3.75. Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley! Although I really enjoyed the plot and the descriptive writing style, I found myself skimming through pages just to get to the dialogue. Don’t get me wrong, I fully appreciate the world building, but I didn’t feel connected to the characters enough to fully immerse myself into their internal monologue. Overall a solid intellectual, yet fantastical analysis of hell, with a lovely subplot between the main characters.

The first few pages in Katabasis took off immediately, it almost felt abrupt but engaging. Alice seems to be making plans to venture down into hell to retrieve her dead professor for purely selfish reasons. The mix of Greek mythology and dark academia is a match made in heaven for cozy readers. The greek mythology references were fine and not understanding them did not impact my reading experience. I loved reading about the magic system and the stories behind Peter and Alice. Their motives and obsession with success and academia was also fascinating. I really appreciated the commentary on the dark and toxic side of academia which can be incredibly harmful.

Somewhere in the middle I briefly lost interest and it was difficult to get through to the end. At times it was also a bit dense. I wish the ending were a little different, it felt like a superhero movie where the main character suddenly regains their will to live and the bad guys lose and everyone lives happily ever after. A little cliche in my opinion, but it was fine.

A captivating dark academia premise with vivid worldbuilding, but the style of writing is not for me and distracted from the story.

✨ Katabasis is a breathtaking, intellectual rollercoaster of a novel that will have you questioning the boundaries between academia, magic, and the human heart. If you’re into dark academia with a touch of fantasy, sharp philosophical insights, and complex characters, this book is absolutely for you. R.F. Kuang has delivered a masterpiece that hits all the right emotional and intellectual notes. 🚀📚✨

The story follows Alice and Peter, two PhD students who are brilliant yet flawed, driven by ambition and a need for validation. When their advisor dies under mysterious circumstances, they embark on an audacious journey to Hell itself, not to save anyone, but to retrieve his body and secure their academic futures. What begins as a mission fueled by career ambition soon turns into something much deeper—challenging their notions of success, identity, and the cost of their academic pursuits. 🎓👻

Kuang weaves a narrative that dives into the academic and philosophical world in such a rich and immersive way that it feels like you’re right there with Alice and Peter, grappling with ideas, debates, and intellectual competitions. The way Kuang incorporates philosophical texts and ideas into the story feels like the perfect balance of accessible and thought-provoking. You don’t need a degree in philosophy to follow the plot, but if you’re a lover of literature, you’ll relish the references and the way each one enriches the story. 📖💡💭

The setting of Hell is one of the most unique and captivating aspects of the book. It’s not just an infernal landscape, but a mental and philosophical landscape, and it’s beautifully imagined. Each layer of Hell represents a different form of knowledge, from math to literature to existential dread, and the imagery is both vivid and haunting. It’s a place that challenges not just the body, but the very soul, testing both Alice and Peter’s resolve and their understanding of themselves. 🔥🌑🌀

As much as this is a novel of intellectualism and philosophical inquiry, it’s also a deeply emotional and personal journey. Alice and Peter’s relationship is complex, and watching their dynamic evolve over the course of their journey is one of the most rewarding aspects of the book. Their interactions start as adversarial, full of academic rivalry and sharp wit, but over time, the emotional undercurrents of their bond deepen. It’s a slow burn of trust, vulnerability, and shared trauma, and the evolution of their relationship is beautifully portrayed. The way Kuang makes these two characters—who seem so different at first—reveal their shared desires, fears, and dreams makes their connection one of the most compelling parts of the novel. ❤️‍🔥🤝

The pacing of Katabasis is deliberate and methodical, and while this may feel slow at times, it is intentional. Every conversation, every moment in Hell, every philosophical debate is purposeful. The journey isn’t just about finding the body of their advisor; it’s about finding themselves. It’s about realizing that ambition at the cost of humanity might not be worth it, and that success built on the suffering of others can never truly bring fulfillment. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of academic ambition, morality, personal sacrifice, and redemption. 💭⚖️✨

What really sets this book apart is Kuang’s ability to tackle these big ideas while still creating a story that’s deeply human. This isn’t just a story about intellectuals grappling with abstract concepts—it’s about real people facing the consequences of their choices and confronting their deepest desires. Whether it’s Alice’s struggle with her own identity, Peter’s need for validation, or the way they both cope with their grief and ambition, you’ll find yourself empathizing deeply with them. 🧠💔

If there’s one thing that might deter some readers, it’s the level of intellectual engagement required. This isn’t a light, fast-paced thriller; this is a book that asks you to engage, to think, and to reflect. Some readers might find the academic discussions a bit dense, but they are all integral to the overall themes of the book. The weight of these discussions mirrors the intellectual heaviness the characters carry on their journey, and the slow build-up makes the emotional payoff at the end all the more rewarding. 🔍💡

In conclusion, Katabasis is an exceptional blend of dark academia, philosophy, and emotional storytelling. Kuang has created a world that is both cerebral and deeply affecting, where every page demands something of you—whether it’s your mind or your heart. This is a novel about the price of ambition, the search for identity, and the consequences of pursuing knowledge without understanding the cost. 📚🌌

If you love books that challenge your mind, pull at your heartstrings, and make you think, Katabasis is an absolute must-read. Get ready for an intellectual and emotional journey that you won’t soon forget. 🌠

kuang tends to be a hit or miss for me- i was instantly intrigued by the premise and the promise of a more “romance” esque plotline (at least for her) and i will say that while i found some parts immersive, for the most part i was left feeling like i was picking up a history book/dictionary rather than a fleshed out fantasy book (read: the info dumps go crazy)

WOW!!!! Kuang is just a great writer no doubt about it. She writes and makes you see everything in your head like you are watching a movie. I wanted to know what happened with Murdoch and Alice, are they in love, just friends. The journey was so interesting too. Every court in Hell was unique and special. Honestly not much character growth but they stayed true to who they were through out the whole plot that I didn't mind it. I will give a more indepth review as we get closer to the release date. But know this a purchase of a Kuang book is not a waste of money, a checkout from the library is not a waste of the use of your library card. She is genius

RF Kuang at her finest. I love how well-researched her novels are; I always end up going down a rabbit hole and learning so much (though that does mean it takes me longer to read!). There are many references to familiar literature, like Dante, Aristotle, Orpheus, and I can definitely see the inspiration from those works in Katabasis. Much like Babel involves magic powered by linguistics, Katabasis involves magic powered by math and science; these weren't my strongest subjects in school, so there were some moments that were difficult for me to follow. However, it didn't take a way from my enjoyment of the book overall, and I'm actually looking forward to a reread, where I can hopefully pick up some of the information I missed on the first readthrough. I also absolutely LOVED the ending! The whole thing was amazing, but once I hit those last 100 pages, you couldn't pry this book out of my hands. This one is a definite recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

R.F. Kuang continues her streak of writing incredibly damaged characters. I'm not sure if it's fair to say there's less self-destructive tendencies in these characters compared to some of her earlier books, since trading a portion of your lifespan to go to Hell isn't exactly a winning move, but with each book she writes I enjoy her main characters more.

While there are definitely some things in here that don't make sense to me, such as side characters that don't really go anywhere or serve as a tour guide, the book was very enjoyable overall. Even these detours aren't major detractions, because with how lovingly so many references are worked into the book as a whole (ending the book with the same "stars" reference as each book in the Divine Comedy was fantastic), I was left wondering if I just missed the reference in some of these cases.

The pacing was also very enjoyable, and it was very gratifying to see one of my main complaints from her first books steadily improved on as she continues to release them.

TLDR, 4/5, a few minor tweaks to some of the side characters and extraneous plots would have easily put it into 5 star category for me.

Thank you so much for the early copy! Again, RF Kuang has sought to show off her education and knowledge by writing a fantasy novel. This time the knowledge was philosophy and depictions of Hell… Which was interesting in itself, but in my opinion, there was no foundation to the story that Kuang created. There were a handful of noteworthy moments, but nothing that screamed “RF KUANG WROTE THIS LITERARY MASTERPIECE!” And that’s what I was looking for. She put a lot of research into this, and I can see the work and time she put into it… But unfortunately, the story was lackluster. There was no overarching theme. The ending was so cliche, I kept wondering if I was somehow missing a few pages. Surely it didn’t end like that?

I think Kuang could’ve made an impact with this story, but ultimately, it just left me feeling nothing. The writing was good and the philosophy was there, but altogether, it made for too boring of a read.

Katabasis takes us on a journey through Hell as we follow two Cambridge magicians as they try to locate the soul of their abusive advisor. While I was interested the entire time, I feel like I would have understood things more if I had advanced degrees in Logic and Philosophy. It is kind of funny to say that a book about Hell and magicians feels heavily researched, but I imagine R.F. Kuang had to do a ton of research to write this book. It is pretty incredible. It wasn't my personal favorite, but not every book is for every person. The writing is excellent. The characters are interesting and the story was one I was sucked into fairly quickly. The right readers will devour this.

R. F. Kuang clearly had a ton of fun writing this, and it definitely reads like a fun version of academic catharsis. The joy leaps off the page, though I found the sense of humor not really to my taste. The characters are solid, and Kuang's writing, as ever, is immediately immersive no matter how pedantic her info-dumps are. It's a fun read, and I'm excited for it to blow up as I'm sure it will.

This book. I’ve tried to give myself time to think about it, but it just seems so big. There was a lot of description and history. This is not a book you can dip in and out of during those times when you have “ten or twenty minutes to read.” You have to be focused—every sentence seems to add information to what you already know. Sometimes you don’t think it’s necessary, but it all adds to the depth of the world and the characters.
That said, I really loved the story. Alice Law never wanted anything but magic. Her tunnel vision bordered on obsession. Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge is considered the best in the world, and Alice will sacrifice anything to work with him. When his death in a magical accident jeopardizes her goals, she is determined to go to hell and bring him back—even though her rival, Peter Murdoch, has the same goal.
The descriptions of the landscapes and the adventures while they are in hell are very entertaining. The backstory (it feels like there is so much more about Peter’s life than Alice’s) drags the story down a bit, and it does start a little slow, but once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down without it occupying my thoughts until I finished it.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for the advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was incredibly intrigued by the Alice in Wonderland meets Dante's Inferno premise of this book. Overall I enjoyed it, but I don't think it's for everyone. The pacing was inconsistent for me, waffling between periods where I couldn't put it down vs times when I had to force myself to continue. It is definitely a book that readers should go into with the expectation that it may take some time to get through it, but in the end it will be worth it. I'm grateful I was able to get an early access preview.

This was one of my most hotly anticipated books of 2025, and in many ways, it did not disappoint. Kuang manages to both send us on a dizzy and horrifying journey through the Underworld (which draws from other famous Underworld journeys, including Dante’s <i>Inferno</i>, but has a creative, unique twist to it that is wholly Kuang’s) and deliver a scathing critique of, to put it as eloquently as I can, the triumphs and defeats, the epic highs and lows of academia. This isn’t a world I’m personally familiar with, but Kuang makes it accessible and even interesting to an outsider like me: our protagonist, Alice, is so single-minded in her pursuit of academic greatness that it devastatingly eclipses all else, from hobbies to just basic taking care of herself. It’s heartbreaking to watch, and at times, Alice is a deeply unlikable character because of the things she’s said and done while chasing that nebulous dream; however, her behavior is understandable, and the parallels between her journey through Hell and the places that academia has taken her are obvious. I also deeply appreciated the narrative about Alice and her advisor, Jacob Grimes, a deeply odious man in almost every way imaginable—much like a narrative of abuse (and you could certainly call his behavior abusive), the text thoughtfully explores how someone like Alice could end up ensnared by someone like him, making excuses for his terrible behavior because of his brilliance and his promises to nurture her brilliance, too.

The pacing in this book wasn’t perfect—at times I found myself ripping and tearing through the pages, excited at where the narrative was going and the stakes that were being set up, while other times it dragged and meandered in a way that was significantly less interesting. I found the bleakness of the setting, and of Kuang’s imagined afterlife as a whole, discomfitting at times to read about, as well. But the whole made up for the not-always-perfect sum of its parts, as did the incredibly sweet love story that develops.

This latest book by RF Kuang takes the reader on a literal journey through Hell, as two graduate students (Alice and Peter) go in search of their advisor, who was killed in an unfortunate magic accident. Kuang, as always, manages to build compelling, flawed characters. I always appreciate how she does not force her characters to act out of character in order to be more likeable and appealing to the reader. This book also paints a very realistic and accurate look at graduate school and mentor/mentee relationships. That insight into academia is where Kuang really shines, and I hope she will explore it more in future works.

In some ways, this novel was a little narrower in scope than some of her previous works, like Babel and the Poppy War Trilogy, and even Yellowface, all of which focused on world-wide issues like colonialism, social justice, etc. Katabasis was more of a deep-dive into the underworld, integrating literature and philosophy on the subject. Although I felt out of my depth on a lot of it, enough was explained that I could follow along well enough without feeling lectured at.

As far as the plot... meh... it's a journey through Hell with all the anguish and brutality that entails. As with many of Kuang's earlier works, the pacing could also be improved-- some parts drag on too long (and I'm not convinced it's intentionally done to convey the monotony and endlessness of some areas of the landscape), others happen a bit too quickly/easily/neatly even when suspending disbelief.

I am so overwhelmed that I’m not sure what I can say about this. I’ll have to come back later and see if it’s recency bias, but I think this is her best work yet. I feel seen and challenged and devastated and joyful and everything all at once. This has truly cemented why she’s my favorite author.

Devastated to say goodbye to this world R.F. Kuang has built. This was an incredibly ambitious project for Kuang, there were some major hits and major misses. Kuang does a wonderful job in linking her imagery with logic, Hell's landscape is a direct mirror of the challenges Alice faces throughout the book. Each layer was interesting, each turn was surprising, each chapter flowed nicely into the next. But many times I felt Kuang got lost in her own logic, too many metaphors and examples muddied the clear progression of the plot. There were points that felt more like displays of academic prowess rather than context for the narrative. Especially in the latter half of the book, I felt disoriented and confused with the pacing of events. Like pure coincidence was pushing the story forward rather than character or specific plot points. But despite, I loved the atmosphere and creativity Kuang is known for. Thx to Netgalley for my early copy:)

A chthonic blend of "Alice in Wonderland," Dante’s "Inferno," and Piranesi? If RF Kuang is the author, then count me in!

“Katabasis” is Kuang’s latest novel, and as a fan of her previous works—“Babel,” “The Poppy Wars,” and “Yellowface”—I was eager to see what she would create next, and I was not disappointed.

Like “Babel” and “The Poppy Wars,” "Katabasis" is an epic fantasy grounded in reality, particularly within the realm of academia. The story follows graduate students Alice and Peter as they embark on a quest to retrieve their professor from hell. Their motivations are driven by academic ambition, guilt, and a desire for redemption. This narrative is both adventurous and witty, and I found myself seriously racing through the pages, eager to uncover what would happen next.

I highly recommend this book; it has become one of my favorites of the year. I will be purchasing a copy when it is published! A big thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
HarperCollins Publishers set for release August 2025
By Robin Munson

What would you do if your Cambridge PHD advisor in Magic died and his soul, like all souls, is wandering the depths of Hell hoping to make proper amends before being reincarnated? Most students would change advisors, finish out their degree, and enjoy their future careers in magic. But, that is not what PHD students Alice Law and Peter Murdoch do. Instead, they travel to Hell and trade half their remaining life span to bring back Professor Grimes's soul while putting their lives, and their own souls, in danger. All this to save a man that only a few admired and many despised.

I enjoyed trudging through Hell with Alice and Peter. Alice, a driven, flawed, and closed person is the narrator. A perfect combination for Professor Grimes to exploit and conjure an unhealthy classroom competition between Alice and Peter. It took a trip through Hell to challenge Alice physically, mentally, and emotionally to bring about the growth needed in her life. Peter, on the other hand, is a really good guy (which also upsets Alice). Both learned to work together with a combination of mathematics, science, and philosophy to help maneuver them through each of the courts of Hell based on the 7 deadly sins and the final eighth court.

The pacing throughout this book was great. I found myself reading late into the night eager to see how Alice and Peter were trekking through Hell. They met former Cambridge students or "victims" of Professor Grimes and the unraveling of the story and the characters was fascinating. Kuang was able to take my emotions from an "okay, here we are, in Hell" to an "Oh no she didn't!" about midway through.

I recommend this book to any fans of R.F. Kuang, anyone interested in philosophy, or anyone who enjoys a really good plot driven by relatable characters. It is well written and definitely worth the read. Katabasis comes out in August 2025 for all to enjoy.

Thank you HarperCollins Publishers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

R. F. Kuang’s “Katabasis” is an absolute page-turner! Alice and Peter’s mission to rescue their professor keeps you on the edge of your seat. The well-developed characters and intricate plot make it a truly captivating read. Kuang’s magical writing weaves a story of truth, heartache, and redemption that’s both heartwarming and thought-provoking. I highly recommend this book!