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Piranesi

Written by: Susanna Clarke
Narrated by: Chiwetel Ejiofor
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Publisher's Summary

Bloomsbury presents Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, read by Chiwetel Ejiofor.

WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE 2021
WINNER OF THE KITSCHIES' 2021
SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD
A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE THE TIMES, GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, DAILY TELEGRAPH, FINANCIAL TIMES, i PAPER, NEW STATESMAN, SPECTATOR, TIME MAGAZINE, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT, BBC CULTURE, NETGALLEY AND THE CHURCH TIMES

The spectacular new novel from the bestselling author of JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL, ‘one of our greatest living authors’ New York Magazine

Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has.

In his notebooks, day after day, he makes a clear and careful record of its wonders: the labyrinth of halls, the thousands upon thousands of statues, the tides that thunder up staircases, the clouds that move in slow procession through the upper halls. On Tuesdays and Fridays Piranesi sees his friend, the Other. At other times he brings tributes of food to the Dead. But mostly, he is alone.

Messages begin to appear, scratched out in chalk on the pavements. There is someone new in the House. But who are they and what do they want? Are they a friend or do they bring destruction and madness as the Other claims?

Lost texts must be found; secrets must be uncovered. The world that Piranesi thought he knew is becoming strange and dangerous.

The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.

*****

'What a world Susanna Clarke conjures into being … Piranesi is an exquisite puzzle-box' DAVID MITCHELL
‘It subverts expectations throughout … Utterly otherworldly’ Guardian
'Piranesi astonished me. It is a miraculous and luminous feat of storytelling' MADELINE MILLER
‘Brilliantly singular’ Sunday Times
'A gorgeous, spellbinding mystery … This book is a treasure, washed up upon a forgotten shore, waiting to be discovered' ERIN MORGENSTERN
‘Head-spinning … Fully imagined and richly evoked’ Telegraph

©2020 Susanna Clarke (P)2020 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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What listeners say about Piranesi

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Couldn’t Stop Listening!

This is truly an audible treat—a gripping story beautifully performed. Much to ponder about human capacity and capability. Very well suited to be listened to, rather than read. Can’t wait for Susanna Clarke’s next one!

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Lyrical, challenging, extraordinary

Very unique, strange and compelling. I am so pleased I came to this book with no knowledge about it, just that so many people have raved about it on Instagram.

Truly magical.

And the ending was perfection.

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Wonderfully weird and magically mysterious!

I had an amazing experience with this book! The mystery was consistently engaging, the prose was beautiful, and the character of Piranesi was incredibly inquisitive, empathetic, and a positive driving force to the narrative. The description of the labyrinth was fantastical and alien while also feeling lived in and familiar. It also provided an interesting insight into the author's mindset, especially considering the time when this novel was written.

This was my first Susanna Clarke book, and I'll definitely be checking out Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell soon!

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Gloriously mysterious and gripping!

It was easy for me to binge listen to this audiobook. From Chiwetel Ejiofor's incredible performance to Clarke's ability to drop you into the world of this story with ease and poetic elegance. I hung onto every word, every moment, every shred of information. Written beautifully in a manner that keeps you guessing and wanting more, Clarke is a talented writer that will inspire you to desire the thrill of being lost within the unknown.

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An Incredible Work

I've read about 150 fantasy novels in the last 10 years. I think this one is my favourite. I've never read something that captures a world within a world the way the author does in this book.

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Immaculate Vibes

I feel like everyone should go in blind and enjoy the ride cause this a trip worth taking.

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Amazing blend of fantasy & thriller

Loved it. If you like thrillers & want to dive into a fantasy, this book is perfect. It really does take you into another world. Vivid descriptions, great characters and some mind bending moments. Would recommend!

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All at once mesmerizing, curious and shocking

5/5 Stars

All at once mesmerizing, curious and shocking. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke quickly captured my curiosity and sparked my imagination through the eyes of a character bound to a labyrinthian house.

Piranesi’s house is unlike any other, featuring grand statues and an ocean that fills its halls with a shifting tide. Despite this house being unkind in its occupants' survival, Piranesi explores its halls with understanding and adoration. This is partly due to his relationship with The Other, an older gentleman and the only other person within the house whom Piranesi meets with twice a week. The Other has requested Piranesi’s help in researching A Great and Secret Knowledge. As Piranesi explores the house he finds evidence of another person, writings with terrible truths and the possibility of a world beyond the house.

Now, I had attempted to read this a few years ago and at the time I struggled to settle into the story. The world and perspective felt jarring and confusing so I decided to put it down and try another time. That was the best choice I could have made! Coming back to Piranesi had a completely different effect on my reading experience and as a mood reader this could have been due to my mood at the time or having read far more in the genre since then. Either way, what a wild ride!

In complete contrast to my initial experience, I found myself in awe and filled with curiosity. As you’re dropped right into the musings of Piranesi and his otherworldly home, you’re given an intimate look into his life, passion for logic, science, exploration and his adoration of the house. Altogether, this character’s disposition is what drew me in and gave this story life. Another aspect that helped immerse me was seeing this through Piranesi’s POV as it limits the information available to the reader. Just as Piranesi is discovering a terrible truth, as do you with minimal hints, adding to the mystery and subsequent thrill.

The use of magical realism and blending of genres within the world also made this intoxicating. At times reminding me of Alice in Wonderland, although darker. It also blends fantasy, mythology, mystery and more into a thrilling exploration of psychology and human nature.

Finally, the pacing of the story also takes off around 25% and continues to the conclusion. A rare gripping read that doesn’t let up and doesn’t disappoint.

I listened to the audiobook performed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who gave a stellar performance.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke has well earned the hype and is best experienced for yourself.


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Beautiful story and mesmerizing narration.

I loved this story. I also loved the choice of narrator. At the beginning I wasn’t sure I was going to like it because I was a bit confused as to what was going on but very quickly I was completely immersed in the story, I looked forward to listening to this every evening and I was disappointed when it ended. I wanted more of the story (in a good way).

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Takes a moment to get into…

… but when you do, wow. What a beautiful book. By the time I got to the end, I wanted to read it again.

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