first edition hardcover because I loved Clarke's first book so much and had an incline that Piranesi would be as loved as Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell was for me. So this is my disclaimer, but not a disclaimer write-up as technically I did purchase a copy for my own consumption. I cannot wait to re-read Piranesi in the future and see what new secrets it might unlock for me.

Sorry, I don’t really get it. This book felt as incomplete as the world in which Piranesi found himself. I could never latch onto the characters or the premise. I’m glad it was short.

A strong selection of the book but I will not be getting the full version. Thank you for allowing me to attempt the book and I hope there is success in the future. My apologies that it took this long to get a review to you and I will not be posting this to Goodreads. Thanks for your time.

This is strange. I only got to read an excerpt of this, though. It's definitely strange yet I don't know, maybe it just doesn't tap into my imagination because I can't seem to connect with the story. It makes me confused. I will try to read it another time and preferably as the whole and not just an excerpt.

As I only read the excerpt of this book and have not read the full novel yet, I am reserving judgement! I found it difficult to get into, but I found the same with Strange & Norrell - it took me a few attempts to get into the style of the writing and I suspect this novel will be the same.

I have now finished the entire book. The writing is excellent. The book is very atmospheric and I loved how slowly the story is revealed over time. I found the ending very satisfying. I am a home appraiser and this book really fed into my reoccurring dream of being stuck in a huge house and being unable to leave!

This book was unlike any other that I've read, and I did enjoy it. Some of the descriptive stuff regarding the tides wasn't for me, and I wasn't 100% in love with the main character's voice but overall a good read.

This book was strange, but intriguing. While I found it very odd, I did enjoy the read, although I find it is definitely not for everyone.

I just couldn't get into this book but do appreciate the opportunity to read the excerpt. Thanks netgalley!

I had been waiting for a long time for another book from this author. While I don't think anything can top Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (and the subsequent Ladies of Grace Adieu), this did not disappoint. It's not what I expected, but who could ever have expected this odd and dreamlike tale? Beautifully written, this will keep you guessing until the end, and then you will continue to wonder about it.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

Judging by this blurb, the book seems promising! Reminds me of one of my favorite fantasy/mythology books Circe. If you are a fan of Miller's work then I feel like you should pick up Susanna Clarke's newest novel "Piranesi". Though slow to get into, the detailed descriptions and world building are phenomenal and worth sticking with it.

This novel was an unexpectedly brilliant and a sanity-saving read during the peak of the pandemic. I couldn’t concentrate on any other books, but Clarke’s strangely haunting novel connected with me on a level I still can’t explain. I reveled in the strangeness of the ancient, yet eternal setting, and the ambiguity of Piranisi’s character. At a time when I felt my most unmoored, This novel allowed me to ride safely and meaningfully on the literal and figurative waves of uncertainty. I can’t stop thinking about it and I recommend it for those who are willing to brave the unknown.

Just from this excerpt, I can tell that I'm going to like the rest of the book. It's dark and atmospheric and a little weird, and I'm all here for it. This is one of those books that I know I have to be in the mood to read, but once ready, I'm excited to enjoy the rest of this one!

I appreciate the opportunity to read an excerpt of this novel. Unfortunately, it is not a style that I prefer and was a bit difficult for me to "get into". For those enjoying this genre and writing style, I think this would be a beautiful option for them. It's just not for me.

Please see my Youtube video (link below) for the full review.

Susannah Clarke has created a wonderful and complex world that I loved getting lost in. The vivid descriptions of a house with endless rooms whose walls are lined with intricate sculptures held my attention, and I loved exploring the world. But the real wonder of this book is how the story unravels around us. There are so many mysteries to make sense of and trying to piece everything together alongside our main character. This book reads like part fantasy, part mystery, and part nature journal and it's just a wonderful read. I love the way it explores themes of religion and spirituality and how they relate to science and progress and the quest for knowledge. I am amazed at how this rather short book evoked so many philosophic thoughts and illusions to other works and yet would still be enjoyable and rich without all that knowledge. I'd recommend this book if you like quirky books, mysteries, fantasy, or dark academia, but also if you like beautifully written nature prose.

For me, this is the best book of 2020. Well worth the wait from Susanna Clarke since Strange & Norrell, though I hope the next wait isn't so long. A cryptic and fascinating novel and I am loving telling my customers all about it.

God what a fascinating book! Despite the brevity of the excerpt I was completely taken in by it and have just requested it from my family for Christmas. I am ready to be astounded and amazed.

What I mostly adored was the beautiful description of the house, the tides, the statues, the various "people" in the house. It all felt just real enough to ground the magic of Clarke's writing.