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A review by ashmagoffin
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This novel is R. F Kuang at her best; dark academia, greek mythology inspired, academic rivals to lovers and whip crack humour. A wild ride in the best way possible. It is tricky to name a favourite thing as this book excelled in so many areas.
The characters are mint; everyone is well-developed and complicated. Alice and Peter are in a cage of problems and the only escape is Hell. Alice is full of unbridled ambition, passion and arrogance. Peter is a tortured golden retriever with actual substance. Both have a lot bubbling underneath the surface and together they have a dynamic which I could not get enough of. The shades we meet along the way make for entertaining side characters, often hilarious and thought-provoking.
The narrative of this book was followable, complicated at parts in terms of the paradoxes but I felt like my head hurt just enough to have a true dark academia experience. There are parts where I felt a bit lost like the characters did, wandering through the abyss of Hell. These elements were juxtaposed with humorous tone, this book was SO FUNNY and it is full of one liners. Kuang also threw a fair few romantic tropes in there but subverted, only one bed became only one blanket and we also had some fake dating elements too. Despite all this, this book never felt self-indulgent and I was having the best time.
Below the surface of this book which appears to be poking fun of academia, rather heavy themes are explored. Depression and chronic illness, diseases that some people consider to be 'invisible' and how we treat the people who experience this. I feel like many people will connect with this aspect of the novel. This gave the middle portion of the book a substantial heaviness as we are in the depths with Alice and Peter, seek out the content warnings if you are concerned, I've put some major ones in the bottom of this review.
This is an excellently paced novel, both character-driven and plot-driven. A work like this is an absolute feat to pull off. R F Kuang knows what she is doing and this is her at her best.
Below the surface of this book which appears to be poking fun of academia, rather heavy themes are explored. Depression and chronic illness, diseases that some people consider to be 'invisible' and how we treat the people who experience this. I feel like many people will connect with this aspect of the novel. This gave the middle portion of the book a substantial heaviness as we are in the depths with Alice and Peter, seek out the content warnings if you are concerned, I've put some major ones in the bottom of this review.
This is an excellently paced novel, both character-driven and plot-driven. A work like this is an absolute feat to pull off. R F Kuang knows what she is doing and this is her at her best.
5/5 stars
CW: suicide, depression, sexual assault, death, filicide.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide
Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault