Katabasis
By: R. F. Kuang
Location: FIC KUA
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.
Alice Law has only ever had one to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world—that is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.
Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the same conclusion.
Review from my fav- Nilufer
Some books are too magnificent to simply be described—they must be devoured and savored slowly to fully appreciate their brilliance. This is one of them—a spellbinding blend of enemies-to-lovers romance and dark academia fantasy, featuring a mind-blowing journey through hell, where every level embodies sins like pride, desire, greed, wrath, and tyranny, alongside the infamous City of Dis. The story weaves together elements of mathematics, philosophy, and religion, enriched with fascinating anecdotes from Ancient Greek mythology.
Alice Law, an ambitious and brilliant mind in Cambridge’s Magick field, accidentally kills her mentor by misdrawing a pentagram. Determined to bring him back, she embarks on a dangerous quest to hell—only to be joined by her arch-nemesis (and former crush), Peter Murdoch. Their mentor, Grimes, could be anywhere in the underworld, and as they navigate its treacherous levels, they encounter terrifying entities, battle monstrous creatures, and undergo hell’s grueling trials.
Trapped in a relentless race against time, Alice and Peter must confront their tangled past, wavering between love and hate, while guarding dark secrets that could destroy them. The deeper they descend, the greater the danger—not just of losing their lives but of succumbing to the underworld itself. If their secrets come to light, will they escape hell unscathed, or will they be doomed to wander its eternal abyss, their memories erased forever?
Overall: Words cannot capture how much I adored this book—it’s not just my favorite fantasy of the year but possibly the best book I’ve read all year! With its sharp academic wit, themes of abuse, existential questioning, self-respect, and the infinite choices that shape our lives, this novel masterfully blends intellectual depth with an addictive rivals-to-lovers romance. I can’t recommend it enough—add it to your reading list immediately, and prepare to be enthralled by its intricate, mysterious, and utterly unputdownable adventure.
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