Katabasis

Dante’s Inferno, Orpheus and Eurydice, Alice in Wonderland, Cambridge remix. An allegory for writing a dissertation, for being in love, for discovering yourself, filled with philosophical riddles over-explained by the agonisingly indecisive protagonist as we delve into overly-educated hell. I loved this book and its deliberate flaws. - Zoë

""Rich with allusion and illusion, Kuang crafts a witty, gory, harrowing ride that thoroughly roasts the perils and power structures of academia, while never losing sight of what it means to have a fragile, human heart."" -- #1 New York Times bestselling author, Leigh Bardugo ""A spellbinding and poignant story that had me riveted to the pages, R.F. Kuang's KATABASIS is more than a novel to savor. This book is an experience. I envy those who get to read it for the first time."" -- Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals ""A must-read for fans of Naomi Novik, Olivie Blake, and Lev Grossman's scholastic fantasies, with explorations of purpose, grief, and relationships that open the novel to a more universal audience."" -- Library Journal (starred review) ""This is a book of ideas, and as such, Kuang's creativity shines, her vehicle for story a prose that's smooth as butter. Katabasis is a formidable, timeless work, destined to be a modern classic."" -- Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six ""This is a tightly constructed novel that aims a clear lens on academia, with both its faults and its virtues. The heady draw of discovery is ever-present, even if what Alice is discovering is Hell. A learned, literary manifesto on academia--and its darkness."" -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ""What an adventure! Katabasis is a tour de force - literate, witty, and wise, it thrills and delights all the way to a hugely satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed it tremendously."" -- Gareth Brown, international bestselling author of The Book of Doors ""Wickedly sharp and unexpectedly sweet, going to hell has never been this entertaining."" -- Shannon Chakraborty, New York Times bestselling author of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi ""A balance of literary deep thinking, pop commercial fun, and outrageous audacity. Kuang uniquely and authentically writes the Academy with the right mix of love and rage."" -- Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author ""A philosophical tribute to love, Katabasis is the latest master turn by a master novelist. Under the surface of R.F. Kuang's rigorous treatment of logic and hell is an endless reservoir of vitality and a deep thirst for life. This timeless search for meaning is for any reader struggling to find purpose in a deeply flawed world."" -- Vaishnavi Patel, New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi ""There can be no other explanation: Kuang is a wizard. Each character, each sentence, each chapter of Katabasis is like an exquisitely crafted incantation that only Kuang herself could have cast. I was ensorcelled from page one, and once I started reading it I found myself unable to think about anything else until long after I turned the final page. That's when I realized that Kuang had me right where she wanted me all along: Completely spellbound... and loving every minute of it."" -- John Joseph Adams, series editor of Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy