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
which thunder up staircases, the clouds which 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 and waterlilies 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.
This week's book is Piranesi by Susanna Clarke and we'll not be meeting at The Fletcher Moss on William Street in Didsbury but will be meeting online — contact us for details.