It is a falsehood we “ceased to speak and listen to the World.” On the contrary: much of the trouble we are in today could be remedied is we would only listen better to science’s listening. All we know today, we know because of observation of and dialogue with reality. That past might seem appealing to lovers of the arcane, but people tend to forget we used to burn witches.Ĭlarke also makes the categorical mistake to uphold the illusion that “rivers and mountains” don’t give us wisdom anymore. Ideologically I don’t see eye to eye with Clarke on this matter: while the Enlightenment of the 18th century undoubtedly altered our world, and the results of its technologies now even threaten it, I don’t think most people would want to return to the state before penicillin, fridges and smartphones. There would not be a House if Clarke didn’t acknowledge these sentiments. The core of the novel’s world building confirms this. A tradition that sees the innocence of a child as superior to “the iron hand of modern rationality”. Piransi shows perspective is always key when judging knowledge.Ĭlarke seems to inscribe herself into the Romantic tradition that longs for a past where humanity – before the advent of “progress” and Science – possessed “Great and Secret Knowledge”. Maybe the most breathtaking reversal was how she made the real world serve as mythic prophecy, and as such Clarke has written a very, very successful epistemic novel. Thematically Clarke uses old, familiar tropes, but she manages to infuse them with new life.

Their behavior tells me what they are thinking.” That makes flipping the last page all the more a sad goodbye – even though the ending to this tale is nominally a happy one. Much is left unsaid, and readers have to fill in most of the implications themselves. Side characters are steady, yes, but Piranesi’s psychological journey is complex and layered – even though Clarke evokes it seemingly effortlessly, again simple, clean & without fuss. I’ve read minor complaints about a lack of character development, but those seem to miss the point. Small & simple it may be, the construction is nonetheless intricate, and even though its artifice clearly shows – Clarke doesn’t try to hide it – the emotional effect of Piranesi was deep and unexpected. The book’s descriptions in the press of the rococo setting obfuscate the fact that Piranesi is at heart a very simple, small story. It is mostly the result of careful, deliberate construction, not of some spectacle in the plot. Piranesi is a tragic figure, and Clarke wonderfully managed to evoke traumatic personal dissociation – truly a tour de force, especially as she uses so little means to do so. The fact that the book is named after the title character is a strong indication he is the focus, not The House. At the same time, the oblique early revelations make it clear Clarke’s endgame is not the mystery, but the psychological portrait of the main character. I’ve seen the book’s biggest shortcoming identified in other reviews as well: earlier than expected the central mystery becomes reasonably clear to the reader, and for a while that results in less narrative tension.

There are links aplenty – disenchantment for one – but Piranesi deserves to be treated & read as its own thing first. I will not say anything about its relationship with Jonathan Strange & Mr. I do think this review is safe for those who haven’t read it yet, but as I will try to unravel some of the book’s philosophical underpinnings, there will be mild spoilers – even so, nothing you can’t guess after about 30 pages in. Taken as a whole, Piranesi succeeds brilliantly, and easily stands among the very best I’ve read this year. Not that this book is a 100% triumph, but it would be foolish to dwell on its few, minor flaws too long. So I entered The House with a certain reservation, but Clarke’s narrative powers quickly swept me away. Clarke’s short story collection wasn’t fully successful, and the early descriptions of this new novel hinted at a dreamlike, labyrinthine, magic-realist puzzle – not really my cup of tea. My expectations for Piranesi were lukewarm.

Piranesi susanna clarke art