Katabasis

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How does this novel compare to Kuang’s other book that uses conventions of dark academia, Babel, or The Necessity of Violence? How do they each interact with the aesthetics and topics of the dark academic genre? If you haven’t read Babel, did this book make you interested in reading it?

2. How does this novel’s depiction of Hell compare to other depictions you have seen across books, television, movies, etc.? Was there anything unexpected about this version of Hell?

3. Have you read any of the classic or medieval katabasis novels Kuang’s characters refer to? If so, did that heighten your appreciation? If not, do you think it took away from your reading experience?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. What is your history with academia? How does it compare to the version of academia presented in the novel? Did the novel change your opinion? Why or why not?

2. What would compel you to undertake a katabasis? What do you think you would seek to know or discover about yourself during your journey? Explain.

3. Have you ever navigated a difficult mentorship situation, like Alice and Peter navigate with Grimes? How was it similar or different?

4. How did the novel affect your thoughts about death or the afterlife? What details or philosophical ideas stood out to you as you read?

5. The novel deals with Ambition as Self-Damnation and self-delusion, as people get trapped in Hells of their own making. Have you ever found yourself caught in this kind of trap? What did you do to get out of it?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How do issues of class, gender, and/or race intersect, particularly as they pertain to a theme like Academia as an Infernal Structure? How do different characters face different challenges in academia/Hell because of these traits?

2. For much of the novel, Alice is annoyed by how easily Peter is accepted by the university. Only in the novel’s latter half does she learn the extent to which Peter, too, faces challenges of inaccessibility. How are their experiences different or similar? What is gained by painting this thorough picture of inaccessibility?

3. In what ways are the novel’s depictions of social and cultural issues unique to its temporal setting in the 1980s? What work does this historical period allow the novel to do that it wouldn’t have if it were set earlier, like in the 1960s, or later, like in the 21st century?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. If a katabasis is a journey to Hell to accomplish a task or gain knowledge, compare the katabasis Alice and Peter set to accomplish, and the one they actually ended up accomplishing in the end. What were their expectations, and how do they compare with the reality?

2. How does the structure of the novel reflect the structure of other famous katabasis novels, particularly Dante’s Inferno?

3. How do the different Courts of Hell engage with different philosophical questions and perspectives? For instance, what larger questions about identity and existence are brought up in Pride? How does that compare to those brought up in Tyranny?

4. How does the non-linear nature of the flashbacks of Alice and Peter’s experiences at Cambridge add to the book’s tone and the tension of its plot? How would these differ if their history and relationships with Grimes were narrated linearly?

5. What role do symbolic objects that contain traces of liveliness—like chalk, blood, or souls—play in the novel? How do these roles compare to one another? How do these roles differ based on setting?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. In the novel, Hell takes on a visual appearance particular to Alice and Peter. For them, Hell resembles a university campus. Draw, describe, or use an online software to create what form that space would take for you. After this, discuss your choices with the group.

2. The novel is set in the 1980s. Use songs from the era to create “Alice’s Playlist” and “Peter’s Playlist.” What songs would they each choose as a soundtrack to their journey in Hell? Try to construct a playlist for each that parallels their physical journey and character arc.