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adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and feel like a the common critiques of the novel/R. F. Kuang were unfounded here. It wasn’t too academic (I liked sorting through all the puzzles even when I didn’t fully understand it!) I also loved how the character development supported the overall critique/analysis of academia.
I did feel like this book had major pacing issues that took away from the reading experience. For example…
Peter “dying” so early in the book, and off screen (so to speak) made me absolutely sure that he was going to come back. That, combined with Alice’s complete shock/numbness after the death took away from the emotional stakes.
I also felt like the choice to run through the lower circles of hell so quickly, with the excuse that the sins are less fully formed, was a mistake. The levels blurred together and, whereas with pride and desire I felt like I was moving through the levels with the characters. I feel more lost later in the book, which I guess might’ve been the point but was still too disorienting as a reader.
Despite the muddied middle, I enjoyed the ending quite a bit— the tonal shift with King Yama being mischievous and joyous when what little we knew about him was a little jarring but I loved what happened with the characters.
I did feel like this book had major pacing issues that took away from the reading experience. For example…
Peter “dying” so early in the book, and off screen (so to speak) made me absolutely sure that he was going to come back. That, combined with Alice’s complete shock/numbness after the death took away from the emotional stakes.
I also felt like the choice to run through the lower circles of hell so quickly, with the excuse that the sins are less fully formed, was a mistake. The levels blurred together and, whereas with pride and desire I felt like I was moving through the levels with the characters. I feel more lost later in the book, which I guess might’ve been the point but was still too disorienting as a reader.
Despite the muddied middle, I enjoyed the ending quite a bit— the tonal shift with King Yama being mischievous and joyous when what little we knew about him was a little jarring but I loved what happened with the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual harassment