Okay this whole book was a trip ! I loved the world building - I loved the way magick works but to be completely honest I didn’t understand a lot of the text. So many references and explanations of paradoxes - at first it was intriguing but by the end I was bored. How can someone be bored reading about the journey to hell and back ! Also the FMC completely unhinged !

"Hell is other people, I've heard."

What. A. Book.

Katabasis was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and I am very pleased to announce that it lived up to--and in fact, surpassed--every expectation I had for it. This is not an easily consumable or bingeable read. It is challenging and twisty and expects you to trust it in a way that is becoming pretty synonymous with most of R.F. Kuang's work. But the destination is delicious and the journey to get there, this journey through Hell, is well worth the logical paradoxes and discussions of philosophy. In fact, there were so many times where I found myself itching for a pen and paper so that I might take notes or do my own research about the topics that Kuang deftly explores. Like I said: what a book.

As it's no surprise that Kuang is a genius, I don't really need to touch on how well-researched Katabasis is. Instead, I want to talk about her character work. This is a mostly character-driven novel, so if those aren't your cup of tea, this might not be a hit for you. That said, if you're interested in complex--and by that I mean messed up--main characters, you will eat this up.

Alice is toxic and burnt out and hard on herself and, most importantly, still learning. Her character arc through this novel is absolutely fantastic and I felt silly for ever doubting how Kuang might be able to let her grow in any meaningful or substantial way. She is not an easy character to root for, but once you do, it's impossible to stop, especially as you uncover the reasons why she is the way she is. And contrasting her almost perfectly is Peter, who is also both a genius and a difficult character to truly love until you discover what makes him tick. Separate, they're fascinating. Together, they're electric.

Katabasis is not a romance novel, but it is awfully romantic. I loved every interaction between Alice and Peter, and I loved even more that this book was interspersed with flashbacks that helped craft their relationship (and rivalry!) in a more meaningful way. Anyone can say that two people have a messy history, but Kuang puts in the work to show her readers why.

I think that this novel, like Babel, critiques academia quite well. Alice has a lot to unpack and a lot of internal prejudices to unlearn, primarily about women in academia. Like I said: she's not easy to love. It shouldn't take a trip to Hell to change your life, but the beauty of this book is the irony that it does change everything for Alice.

I feel like my only complaint with this novel was the setting. It is very monotonous, which I think might be intentional, but man--I was a bit sick of dunes and sand and rocks by the time I reached the end. That said, it's such a minute little complaint that it didn't detract from the overall experience I had with this novel.

All in all, I can't recommend Katabasis more. You can just feel the passion that Kuang has for this story on each page. It's not completely perfect from an objective standpoint, but it's absolutely perfect to me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own!

This book was a journey through the darkest parts of the human psyche. This was a difficult read, not because of a lack of substance, quite to the contrary, it was purposeful in its trajectory and, for lack of a better phrase, "too real." Another entry into the pantheon of Cthonic literature, Katabasis confronts themes of abuse, death, and the highs and lows of human existence. It's not an easy read, but boy is it good. RF Kuang further cements herself as one of the preeminent authors in the genre yet again.

To me, the comparisons to Piranesi do Katabasis less justice than Kuang's noted like of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. this is a heady, unabashedly nerdy book about two people who value their heads more than their hearts or souls and all the trouble that gets them into. The joy is in the wondrous being pinned down and turned ordinary rather than the vastness of mystery and memory. Within its chosen lane, Katabasis is delightful. A chance to see a greedy mind at work with a sweetness that I haven't seen in anything else Kuang has done.

DNF at 33%…

I can’t do it yall im so disappointed. This book fell extremely flat for me and it’s surprising because it’s R.F. Kuang. The premise of the story sounds really interesting but the book was so boring. 90% of the book felt like an info dump of everything she learned about Greek mythology. I respect that this author is extremely educated, but sometimes too much information about a topic pulls away from the plot.

I plan to pick this back up again when my pre order comes in August but for now, it’s going to be a DNF.

I was absolutely blown away by R.F. Kuang's writing. This was my first official book by her and I adored every moment of it. The imagery of every circle of hell that Alice and Peter went through. I'd never been so obsessed with two characters before.

Kuang's "Katabasis" ambitiously merges dark academia with a literal descent into Hell as rival magicians Alice Law and Peter Murdoch reluctantly join forces to rescue their deceased professor from the underworld. While the novel offers an intriguing blend of magical theory and classical mythology, the pacing occasionally falters and some of the hell-realm challenges feel more conceptually interesting than emotionally resonant. The strength lies in the complicated history between Alice and Peter, whose academic rivalry masks deeper connections that unfold throughout their dangerous journey, though their character development sometimes takes a backseat to the elaborate worldbuilding.

R.F. Kuang does it again!! This book is similar in tone and vibe as Babel. It is a pretty heavy and dense book, so pick it up when you are ready to take on a challenge.

blown away with RF Kuang’s mind and her storytelling!! I simply do not have enough words or the best words to express how thoughtful and intricate this book was. I knew there was a suggested reading/text references many other readers suggest, but aside from a few google searches, I was able to grasp the majority of the story and thoroughly enjoy it!!

I honestly had no expectations for this journey to hell but I had not expected some of the twists and turns that kuang had up her sleeve. Kuang utilized many myths and stories of hell and combines it into one version of hell that I can definitely understand. I strongly believe that there is no single version of hell that is IT, but definitely all the cultures and religions leading to the same place and deities. This was one of my favorite aspects of the book. While the stories varied they all led to the same place and there was not a lot of bias on Kuang’s end. Alice on the other hand chose what she knew, as all people would do in her position.

I definitely feel like a reread or multiple is necessary to fully grasp all the concepts placed in this one singular story. I cannot wait for a physical copy to be in my hands!!!

Thank you SO MUCH HarperVoyager/HarperCollins team for this ARC!!!

Katabasis is my new favorite R.F. Kuang book (although The Burning God is a close second), and this sure was a story hit close to home.

Katabasis is a philosophical dark academia fantasy book that is part love story, part critique of the hellscape that is academia, and part literary and mythological odyssey. Not only does it feature an intricate magic system based on logic and analytical reasoning that complements the themes of the story perfectly, but it also showcases Kuang’s strongest character work yet. Both Alice Law and Peter Murdoch came to life so vibrantly off the page, and I absolutely loved witnessing their journeys of self-discovery and connection.

I thought the way that academia was explored and critiqued in the context of this narrative was brilliant, and I particularly appreciated the wide range of myths and literary texts Katabasis drew from. The underworld in this story blends elements from both the West and the East (with a unique twist), featuring familiar figures from Greek, Chinese, Indian, and Egyptian mythology, among others, that were so exciting to come across in the story.

At its heart, this is a book about the joy of being alive - a reminder that there’s beauty in the smallest moments, and a quiet magic in simply existing. What makes a life worth living? That’s a question Alice and Peter grapple with as they travel through the depths of hell — and the reader is right there with them, every step of the way.

In short, if you like the following, you may also like Katabasis:

🖋️ Character-driven stories
📝 Intricate magic systems
🖋️ Literary & mythological references
📝 Philosophical discussions
🖋️ Critical analysis of academia

Thank you Harper Voyager for the ARC of this book - can't wait for more people to read it!

Still in shock I have an ARC of this, thank you so much NetGalley! I enjoyed this, this is a very dense gem of a book and the only thing stopping me from giving it a five star rating was the ending, it felt a bit tacked on and not as wrapped up as I wanted it to be after such an odyssey through Hell.

Katabasis: a thrilling descent into the underworld

R.F. Kuang has once again taken an incredibly interesting premise and brought it to life with a care and understanding of the source material that will have readers picking up Dante’s Inferno and Euripides just for fun.

Alice Law and Peter Murdoch, two graduate students the University of Cambridge, embark on a perilous journey through the 8 courts of hell to rescue their professor after a tragic accident. We jump right into their descent and are immediately captivated by the atmosphere. As we travel with Alice and Peter through pride, desire, greed, wrath, and tyranny, and the infamous City of Dis we are faced with a story full of existential quesitons and the decisions that ultimately shape our lives and ourselves.

"At least, she thought this was love -- this gradual unfolding of another soul, charting one's course into tprivledged inner territory, making discoveries of which you felt you were the first"

The characters were so unique, complicated, and delightful to get to know. It took me longer than normal to read this book because I genuinely didn't want the journey to end.

5 stars and thank you R.F. Kuang yet again for writing a masterpiece.

R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis is a brilliantly layered descent—into Hell, into academic obsession, and into the increasingly blurred lines between ambition and morality. Following two rival graduate students, Alice and Peter, as they journey into the underworld to rescue their professor’s soul, this novel is a masterclass in literary homage, dark academia, and psychological unraveling.

Kuang’s writing is incredible—sharp, haunting, and richly intertextual. From nods to Dante’s Inferno to echoes of Alice in Wonderland, the narrative is packed with allusions that deepen the experience for lovers of classical literature. Katabasis embodies both myth and madness as the protagonists tumble into a literal and metaphorical underworld. The journey reads as both an epic and a cautionary tale about the academic grind, the ethical compromises we make, and the seductive pull of genius at all costs.

One of the most compelling aspects is how immersive the spiral feels. As Alice loses her grip, so do we—it pulls you in, it's unsettling, and it's brutally honest about the toll of relentless pursuit. The atmosphere is dense with dread, wonder, and intellectual fervor.

Though some passages felt slightly drawn out, the overall pacing supports the story’s thematic weight. However, a content warning page would be a welcome addition, as the book contains intense themes, including animal cruelty, suicidal ideation, and various aspects of abuse.

Katabasis is a must-read for fans of fantasy, dark academia, and anyone who enjoys fiction steeped in literary tradition and philosophical depth. It’s a dark, dazzling descent you won’t forget. I will absolutely be buying a physical copy and can't wait for release day!

This book was perfect. I loved every bit of it. Beautiful writing, great pacing, a unique storyline, and so many Dante references. I don’t want to spoil too much since it’s not out yet, but the idea of hell as a painfully relatable, academia-laced setting was incredibly well done. I’ll definitely be rereading this one.

Kuang creates the most complex, detailed worlds and I am totally here for it every single time. This one will need no help rocketing straight onto the best seller list.

𝕀𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖, 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕤𝕠 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕤𝕟𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕕.

If Katabasis has no fans, I have passed away and am tolling away on my extensive transcript in Hell. Like every time I finish reading a book by my favorite author, I’m going to need minimally 5-7 business days to process my emotions. There is nothing I love more than morally grey characters, and Alice… 𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆…the over-achieving, depressive, the ends justify the means, wait no, the means justify the ends, kind of person that you are spoke to me on (unfortunately????) a visceral level. If you have ever wondered “what is the point of it all?” I’m not sure you’ll find the answers here, but you’ll at least find solace in the companionship and in the journey. Even if the journey is just an Escher trap. Wait, now we’re getting big sads again.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏-𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒊𝒕-𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒃𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅.

Like all of Rebecca's books, this one is dark. We're dealing with dark themes of depression, suicide, abuse, chronic illness. We're journeying to find the meaning of life when we don't have much of a desire to do anything but let inertia carry us forward. I loved how these themes were wrapped in dark humor and the absurd. I laughed a lot throughout Katabasis. AND we have the quite the little love story too. This was perfection. I've got at least 50 passages underlined, and I know I will be rereading this for years to come. Don't listen to the people who say you need to read 50 books (like Dante, etc.) before you read this. You don't. You will have a great time regardless of if you prep for the rest of your life for this book or you go in blind.

“𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕙𝕠𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤,” 𝕄𝕠𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕕.
“𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕠𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕝𝕚𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕪?”
“𝕋𝕠 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕧𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞,” 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕄𝕠𝕠𝕣𝕖. “𝕋𝕠 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞. 𝕋𝕠 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕩𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞. 𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞, 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕥𝕠𝕠 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙.”

Another homerun by Kuang. I think my favorite aspect of her work is she always gives you exactly the premise she promised but so much more. This is a story about a journey to Hell to fix your gravest wrong, but also a story about how we're already in the bad place of our own self infliction. This is also a love story, for life, truth, beauty and the unexpected. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this ARC. Kuang is among the greatest minds of our time.

This was my most anticipated read of the year and fell pretty flat. By the time I reached the 70-75% mark i was pretty much over it, which was so disappointing since I loved the beginning. I felt like the romance was completely unfounded and relied on a few flashbacks to make us believe these characters have chemistry. I felt pretty much no connection to Peter aside from the one flashback from him.

Based on the many reviews from other readers suggesting up to 15 classics we should read to prepare for Katabasis, I feel pretty underwhelmed with what we received. In my opinion Babel and Ninth House are the much better siblings of this book. I’ll be rereading in August and hopefully my review will change for the better.

“I feel sometimes it is so difficult to be conscious”.

Thank you to Harper Voyager for the opportunity to review an early copy of Katabasis!

This is R.F. Kuang’s literary exploration into a book like The Hobbit, both in the quest narrative aspect and in its accessibility to a wide audience. Finishing this book left me with a sense of a lot of complexity to unravel, but little narrative companionship.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Another deeply researched and reference-filled journey to hell. I really enjoyed may of Alice's POV around her memories of Peter, her ambition, the joy and obession of learning, the deep ambivalence of the relationship with one's academic advisor, especially one as terrible and powerful as Grimes. I really enjoyed meeting the various characters in hell. There were plenty of academic, mathematical, philosphical, etc. references that went over my head I'm sure. Not one of my favorite of Kuang's books, but a remarkable book that I think many will enjoy.