Reviews - Katabasis | The StoryGraph

590 reviews for:

Katabasis

R.F. Kuang

4.0 AVERAGE

katom513's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

2.0

adventurous challenging slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Where to begin? At times I was confused what type of book I was reading: an academic paper, literary fiction, a dark fairytale, a Stephen King-esque horror novel—bone creatures, anyone? Unfortunately, it was often like Michael Scott’s Tube City: chaos and nonsense. Yes, I loved the magic system of the pentagrams and thought it was a cool study for Alice to undertake. To be candid, the ending was pretty solid, but it took wayyyyyyy too much time and effort to get there. I truly suffered through pages of dialogue that meant nothing, and I met a bunch of characters who literally did not matter at all. Kuang had me on an adventure and then she lost me. This could have been edited down to 350 pages IMO. The payoff was simply not worth it.

“Those who had nothing substantial to brag about bragged the loudest. Stay silent and ignore the chattering crowd—this was proof you had something real to be proud of.”

Content Warnings

tis_mamandi's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lucy_is_reading's review

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

viya's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

marisnocatpiss's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

the34show's review against another edition

4.25

I loved reading this. I personally think Babel resonated more with me, but I do think this book was excellent. I think the main characters being phd students makes it a tad unrelatable to me vs the undergraduates in Babel, and the racism concepts resonate more with me. I think the challenges of being female in academics was a good reminder that society was not so progressive a few years ago.

I do also like Peter struggling with an invisible disability. We all have our own "the beast" and I do love how it impedes him but does not at the same time.

neliiskra's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

che11e's review against another edition

4.0

Why are there so many reviews from people who haven’t even read the book? Lol…

4.25 Babel > Katabasis >>>> Poppy War >>>>>> Yellowface

Build up was great, Kuang’s easiest book to read in terms of flow. Didn’t enjoy the actual climax of the book / felt it didn’t match the build up’s world building in a way. Lots of references to myth but very digestible.

[I won an ARC!]

hannahstrashcan's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark funny inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

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