Piranesi

Synopsis

Winner of the 2021 Women's Prize for Fiction A SUNDAY TIMES & NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The spectacular new novel from the bestselling author of JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL, 'one of our greatest living authors' NEW YORK MAGAZINE __________________________________ Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has. In his notebooks, day after day, he makes a clear and careful record of its wonders: the labyrinth of halls, the thousands upon thousands of statues, the tides that thunder up staircases, the clouds that move in slow procession through the upper halls. On Tuesdays and Fridays Piranesi sees his friend, the Other. At other times he brings tributes of food to the Dead. But mostly, he is alone. Messages begin to appear, scratched out in chalk on the pavements. There is someone new in the House. But who are they and what do they want? Are they a friend or do they bring destruction and madness as the Other claims? Lost texts must be found; secrets must be uncovered. The world that Piranesi thought he knew is becoming strange and dangerous. The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite. __________________________________ 'What a world Susanna Clarke conjures into being … Piranesi is an exquisite puzzle-box' DAVID MITCHELL 'It subverts expectations throughout … Utterly otherworldly' GUARDIAN 'Piranesi astonished me. It is a miraculous and luminous feat of storytelling' MADELINE MILLER 'Brilliantly singular' SUNDAY TIMES 'A gorgeous, spellbinding mystery … This book is a treasure, washed up upon a forgotten shore, waiting to be discovered' ERIN MORGENSTERN 'Head-spinning … Fully imagined and richly evoked' TELEGRAPH

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Summary

Chapter 1:

Summary:
Piranesi, a solitary individual, resides in a labyrinthine world of endless corridors and halls adorned with statues of long-forgotten gods. He documents his daily routines, including exploring the labyrinth, catching fish, and tending to the seaweed that sustains him.

Real Example:
"The pavement is smooth and appears to be made of marble, though it is hard to say for certain as it is so covered in dust and debris. The walls are lined with statues, their faces weathered and inscrutable."

Chapter 2:

Summary:
Piranesi encounters another inhabitant of the labyrinth, known as "The Other." They exchange cryptic messages through inscriptions on the walls. Piranesi learns that The Other seeks knowledge of the labyrinth's origins and purpose.

Real Example:
"I am not alone. Another lives here, though we have yet to meet face to face. He leaves messages for me on the walls, inscribed in a script I do not recognize."

Chapter 3:

Summary:
Piranesi discovers a hidden alcove with a book that contains fragments of ancient text. The book reveals that the labyrinth was once a city known as "The House of Alabaster." It was a place of learning and civilization until a cataclysmic event destroyed it.

Real Example:
"The book is thick and heavy, bound in leather that is worn and cracked with age. The pages are filled with text in a language I do not understand, but there are also scattered images that seem to depict a city."

Chapter 4:

Summary:
Piranesi and The Other form an alliance to uncover the secrets of the labyrinth. They decipher more fragments of text and learn about the "Seven Ways of Seeing," which may hold the key to understanding the House of Alabaster.

Real Example:
"The Other has a keen eye for detail, and he notices something I had missed. There is a series of seven glyphs carved into the wall, each one representing a different way of seeing."

Chapter 5:

Summary:
As Piranesi and The Other delve deeper into the labyrinth, they encounter strange and otherworldly creatures. They also discover a secret passage that leads to a chamber filled with ancient machinery.

Real Example:
"The creature is unlike anything I have ever seen before. It is small and furry, with large eyes that gleam in the darkness. It scampers away as I approach."

Chapter 6:

Summary:
Piranesi finally confronts the truth about the House of Alabaster. It was a prison created to contain a powerful entity known as "The Word." When The Word escaped, it destroyed the city and scattered its inhabitants.

Real Example:
"The Word is a force of chaos and destruction. It seeks to consume all knowledge and memory. I must stop it before it can escape the labyrinth."

Chapter 7:

Summary:
In a climactic confrontation, Piranesi uses the Seven Ways of Seeing to defeat The Word and free the imprisoned spirits of the House of Alabaster. The labyrinth collapses, and Piranesi finds himself alone once more.

Real Example:
"I close my eyes and concentrate. The Seven Ways of Seeing flow through me, and I am filled with a sense of power. I confront The Word and speak its name, and it is consumed."