My New Friend, "PIRANESI" by Susanna Clarke

 

Me and my new friend, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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Hi. My name is Bobby Keniston, and my only friends are books. So, for example, if I were in a mysterious, magical house where I only ever talked to statues and birds, so long as I had books, I would probably be fine. 

Probably. 

Which brings me to my new friend, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. This was a long-awaited comeback novel for Clarke, since her very successful (and very big) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell arrived in 2004. Piranesi, for most folks, was worth the wait. Much slimmer than her previous novel (Piranesi clocks in at 245 pages), but not less magical. For me, it created a different impact I wasn't expecting. 

ABOUT MY NEW FRIEND

It is difficult to talk about Piranesi in heavy detail without giving too much away. It concerns our narrator, who tells us his story through journal entries marked in a calendar he created, who lives in a strange, magical house that is his entire world. To his knowledge, there is only one other living person in this universe who he calls "the Other". The Other calls him Piranesi, but our narrator is pretty sure this is not his name. 

This magical house is filled with statues, but it also has an Ocean and Tides, and Clouds and rain. Piranesi, as he is called, survives by fishing, gathering seaweed both for food and fuel, and spends his days wandering the almost infinite rooms and hallways, keeping notes. He meets with the Other twice a week, who he believes is a scientist, and who is working on cracking the code for the Great and Secret Knowledge. 

The house, like the book, is a labyrinth and a puzzle. The book engages the reader by slowly and precisely unravelling the mystery of the House, and of the man called Piranesi. 

TAKEAWAYS

Piranesi won the Women's Prize for Fiction, and I can understand why. It is brilliantly written, incredibly smart and creative, and Clarke is both a top notch storyteller and writer (which, yes, are two different things). 

I was told that the book was very enjoyable and magic and fun and that I should read it. And yes, I found it magical in many ways, and enjoyable in many places... 

But I think it hit me differently than it did many people. Stop reading here if you don't want to hear my emotional response to the ending. I will not spell out what happens, but I am going to be very specific about how it made me feel.  Okay? So stop reading if you worry this may spoil things for  you---

I ultimately found Piranesi to be a tragedy in a way. Not a full-blown tragedy. There is hope, I suppose, and there isn't a bit ol' body count or anything. But the ending made me incredibly sad. The message, for me, ultimately was about how sometimes people must completely disassociate to survive, completely lose themselves and their very identity, as well as their memories. That in specific, traumatic situations, you must almost start over with a blank slate if you are going to make it. In short, you get lost. And even if you're found, you are never completely the same. There is a part of you that is still lost, and will always be lost. 

And that made me sad. 

Still, it is a masterful book and you should read it if you get a chance. 

My New Friend, "CARRY ON," by Rainbow Rowell

 

Me with my new friend, Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. I'm on the left. 

Hello. My name is Bobby Keniston, and my only friends are books. It could be worse--- at least I'm not living out some kind of Chosen One plot requiring some grand sacrifice with my story living on. 

Speaking of which, I would like you to meet my new friend Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. This is Rainbow Rowell's take on a Chosen One story, and I have read many people refer to it as the "Queer Harry Potter".  In this story, our hero is Simon Snow, who first appeared as a fictional character in Rowell's novel Fangirl (which I have not read). The lead character in that book writes fan fiction about Simon Snow, and, according to Rowell, she couldn't stop thinking about him and his world, so she had to write Carry On. 

HOW I MET MY NEW FRIEND

A long while back, I read Rowell's book Eleanor and Park and really enjoyed it. Rowell knows how to create a realistic teen love story that sticks with you. 

I wanted to read some good stories this Pride Month with LGBTQIA+ characters, when I heard this was as much a queer love story as a "magic Chosen One" tale, I wanted to check it out. 

QUICK NOTE ABOUT HARRY POTTER, J.K. ROWLING AND TERFS

Like so many people with a pulse and breath, I loved the Harry Potter series and devoured them as they came out--- and I was in college. It is impossible not to see the influence of Harry Potter in any chosen one story since. 

Like so many people, I was disgusted when J.K. Rowling came out with her stance against the transgender community, particularly transgender women. I hoped she would evolve the on the issue, but instead has used her platform to spew transphobic bile, promote transgender misinformation and businesses, and, frankly, to ruin her legacy and the legacy of her work as something to embrace and include everyone. 

J.K. Rowling is a TERF. 

Fuck TERFs. 

So, yeah, I won't lie--- I jumped into the world of Simon Snow so I could recommend other magical stories that does not put money in TERF pockets. 

ABOUT MY NEW FRIEND

Carry On is told from multiple first-person narratives, with our major protagonist being Simon Snow, the "chosen one" who is entering his final year at Watford, a school for magic children. Simon's mentor is "the Mage" (which is more like a title than a name), the current Headmaster at Watford, who is ruffling a lot of feathers in the magic world. Simon had always assumed he was a "Normal" (someone without magic), but it is clear he has magic that builds up and "goes off", magic he has a hard time controlling. 

Simon's best friend is Penelope Bunce, who is near the top of their class. She has been a part of many Simon adventures, and is a true confidant and brilliant wizard herself. Simon's girlfriend, Agatha, would rather be a Normal, or at least have a normal teenage experience, and is tired of losing herself in being a character in Simon's story. 

When Simon gets back to school, he is anxious for the scones (sour cherry--- he is an orphan and doesn't eat as well when not at Watford), anxious for his senior year, but not as anxious to be around his roommate Baz. The crucible chose them as roommates back when they were 11, and they have been at each other's throats ever since. They see each other as sworn enemies, and if Simon is really the Chosen One, he knows Baz will be on the side that wants to take him down. Baz comes from one of the old families, he is a snob, he has strong magic, and he is... a vampire. 

But for the first few months of school, Baz is nowhere to be found. Is he out plotting something against Simon and Watford? Is he joining an army against the Mage? Is he a victim of the Insidious Humdrum (the main monster in the book, who sucks up magic, leaving holes all over England)?

Or is he the love Simon Snow never even knew he wanted?

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT MY NEW FRIEND

I have to confess, the first 150 pages of Carry On are not as good as the rest of the book. Don't get me wrong--- they are fine, they establish the world and a few of the main characters and conflicts, but it isn't until Baz shows up that the narrative really takes off. 

Baz is a well-drawn character, and feels like a believable teen even though he is a vampire. 

And the love story between Simon and Baz is surprisingly believable. I only say "surprisingly" because the trope of "sworn enemies constantly fighting then falling in love" is pretty tired, and, for me, not always believable. But Rowell pulls it off. I think the first-person narratives help, as we get deep inside each character's head. It becomes easy to see there was love all along. 

TAKEAWAYS

Though Carry On feels complete in itself and appears to end where it ends, there are two sequels that I will check out in time. Must admit, I'm curious to see where Rowell takes these characters. 

It's a good book for representation and a sweet romance.