Piranesi is a high fantasy novel by British author Susanna Clarke. Published in 2020 by Bloomsbury Publishing, the novel is about a magical world known as The House full of secrets, manipulation, and adventure. Piranesi is a man who lives in this world, tasked with maintaining it. He will uncover secrets that will make him doubt his identity and the world around him.
Critics praised the novel for being perfect and unbelievably clever. Released at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, many readers found the novel to be so relevant to the times, with feelings of imprisonment and uncertainty whirling around the globe. On top of all that, the plot was innovative and unique.
The novel is an informative study on how susceptible the human mind is to manipulation. The character is imprisoned in a world of nothingness, yet he quickly settles in and doesn't question the outside world, even though people from the outside regularly interact with him.
Piranesi was awarded numerous accolades including the 2021 Women Prize for Fiction and the 2021 Audie Award for Audiobook, which British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor narrated. It was shortlisted for the 2020 BSFA Award for Best Novel and the 2020 Costa Book Awards. The novel was also nominated for the 2020 Nebula Award for Best Novel, 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards for Fantasy, 2021 Hugo Award for Best Novel and the 2021 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.
