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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think some of this went over my head, but I enjoyed it. Sounds like Kuang is feeling a little tired of Academia. Cool setting, fun characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVoyager for providing an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.
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 Inferno, 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 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 Inferno, 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.
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
⭐ Rating: 3.75/5
🔥 Spice: 0/5 – There’s a hint of romance, but it’s not a major part of the story.
Thank you to HarperCollins for the advance reader copy!
This book had such a strong start. The idea of a magical descent into Hell, inspired by mythology and academic rivalry, really sparked my interest. I loved how creative the worldbuilding was—each level of Hell had its own feel, and it didn’t look or work the way you’d expect. It was fresh and interesting.
Things That Stood Out:
– The worldbuilding is great. Hell is full of unexpected details and fascinating places.
– The writing is very dense. There are long sections full of academic info and references to historical figures, philosophy, and magic theory. After a while, it started to feel more like I was reading a textbook.
– The pacing is slow. Every time things got exciting, the momentum would slow for another info-heavy section.
– The characters weren’t always likable. Alice stayed stuck in the same mindset for most of the book, and her relationship with Peter didn’t feel fully earned.
I think readers who love philosophical themes and dark academia will enjoy this—but it was hard to stay engaged sometimes. I found the reading experience more draining than exciting. Still, there’s no doubt this was ambitious and thought-provoking.
🔥 Spice: 0/5 – There’s a hint of romance, but it’s not a major part of the story.
Thank you to HarperCollins for the advance reader copy!
This book had such a strong start. The idea of a magical descent into Hell, inspired by mythology and academic rivalry, really sparked my interest. I loved how creative the worldbuilding was—each level of Hell had its own feel, and it didn’t look or work the way you’d expect. It was fresh and interesting.
Things That Stood Out:
– The writing is very dense. There are long sections full of academic info and references to historical figures, philosophy, and magic theory. After a while, it started to feel more like I was reading a textbook.
– The pacing is slow. Every time things got exciting, the momentum would slow for another info-heavy section.
– The characters weren’t always likable. Alice stayed stuck in the same mindset for most of the book, and her relationship with Peter didn’t feel fully earned.
I think readers who love philosophical themes and dark academia will enjoy this—but it was hard to stay engaged sometimes. I found the reading experience more draining than exciting. Still, there’s no doubt this was ambitious and thought-provoking.
Two magicians adventuring through Hell to rescue their professor sounds thoroughly fantastical and surreal, but the things the characters face in this book are entirely relatable. Burnout, measuring personal value through academic success, hiding your struggles from others to try to maintain respect and status, are all empathetically explored. I loved discovering this version of Hell - by turns silly and grim - while also watching the characters explore their own inner landscapes. R.F. Kuang excels at crafting morally grey characters, and Alice is no exception - she is perfectly balanced to be deeply relatable while still complex and messy, never a perfect, heroic protagonist. In the end, perfection isn’t required, in academia or in morality. The characters just need to see each other and feel seen, and appreciate the experience of being alive.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
hell is quite literally grad school but i could've told you that
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character