 Hey guys it's Leigh Ann and I'm here today to talk about Piranesi by Susanna Clark. Susanna Clark of course is the author who gave us the incredibly long Johnson Strange and Mr. Norrell. This book by contrast is extremely short. I read it in one day, not even a whole day, like a fraction of a day. And it is quite different from Johnson Strange and Mr. Norrell. However I would say if you like Johnson Strange and Mr. Norrell then I think you would probably like this as well. What is Piranesi? What I knew going into it and that is absolutely true is that it's about a magical house. I mean it's magical but I feel like when I went into it having heard that it's about a magical house I pictured like you know like a Victorian house or something that has ghosts in it or something like that and it's not like that at all but it is about a magical house. This house is like the size of a continent so it is about a house because it's all like interconnected like adjoining rooms but it's like you could travel it for days and days and days which is what the main character Piranesi does. Piranesi is this kind of oddly childlike but also completely scholarly and quite analytical thinking individual who inhabits this house and he spends his days going from room to room documenting what he finds trying to figure out what everything means according to him the entire world and the world to him is this house has like a handful of people in it and he's kind of interested in finding other people like the very idea of more than a handful of people is kind of like the stuff of legend to him like wouldn't it be crazy if there was like 50 people can you imagine? So he's like quite charmingly I mean I guess he'd say ignorant but I mean who's to say like because you don't know anything about this world so like as far as you know this is how his world is and so there's this kind of like sweet isolated innocence about him there is one other person that he sees regularly and he just refers to him as the other because there is he himself who's alive and there's the other. So it has if you're getting you're probably getting the sense already that like some of that quirky humor that is present in John Strange and Mr. Norrell is kind of present throughout Piranesi so the plot and the characters the situation is quite different from John Strange and Mr. Norrell and it's again much shorter that quintessentially quirky innocent and yet dark vibe and humor of Susan Clark that was present in John Strange and Mr. Norrell is definitely present here and if that's what you liked about the other book if you just enjoyed kind of like the nature of her storytelling where it is kind of like quirky takes its time isn't in a hurry is kind of strange and unsettling at times but also kind of sweet and innocent in its own way and just very much her own thing that I think you're gonna really really like Piranesi and then of course throughout this book is the them just the mystery of like so who is Piranesi where did how did he end up in this house what is this house why is this house he Piranesi himself doesn't really know and so as he's like putting together the mystery of his surrounding so that's kind of his whole his whole life his whole day is trying to kind of figure things out about his the world that he inhabits so you're learning about it both from him and with him which is kind of just a fun journey to go on with him. The audiobook is narrated by Chua which I mean that's just an absolute treat so if you're into audiobooks I'd recommend it he does a great job and I think blurb on the back David Mitchell's blurb I think is a really good description of what this book is so I'm just gonna read it. What a world says Anna Clark conjures into being what a tiktok tiktok of reveals. Piranesi is an exquisite puzzle box and I would agree it is kind of like a puzzle box so I would say I do think I think I think John the Strange Mr. Norrell is a better book than Piranesi. It's also like monstrously longer than Piranesi. Piranesi is just a much simpler story there's one main character who you follow and you slowly piece together like the why and where for of the house that he inhabits so that's kind of all there is to the story there is anything more to it it's all the mystery of why he's here and and what here is so it is quite mysterious while you're trying to figure that out and while Piranesi is trying to figure that out there were moments that were kind of unsettling but it's one of those where like once you find out the answer I felt similarly about this as I did about the Seven Deaths of Evil and Hardcastle if you read that by Stuart Turton where the journey itself is a lot more engrossing and interesting than the answer. So I mean I don't want to spoil Piranesi or the Seven Deaths of Evil and Hardcastle but both of those books I would say the queerness of their premise is much more enticing and and fun but it's not one of those where like once you learn the answer you're dying to go back and reread it to pick a part now that you know I don't feel that way at all about either book it's more like okay well kind of liked it better when I didn't know like it's not bad I gave both books four stars so I quite enjoyed the journey for both of them I just think both books are a better journey than destination I don't think either could really truly satisfy me deliver on the enigma of their promise yeah I mean I would still recommend it I feel like I'm sounding really lukewarm on it I do think it's kind of like a fun little treat of a mystery puzzle box so yeah ultimately I would say check it out especially if you like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell I think you will like this because the charm of her storytelling is present and it is similar and the the vibe and the tone and the quirkiness of her humor and her prose is is there so if that's what if you enjoy her storytelling I think you will like Piranesi and again the narration by Chihuahua Telegio 4 is top notch. Let me know in the comments down below if you've read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and what you thought of that book if you've read Piranesi what you thought of that book if you're interested in reading either one based on my description today it both sound terrible to you whatever you want to let me know I post videos on Saturdays also at other random times but definitely Saturdays so like and subscribe and I'll see you when I see you bye