Did you ever finish reading a book and then went straight back to the first page to read it again? This happened to me when I read Piranesi, a rather short novel by Susanna Clarke. Piranesi is a magical, mythical and mind-boggling mystery. Probably one of the most unique books I have ever read.

I don’t really know what else to say about this book without spoiling it, except that it’s absolutely worth reading. It’s a short (~250 pages) and very captivating read with very brief chapters. It’s an introvert’s dream place. And will stick with you for a while.

Piranesi was not my first experience with Susanna Clarke. About 20 years ago, I read her massive novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell – in German. Back then I liked it, especially the last third of the book or so, but I felt it was way too long with its 1006 pages.

After reading Piranesi, I felt it’s time for a re-read in the language it was meant to be read in, and I re-read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell in English. My experience was very similar: the book has fascinating world-building and is truly magical, but at times it’s just unbearably slow and full of what feels like filler to me. It would have been a 5/5 with a more focused, less meandering story over 500-600 pages, as opposed to 1006. It only really gets exciting in the last 100 or so pages. I still really like it, and I will definitely re-watch the TV adaptation now as well.

Two such vastly different reading experiences by the same author, one short and impactful, one long and verbose, but both very magical. I can definitely recommend both, but Piranesi is truly something unique.