Recently, I picked out a book from Barnes & Noble with an interesting cover and sat down to read it once I got home. I was instantly hooked, and I ended up devouring the 245-page book in under three hours. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke reawakened my love of reading and quickly became one of my favorite books of all time.

Piranesi, a fantasy novel,  follows the titular protagonist as he navigates an endless house of halls and antechambers, statues and staircases, tides and clouds. Even among infinite rooms, the plot remains grounded by the journal style it’s written in, guiding the reader as Piranesi discovers more about the only person living in the House with him: the Other. 

As Piranesi explores his world, Clarke keeps the reader engaged with the character’s likable, guileless personality and detailed observations of the world around him. The story’s element of mystery ensures that there’s never a dull moment as we learn alongside Piranesi.

The only downside of the book is that some aspects of the writing style, such as unusual capitalization, take time to get used to, but in the end, for me, they only enhanced the worldbuilding. Piranesi is a must-read for any fantasy lovers. It’s unlike any story I’ve ever read, and I know I’ll be coming back to revisit the book soon.