Gabi's Review

Susanna Clarke's debut novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was first published in more than 34 countries and was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel Award and the Guardian First Book Award. It won British Book Awards Newcomer of the Year, the Hugo Award and the World Fantasy Award in 2005. She has created another marvel in Piranesi. Piranesi lives in a house which is a central character in the book.

In his notebooks, day after day, Piranesi 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. 
Who they are and what they want is a mystery. Lost texts must be found and secrets must be uncovered. The world that Piranesi thought he knew is becomes strange and dangerous.

This book has been described as a strange lustrous jewel of novel washed up on a forgotten shore. I could not say it better."

Publisher's Review

'The spectacular new novel from the bestselling author of Jonathan Strange and 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.