"Piranesi" Book Review: The Labyrinth of Self

Photos Courtesy of Piranesi and Flickr

The title illustration of Clarke’s novel, left, and susanna Clarke, right

Piranesi, the protagonist of the novel Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, takes you with him on his thrilling pursuit for the truth of his own origins. Throughout Piranesi, Clarke collects the thoughts of Piranesi as he lives his life in an infinite labyrinth of halls, statues, and vestibules. I believe that anyone can gain some sense of tranquility by reading his simple and methodic entries, which detail his love for the “House” (his name for the labyrinth) and his slow discovery of how he came to be. Clarke fills the book with metaphors and oxymorons, while breadcrumbing information about who Piranesi truly is, not only to the reader but also to Piranesi himself.

Piranesi consists of Piranesi’s journal entries, which span over the course of six months. Piranesi only knows the labyrinth and the statues within, and he fills his ten journals with his thoughts and any information he wishes to record. He does not know how long he has been in the house, or much else for that matter. Even his age and true name are unknown to him, as “Piranesi” is the name the “Other” calls him. The “Other” is the only other living person he knows in the “House.”

Clarke first introduces the reader to Piranesi’s mind through a journal entry. Clarke drops readers into this confusing world of seas and statues, and only clarifies what the “House” is in the next entry: three floors of halls and vestibules filled with statues. The bottom floor is filled with seas, the first floor with birds, and the top floor with clouds. All floors expand outwards infinitely. Clarke’s descriptions of the “House” make it out to be as magnificent to the reader as it is to Piranesi. She imparts readers with the same sense of serenity that Piranesi often experiences from being isolated in a still world, surrounded by beautiful statues 

I found Piranesi’s relationships fascinating. The “House” and the statues are not living, but Piranesi has a relationship with both. He almost worships the house, as Piranesi would thank the “House” and occasionally say “the Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.” This made me wonder if Clarke was attempting to draw a parallel between the sacred “House” and God: just as Piranesi’s relationship with the “House” would often make him feel less lonely, many people are comforted by their belief that God is always with them. Furthermore, Piranesi’s relationship and gratitude towards the “House” is quite similar to the symbiotic relationship that animals, and some people, have with the Earth. 

Clarke carefully provides more details about Piranesi and his relationship with the “Other” entry by entry. Although Piranesi is in a greater state of naïveté than the reader, I was impressed by Clarke’s ability to erode the confidence I had in my perceptions of the “Other.” With her remarkably composed backstories to the “House” and the “Other,” Clarke introduces the real world to Piranesi and the reader bit by bit. I was in awe of Piranesi’s abilities throughout it all: his capacity to center himself, think reasonably and methodically, care for others when no one cared for him, and find the beauty in even the bleakest situations. 

I love Clarke’s design of the character of Piranesi: innocent and imaginative, yet scientific and reasonable. As Piranesi discovers his true origin, he no longer refers to himself as Piranesi, since his sense of identity shifts away from the past, unknowing version of himself. He refers to Piranesi as who he once was, though he knows that Piranesi still lives inside him. I believe his metaphors for interpreting change and growth within oneself and others, as well as his understanding of the complexity of his own character growth, are what make Piranesi a lovely yet stimulating protagonist in the novel. I think his reflection on his growth goes against the idea that when you change as a person, you rid yourself of who you used to be.

Overall, this book is the perfect length for the story to unfold without it being too rushed or too drawn out. For me, Clarke gave the right amount of time to understand Piranesi before moving on to the main plot. You could read it in a day, or over the course of a month, but either way, Piranesi will read like a work of art and incite questions about your own perception of personal growth and the environment around you.