Katabasis: A Fantastical Descent into Hell, Rivalry, and Redemption in the Pursuit of Academic Glory from Author of Yellowface—R. F. Kuang

This was a hard book for me to read. I felt the magic system was a little convoluted using pentagrams, logic theorems and incantations just felt a little hard to grasp. I also felt some of the lower realms of hell were not expounded on nearly as much as the earlier ones where I would have thought there would have been more action. I did enjoy the push and pull between Peter & Alice and Alice’s growth throughout the journey. The last 150 pages were probably my favorite part of the book.

I liked this a lot. Wonderfully imaginative concept, rich storytelling, and, at its heart, a pair of compelling main characters. I do feel it is maybe a bit too long, and sags at points in the middle; and while almost all of the secondary and side characters are richly drawn and compelling even in short bursts, this oddly does not hold for some of the ostensible antagonists, who are barely developed beyond their mere presence. Still an entirely enjoyable read and highly recommended.

4 stars A tale that explores the light and dark sides of academia and takes a journey into the depths of Hell, all while being a story of love at its core. The love of knowledge, love of the heart, and a desire for understanding the complexities of life and what comes after. For the majority, I found the writing to be quite lovely, flowing in a way that made this substantial tome seem not so sizable. At other times though it felt esoteric with its deeply academic focus on Paradoxes and Mathematics. I did enjoy the way that the author blended academics with fantasy. While one is so solidly based in facts and proofs, the other is steeped in mystery and magic. Katabasis is an amalgamation of dark academia, horror, historical fantasy, and a rivals-to-lovers romance. If you are looking for romance with bedroom scenes and spice, this is not that kind of book. The academic and fantasy elements are predominant, where the love story takes on more of a supporting role. I started off reading the digital ARC but I made the switch to audio once available. I really enjoyed the dual narration and felt that I was able to better connect with story. Many thanks to Edelweiss and Harper Voyager of HarperCollins for the digital Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m sorry but this has to be a dnf for me. I tried I really was put in a bad slump after starting this book. I’m putting it down and freeing myself. So boring omgosh how do you make hell boring?

Very interesting interpretation of the Journey Through Hell highly recommend