Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

A surreal novel about a man who lives in a marble labyrinth, of which he is the only inhabitant, except for some birds, marble statues, and one fellow resident, a researcher he reports to and refers to as “Other.” An allegory for the human condition (a myth/fable, I guess, though this doesn’t feel like right word due to Piranesi’s earnest, strange, addictive voice). Like Backrooms if Backrooms was thoughtful and wise and good (not that I saw it LOL)

books

14 days ago

Comments

even*cleveland

@evenclevelandSep 27, 2026

Such a good book.

Across Rec League

Piranesi

Alina

“A weird and wondrous little book”

211

Abby Phoenix

“It’s a slim volume and either you’re in or you’re out on it — I’d give it about 20-30 pages and you’ll either find yourself completely immersed in the world and savoring each sentence to make it last longer, or you’re… not me. 😉🤷🏻‍♀️ All you need to know ahead of time is that Piranesi lives in a mysterious labyrinth of a House, and he’s incredibly endearing.”

gerund

“a fantastic audio production of a perfect book. piranesi lives in the infinite House whose halls are lined with infinite statues. clouds gather in the highest levels, and the sea surges below. piranesi doesn't know how he came to be in the House, nor who he is, but he diligently charts the House's tides while laboring to uncover A Great and Secret Knowledge for oliver, a strange man who visits pir”