Piranesi

"+ One of those books that, though not quite "un-put-downable" also makes you feel like you are visiting a mysterious space inside yourself for as long as you read it. It takes place in an unspecified setting with a nameless character, and told through the style of an epistolary narrative. We read through journal entries that are dated in a strange way, making the story very mysterious for more than half the novel. It's done very well, though it might become too repetitive for some. Still, it is never boring. - Because the style is repetitive and we are kept in the dark for more than half the book, there may be some who will be tempted to stop reading. For those who stick with it I think it will pay off. Still, I wish there was more grounding to make the storytelling a tiny bit more accessible. I also think that one of the characters that we meet later in the novel could have had more time in the story by slightly extending the length of the book. Introducing the character early would spoil the payoff but would have worked really well later on and would have given the story more scope. I would love for this character to have their own book, but in this story could have been given more to do. Overall: Mysterious, mythical, intriguing, and at times, fun. I encourage the reader to have patience with its unfolding and to take their time. Not perfect, but still worth at least one read."

"Maybe 3.5? I’m not sure if I liked this or if it was just so different and unique that I liked reading something new. "

"Absolutely one of the best books I have ever read. You will just devour this book trying to figure out the plot and how beautiful it all is. This is a book I wish I could read for the first time over and over again. "

"The main character, Piranesi, lives alone and happy at the center of an elaborate and puzzling labyrinth … until he meets other people who tell him who placed him there and how"

"Went into this book completely unaware of any plot points. The first 20 pages, I was brutally confused. Wanted to put it down. Then, I just gave in to the confusion and was taken for the ride of a lifetime. Finished in a day. I am embarrassed by how long I let it sit on my shelf unread. Do yourself a favor and read this book. "

"This book was a very different type of read, not gonna lie it felt like one of those books they have you read in class that’s obviously fiction but with philosophical background to it. It was a good book that started to pick up in the middle and was really good at the end but the beginning is mildly monotonous. The beginning is all about world building and scene-setting which the world is a house with thousands upon thousands of rooms and hallways so you can imagine the imagery. It’s based on the idea of a labyrinth. Basically the main character lives in this house, the house is all he ever remembers but he writes in this journal about all of the wonderful things that he experiences in the house. He has only seen one other person in the house and that is his only friend. He finds out that there are some things he has forgotten and he is inclined to read his past journals which gives him insight into his past and he realizes that his world isn’t exactly what he thought it was. It definitely kept you holding on till the end, I almost wanted to give up on the book I definitely don’t regret finishing it out till the end. It’s just less fantasy than I normally read"

"Piranesi was amazing... just not for me. It is made up of allegories and I, no matter how much I read, cannot find the deeper meaning. So when I finished the book I looked up this so-called underlying story and it very much made sense. It also made me appreciate Piranesi more. Still, like I said at the time I was all about what was happening in front of me. Piranesi is the name of the main character and he is very simple yet somehow complex. Living in a maze, there was so much of the book devoted to direction and world-building. Actually, so much that I could not retain it. I really enjoyed how the narrator talks to the reader and it warmed my heart and made me feel special. It was strange, at first, there is a mystery to solve but time goes by so slowly and you are told everything along the way. So in the end there is no big reveal. It was beautifully written I just didn't understand the point and I came back unchanged. I have a feeling this book will touch certain people and they will come away with their eyes open but it did nothing for me. "

"One of the best books I've read. I like to give it 10 stars. It was truly psychological but seemed fantasy. It's hard to explain it. It just needs to be read, analyzed and enjoyed. "

"This is something I usually wouldn’t read, but I ended up loving this book! It’ll keep you intrigued throughout as you enter this new world."

"Amazing! The main character’s innocence and way of speaking was very charming and made me laugh. I wish it ended slightly differently but I still enjoyed it very much. "