Piranesi

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Piranesi is set in a portal universe, where the narrator lives in a labyrinthine space that can be accessed from present-day London. How does it compare to other portal stories you know (like The Chronicles of Narnia, for example?)
• Was this your first Susanna Clarke novel? If not, how did your feelings about Piranesi differ from Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell or The Ladies of Grace Adieu?
• Did the book meet your expectations based on the description? What surprised you? 

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• The narrator has different identities depending on his mental state and who he interacts with—he is born Matthew Rose Sorenson, but Ketterley names him Piranesi, and he struggles to return to his old identity at the end of the book. Do you relate to this idea of fractured identities, that who we are is shaped by external forces?
• The novel is told through letters and diary entries. Does the epistolary format help you relate to the narrator? Did you find his thought processes frustrating or understandable?
• Although Piranesi is set in a fantastical world where magic and other dimensions are real, it also draws on real-life settings and power dynamics, like those between teachers and students.