Mythology, Mentors, and Moral Ambiguity
I’ve always had a deep love for Greek-inspired reads, and after seeing Hadestown this past November, I was finally in the right headspace to pick up R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis. This was my first introduction to her work, and I found her interpretation of the underworld fascinating. Instead of the usual fire and brimstone, Kuang presents Hell as a landscape of psychological “emotional erosion.” While she blends Eastern and Western myths, the Greek influence provides a familiar framework for Alice and Peter’s journey through a world defined by moral reckoning rather than simple spectacle.
The narrative structure, however, was a double-edged sword. While I appreciated the alternating timelines that humanized Alice and Peter, the heavy exposition often loosened the tension. For every new character, Kuang devotes pages to their lore and history; while fascinating, these diversions occasionally stalled the momentum. Ultimately, the story excels in its exploration of academic moral ambiguity and the playful, subtle tension between the leads. While the first 60% was the most captivating, this is a solid 3.75-star introduction (rounded to 4). I look forward to finding my first 5-star Kuang read by the end of 2026.
