Piranesi
by Susanna Clarke · first published 2020
80% recommend16% neutral4% critical
Why HN recommends it
Eerie, minimalist fantasy set in a vast, beautifully described world of endless halls and statues, with a satisfying mystery plot. Suits readers who like strange settings and a quick, absorbing read.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
From the New York Times bestselling author of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, an intoxicating, hypnotic new novel set in a dreamlike alternative reality. Piranesi's house is no ordinary building; its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore
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Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke. Inventive, well-written, and compelling.
on “Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?” ↗…Martian, but I think I liked this one even more than that. It's still got that very procedural, engineering-porn style, but the scope is grander, a bit more Arthur C. Clarke and a bit less MacGuyver. * Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. A lot of people may call this fantasy, but I don't think the distinction is meaningful in this case. It's about someone who gets stuck in a strange world that's sort of The Library…
on “Ask HN: Best SciFi books in last 5 years” ↗I can recommend two strong stories that came out earlier in 2020: "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke was great. Minimalist and eerie, with a satisfying science-fantasy plot. Very different in size, scope and theme from Clarke's previous novel, "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell". "The…
on “My Favorite Books 2020” ↗Some recent-ish ones, because many of my classic ones have been mentioned: Rotherweird by Andrew Caldecott Piranesi by Susanna Clarke The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco. Here by Richard McGuire The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
on “Ask HN: What is your favorite fiction book?” ↗It's also referenced(ish) in the gorgeous sci-fi novel Piranesi by Susanna Clarke.
on “Battersea Power Station in London unveils the newly restored Control Room A” ↗Cannot recommend Piranesi by Susanna Clarke enough. A lovely read and could be devoured in an entire day if you're willing and able.
on “Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?” ↗…starts to lighten. A novel about some friends who build some games (set in the 1990s and 2000s, with references to games of that era), it's really about friendship, social awkwardness and creativity. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke can't really take a review. When I first of it in Literary Review, the reviewer refused to disclose any plot for fear of providing spoilers, and I'm the same. I can just tell you, it's…
on “Ask HN: What are you reading these days?” ↗Piranesi by Susanna Clarke... I've been wanting to read that too! Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell has been one of my favorite and most immersive books, absolutely brilliant! Too bad Susanna Clarke got CFS, a very…
on “Re: Do people IRL know you have a blog?” ↗My reads this read, which I enjoyed: - Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar (an examination of the Dyatlov Expedition). - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (fantasy). - Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger. - Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden. Hopefully the other responses here give me something good to read for Christmas break. :-)
on “Ask HN: What were the best books you read this year?” ↗“Piranesi” by Susanna Clarke. Refreshing and beautiful because it’s a totally new kind of world for a story to take place in, essentially survival in a world of procedurally generated endless architecture. Most…
on “Ask HN: What were the best books you read this year?” ↗Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. (Though I kind of wish I'd read it during, not after, lock-down.)
on “Ask HN: What is the best thing you read in 2024?” ↗This reminds me so much of what I really wanted to do after reading Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. It seems like such a perfect setting for an ambient soundscape like this with the ocean sounds crashing through the rooms, various birds passing through or collecting, you could even…
on “Ambient Garden” ↗…Cathedrals (mostly the history of their building and preservation). A bit too plain for my taste but includes interesting facts and anecdotes. Finished recently: -Flowers for Algernon, which I liked a lot. -Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke, so beautiful and surprising. -The Great Gatsby, which I had not read yet and which I have loved reading.
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗…it; the author is a little too good at writing truly loathable antagonists, and at the same time reading him, you have learned he cares little for plot armor ('if he dies, he dies', sigh.) Other than that, Piranesi by Susanne Clarke; I have also gotten her earlier book, but not gotten far into it yet. DCC is strangely hypocritical - a massive commercial success where we the readers revel-wallow in the graphic suffering…
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗…Space Between Worlds, The Salvage Crew. I feel like I've exhausted sci-fi and have been checking out fantasy novels like Riyria. I've been having a hard time finding something new to sink my teeth into. Piranesi was weird but good.
on “Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?” ↗