We learn Piranesi’s goal is to catalogue the statues of the House. Marble statues line the halls, each symbolizing different ideas and values, such as learning, caution or empathy. The halls have oceans for floors and the sky at their ceilings, providing shelter for the fish and birds living alongside Piranesi. “Piranesi,” published in September 2020, presents itself as the journals of a man called Piranesi - though he suspects this isn’t his real name - who inhabits a world composed of endless, sprawling halls and vestibules he calls “the House.” Initially, there is a certain narrative ambiguity as to how literal and how allegorical this setting is. Both “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell” and “Piranesi” incorporate fantasy elements, with the former set in a fantastic rendition of Britain, filled with magicians and fairy servants, and the latter set in a more exploratory, speculative environment. The book, however, is not without flaws - its portrayal of minority characters ultimately falls short, leaning on worn-out stereotypes of gay men and people of color.Ĭlarke’s 2004 novel “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell” was well-received by critics and spent 11 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list, even securing an endorsement from cultural monolith and author Neil Gaiman.
At around 250 pages, British author Susanna Clarke’s second novel “Piranesi” seems miniscule in comparison to her 800-page debut novel “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.” But with its imaginative world and compelling narrator, “Piranesi” packs a powerful epistemological punch.
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