The 29-year-old New York Times bestselling author of Babel, Rebecca F. Kuang, has published a new novel. Katabasis, a term derived from the ancient Greek words κατὰ meaning “down” and βαίνω meaning “to go,” traditionally describes a hero’s descent into the underworld. Figures such as Odysseus or Orpheus come to mind, yet in Kuang’s story, the heroes are two PhD students at the University of Cambridge. After losing their mentor just before finishing their dissertations, they embark on a literal and metaphorical journey into the underworld to find him.
The novel combines the challenges of academic life with infernal imagery, featuring monsters from hell, magicians who deal in paradoxes, and overbearing professors. Set in the 1980s, it also explores the struggles faced by women in academia, particularly through the protagonist Alice Law and a female professor from whom Alice seeks advice.
Kuang herself studied at Oxford, Cambridge, and currently at Yale, which clearly informs her depiction of academic life. Her portrayal of academia as a kind of hell is deliberate and striking, showing how easily university life can consume and even destroy those caught in its grip.
However, the characters sometimes feel underdeveloped. The connection between Alice and Peter remains vague for much of the story, and their sudden transition from rivals to lovers feels abrupt and unearned. Individually, both characters are interesting, especially Alice Law, whose inner struggles are vividly portrayed. The side characters add texture to the narrative but appear only briefly, almost like steps along a symbolic journey, which fits the mythological tone of the story.
The magic system recalls Babel but with several differences. In Katabasis, the magical instrument is chalk rather than silver bars, and the system relies on paradoxes and logic instead of translation. Kuang’s “Magick” is well constructed and accessible, even for readers without a background in physics or mathematics. Despite its intellectual foundations, it remains easy to follow and thematically coherent.
Overall, Katabasis is a haunting exploration of ambition, academia, and the sacrifices made in the pursuit of knowledge. While the romance could have been more developed, the atmosphere, symbolism, and critique of academic culture make it a compelling and memorable read.
Title: Katabasis
Author: Rebecca F. Kuang
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication year: 2025
Pages: 541
Text Michelle Rüegg
Foto zum Artikel: Vogue https://www.vogue.com/article/rf-kuang-katabasis-interview
