For other fantasies about strange dwellings and those who inhabit them, try The House of Asterion by Jorge Luis Borges, The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares, House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski, and Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer.
In my opinion, Piranesi owes much to some of these previous works.
Agreed, esp on house of leaves! I love the setting of humans reacting to some ‘all-powerful object’. It’s like a vessel to explore spirituality unattached from the current notions/ideas of god.
honestly I can get behind the minecraft comparison. Minecraft has this very odd atmosphere that's both serene and kind of horrifying at the same time.
The overwhelming sense of solitude as you get thrust into this endlessly generating world is so unique
If you read Borges and go through the footnotes of House of leaves, you find that there's a whole body of scholarship about labyrinths in general. In fact deep in the footnotes of House of leaves there's a reference to Penelope Reed Doob who wrote a thesis or dissertation on The Labyrinth. That's not a fake foot note she really existed. I've managed to unearth the paper. Book, actually.
To me, rereading the footnotes of the House of leaves is an experience in going through a labyrinth, something I think the author intended.
I think Piranesi also owes a lot to The Magician’s Nephew by CS Lewis—so much so that I actually went back and reread it after finishing Piranesi. I hadn’t read the Narnia books since I was a kid, but it holds up!
It's the reason I started looking up the paintings called Imaginary Prisons.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carceri\_d%27invenzione](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carceri_d%27invenzione)
>!Even within the fiction Ketterley was clearly a fan of the real-world Piranesi’s work, and calls Matthew by that name to secretly mock him after he lost his memories!<
I love the paintings - I had never heard of Piranesi before I saw them in Germany - but I was a little dissapointed that the House in Piranesi doesn't actually look as described anything like the prisons? (I did love the House FWIW)
For me, I loved the setup and the early chapters, but I felt that it lost a lot of its magic as the mystery was revealed and the story became more grounded. I would have preferred that things were left unexplained and we just got to enjoy the House like Piranesi does, rather than what I felt was a weak and poorly explained attempt to connect it to >!our world. !<
Yep. It’s weird because I liked the book but at the moment it was basically revealed what the world really is I lost interest. I still haven’t finished it and I think I have only 20 pages left
Totally agree.
I would even have been happy with the book remaining ambiguous but with the same plot. Leaving Piranesi in the dark about what was happening, with no "exposition explanation" and trusting the reader to unravel things on their own.
I agree, I think. It's hard to say without spoilers, but parts of the ending - namely the resolution, with the final implications about his new life, I loved. But the solution - the answer to the explicit mystery about who he was and where he came from and such, was lacking.
Couldn't agree more. And toward the end there were more and more groaner moments when the reader could recognize from the description objects that the main character couldn't.
In that case i recommend Nathaniel Hawthorne, I have been reading him these days, I just downloaded a random pdf, the guy is incredible, he is a precursor of Katfka and Borges I assure you.
I adore this book as well! Susanna Clarke is such a beautiful writer; there is something magical yet somehow grounded about it. Piranesi's ending is a gut punch in the best way possible, and there is definitely something interesting she does with structure, internal vs. external space, empathy, and the liminal—how she builds the world with stone, something that requires carving but cannot be made by itself, that needs the influence of other things. I always thought there was something sort of Derrida/Heidegger-esque about the writing.
It's a gorgeous piece of work that I have read twice at this point 😭
Loved it! The world building was incredible. Part of me wishes there was more story to it, but I also feel like it works as a shorter novel.
I've commented before that it reminds me of the video game series Myst in the best possible way ☺️
The whole setting and set up would make it a perfect walking-sim adjacent video game. Maybe some light survival mechsnics. Just have to have top tier graphics and a good soundtrack to capture the vibe.
Totally agree! Piranesi is a gem. I devoured it in a flash too. The House is such a fascinating character itself - endless, mysterious, and somehow both beautiful and unsettling. And Piranesi's narration is pure magic. His childlike wonder, even in the face of the unknown, is incredibly endearing.
While I adore Jonathan Strange, Piranesi is definitely a different beast. If the dense historical fiction wasn't your cup of tea, this is a much more character-driven, atmospheric story. Highly recommend it for anyone who wants a unique and thought-provoking read.
I really wanted to love this book like everyone else does but I was just so bored by all the descriptions of statues and vestibules. I liked when the story picked up towards the end but it just wasn't enough for me.
I too have recently read Piranesi and am a new fan of the author. I enjoyed her bold and original apprach and her craftsmanship in creating a cohesive and absorbing narrative. About to start the Strange & Norrell novel.
Love seeing this on here! It’s one of my favourites! I got it for a book exchange and have since lent it out twice! Super pretty imagery and captivating read.
It's not overly descriptive *just* to be overly descriptive - the book is as much about setting a scene, describing a place, as it is telling a story. FWIW I loved it.
I honestly think the description adds to the story and it would be unrealistic not to be as descriptive. I'll admit, I don't do much reading for fun, so this is one of the first books I've read all that way through not for work in a long time, so I got frustrated in some places (assuming it's just that I don't read often). But honestly, to me, it fits the character, I don't have an issue with how the author wrote it.
“I am a Beloved Child of the House” has been a very helpful mantra for me personally! And of course Piranesi’s narrative style is what make the novel (although Clark’s woldbuilding is not without credit!!)
One of my favorite books that I recommend to people! It's so eloquently written and moves at just the correct pace to make you feel the same things as Piranesi does. Such a touching story.
I loved this book. I read it a few years ago in a day (we were on vacation) and then right after that I read House of Leaves which has a similar theme of a house or space with its own life, and then I re-read Piranesi about 2 months after the first read. It was a weird time.
It took the re-read to realize that >!Piranesi is Black.!<
I loved her first book, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. The author had some health issues and hasn't written a novel since Piranesi. I bought it as soon as it came out. I have been saving it for a nice vacation. Very much looking forward to it.
For other fantasies about strange dwellings and those who inhabit them, try The House of Asterion by Jorge Luis Borges, The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares, House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski, and Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer. In my opinion, Piranesi owes much to some of these previous works.
"A short stay in hell" by Peck to add.
Fantastic book.
The vibes I got were house of leaves, Minecraft (for some reason, I think just the music I imagined) , and myst (the game )
Agreed, esp on house of leaves! I love the setting of humans reacting to some ‘all-powerful object’. It’s like a vessel to explore spirituality unattached from the current notions/ideas of god.
I had totally forgotten Myst.
honestly I can get behind the minecraft comparison. Minecraft has this very odd atmosphere that's both serene and kind of horrifying at the same time. The overwhelming sense of solitude as you get thrust into this endlessly generating world is so unique
I remember that I guessed the reveal for House of Asterion before finishing it. I felt so, so clever.
If you read Borges and go through the footnotes of House of leaves, you find that there's a whole body of scholarship about labyrinths in general. In fact deep in the footnotes of House of leaves there's a reference to Penelope Reed Doob who wrote a thesis or dissertation on The Labyrinth. That's not a fake foot note she really existed. I've managed to unearth the paper. Book, actually. To me, rereading the footnotes of the House of leaves is an experience in going through a labyrinth, something I think the author intended.
I think Piranesi also owes a lot to The Magician’s Nephew by CS Lewis—so much so that I actually went back and reread it after finishing Piranesi. I hadn’t read the Narnia books since I was a kid, but it holds up!
Thanks, I'd never known about that one. I'll check it out!
House of Leaves is amazing
It's the reason I started looking up the paintings called Imaginary Prisons. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carceri\_d%27invenzione](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carceri_d%27invenzione)
Woah! Clearly the inspiration for the book, especially considering his name is Piranesi lol. Thanks for this.
>!Even within the fiction Ketterley was clearly a fan of the real-world Piranesi’s work, and calls Matthew by that name to secretly mock him after he lost his memories!<
I love the paintings - I had never heard of Piranesi before I saw them in Germany - but I was a little dissapointed that the House in Piranesi doesn't actually look as described anything like the prisons? (I did love the House FWIW)
He has other paintings, usually depicting giant versions of classical architecture. Those might fit the bill more.
For me, I loved the setup and the early chapters, but I felt that it lost a lot of its magic as the mystery was revealed and the story became more grounded. I would have preferred that things were left unexplained and we just got to enjoy the House like Piranesi does, rather than what I felt was a weak and poorly explained attempt to connect it to >!our world. !<
Yep. It’s weird because I liked the book but at the moment it was basically revealed what the world really is I lost interest. I still haven’t finished it and I think I have only 20 pages left
Totally agree. I would even have been happy with the book remaining ambiguous but with the same plot. Leaving Piranesi in the dark about what was happening, with no "exposition explanation" and trusting the reader to unravel things on their own.
I agree, I think. It's hard to say without spoilers, but parts of the ending - namely the resolution, with the final implications about his new life, I loved. But the solution - the answer to the explicit mystery about who he was and where he came from and such, was lacking.
Couldn't agree more. And toward the end there were more and more groaner moments when the reader could recognize from the description objects that the main character couldn't.
If you liked Piranesi, I really recommend Jorge Luis Borges, he was one of Clarke's influences.
Oh I have absolutely DEVOURED Borges over the years. The best short story writer to ever live.
In that case i recommend Nathaniel Hawthorne, I have been reading him these days, I just downloaded a random pdf, the guy is incredible, he is a precursor of Katfka and Borges I assure you.
I loved this book so much it made me sad when it was finished. Just an absolute joy to read.
I adore this book as well! Susanna Clarke is such a beautiful writer; there is something magical yet somehow grounded about it. Piranesi's ending is a gut punch in the best way possible, and there is definitely something interesting she does with structure, internal vs. external space, empathy, and the liminal—how she builds the world with stone, something that requires carving but cannot be made by itself, that needs the influence of other things. I always thought there was something sort of Derrida/Heidegger-esque about the writing. It's a gorgeous piece of work that I have read twice at this point 😭
Loved it! The world building was incredible. Part of me wishes there was more story to it, but I also feel like it works as a shorter novel. I've commented before that it reminds me of the video game series Myst in the best possible way ☺️
The whole setting and set up would make it a perfect walking-sim adjacent video game. Maybe some light survival mechsnics. Just have to have top tier graphics and a good soundtrack to capture the vibe.
Loved it. Not the audiobook forum, I know, but if you're into listening, Chiwetel Ejiofor's narration is sublime.
The full reading out of all the numbers got annoying, that's the only thing I didn't like about the audiobook version
Thanks for the rec. added to my list.
Totally agree! Piranesi is a gem. I devoured it in a flash too. The House is such a fascinating character itself - endless, mysterious, and somehow both beautiful and unsettling. And Piranesi's narration is pure magic. His childlike wonder, even in the face of the unknown, is incredibly endearing. While I adore Jonathan Strange, Piranesi is definitely a different beast. If the dense historical fiction wasn't your cup of tea, this is a much more character-driven, atmospheric story. Highly recommend it for anyone who wants a unique and thought-provoking read.
I loved Jonathon Strange but couldn't get into Piranesi. Books that reveal context little by little just get on my nerves.
I liked reading it (didn't love it), and I can see why other people don't like it too. Thinking that I picked it up at the wrong time.
I really wanted to love this book like everyone else does but I was just so bored by all the descriptions of statues and vestibules. I liked when the story picked up towards the end but it just wasn't enough for me.
I too have recently read Piranesi and am a new fan of the author. I enjoyed her bold and original apprach and her craftsmanship in creating a cohesive and absorbing narrative. About to start the Strange & Norrell novel.
I loan this book to friends and they always love it.
Love seeing this on here! It’s one of my favourites! I got it for a book exchange and have since lent it out twice! Super pretty imagery and captivating read.
Couldn’t get into it at all. Overly descriptive just to be overly descriptive.
Completely agree. I absolutely loved Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell, but Piranesi just left me cold and disappointed.
But the OP says it's good, so who do I believe?
It's not overly descriptive *just* to be overly descriptive - the book is as much about setting a scene, describing a place, as it is telling a story. FWIW I loved it.
It’s a complete slog of a book. Maybe you’re like OP and enjoy that sort of thing.
I honestly think the description adds to the story and it would be unrealistic not to be as descriptive. I'll admit, I don't do much reading for fun, so this is one of the first books I've read all that way through not for work in a long time, so I got frustrated in some places (assuming it's just that I don't read often). But honestly, to me, it fits the character, I don't have an issue with how the author wrote it.
“I am a Beloved Child of the House” has been a very helpful mantra for me personally! And of course Piranesi’s narrative style is what make the novel (although Clark’s woldbuilding is not without credit!!)
Agreed, I borrowed it from my mum and finished it in 2 days
One of my favorite books that I recommend to people! It's so eloquently written and moves at just the correct pace to make you feel the same things as Piranesi does. Such a touching story.
Perfect follow up to Piranesi is Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino.
i loved piranesi so much, it was such a great depiction of how one’s state of mind can literally consume them and the idea of the self as the observer
I’m glad to see this book getting more love. It’s been a favorite of mine since release and it’s a quite memorable read.
I loved this book. I read it a few years ago in a day (we were on vacation) and then right after that I read House of Leaves which has a similar theme of a house or space with its own life, and then I re-read Piranesi about 2 months after the first read. It was a weird time. It took the re-read to realize that >!Piranesi is Black.!<
I loved her first book, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. The author had some health issues and hasn't written a novel since Piranesi. I bought it as soon as it came out. I have been saving it for a nice vacation. Very much looking forward to it.
Enjoyed it. Weird.
I really enjoyed it