(#gifted @bloomsburypublishing) I’m sure much of the literary world is eagerly anticipating Susanna Clarke’s new novel, and while this is actually the first I’ve read by Clarke, I can safely say I’m enamoured with her writing and world-building! I think this one will divide readers when it comes out, but if you let yourself be washed away gently with the Tides within the House, you might just find yourself somewhere magical, with a dark secret...

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The plot of Piranesi is difficult to sum up, because indeed, not *that* much happens. I won’t say anything so you can discover it all for yourself, but Clarke has created a beautiful and mysterious world within the House. This book is only 244 pages but I could have spent hundreds more exploring the Halls and Rooms with Piranesi, filled with statues, birds and of course the sea.

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At first I struggled to settle into the rhythm because Piranesi is a somewhat eccentric narrator. It takes a while to acclimate to his way of thinking and recording his days in the House, but stick with it and you’ll soon be under his spell. I’ve read my fair share of unlikeable protagonists, so it’s lovely to read one who you root for once in a while; Piranesi is so affable, innocent and just charming, I just wanted to put him in my pocket!

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There’s mystery here but it’s a gentle mystery; it won’t sweep you off your feet, but it will lap over your feet, your knees, your thighs, until eventually it’s consumed you entirely. It’s also told in one of my favourite ways - did someone say epistolary?! Clarke utilises journal entries to reveal the plot points slowly, allowing for different perspectives while Piranesi himself remains within the House.

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I think fans of Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea and David Mitchell’s Slade House will be enamoured with this one! I’m looking forward to seeing what other people think of it!