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PIRANESI (2020) by Susanna Clarke
The
book's title refers to the ”Imaginary Prisons” artwork by
Giovanni Piranesi (see image).
The protagonist of the novel
PIRANESI lives almost completely alone, in a dreamlike, alternate
reality he calls ”the House.” It is a self-contained universe of
classical architecture – an endless building of halls, statues and
staircases.
Our protagonist is the unreliable
first-person narrator of this story.
The reader will quickly
figure out that the protagonist has lost his memory and perhaps his
mind. The narrative follows his quest to figure out how and why he
got into the House, and the reader is often one step ahead of the
protagonist.
The style of Clarke's writing in PIRANESI feels
”classical” – restrained, observing, reminiscent of late
19th-century / Edwardian literature. When modern language suddenly
sneaks into the narrative, the effect is jarring – intentionally so
– and you get a sense that the House has somehow altered the
protagonist's personality – this must also be intentional.
This style evokes a certain ”detached,”
yet unreal mood – reinforcing the effect that the narrator has lost
connection with himself.
This may sound unpleasant, but the
narrator seems quite happy living in this strange, depopulated world. (In an interview, Susanna Clarke herself said the novel is
supposed to offer a positive vision.)
I think PIRANESI can be read as an
allegory about recovering from a mental breakdown, or perhaps an
allegory of the human mind as an ”imaginary prison.” The
protagonist's interior life is turned into the ”landscape” of the
House, which he navigates on his journey back to connecting with
other people.
You may of course just read PIRANESI as a
beautifully composed fantasy novel. It is perhaps not the most
original or ”edgy” story I've read, but the craft of the writing
and story is impeccable. You enjoy the novel not only for the story
and the setting, but also the ease of reading it.
(And that's no
small compliment! There is so much fantasy I can't stomach because
it's badly written.)
PIRANESI is warmly recommended for
readers who enjoyed AMERICAN GODS, or Susanna Clarke's previous novel
JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL.
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Jag har blivit intervjuad på Håkan Carlssons bokblogg:
