Katabasis
Maybe my least favorite of Kuang’s work to date despite being squarely in its audience. The bits about academia were, weirdly enough, not very compelling to me because they didn’t seem unique, even if some bits were very well drawn. There’s a description of enjoying the pub with one’s cohortmates that rang particularly true.
Some very good moments, and a final act that elevates what came before, bring it to 4 stars for me, but this following Yellowface makes me a bit worried that the author’s success has led her to think that she is the most interesting part of her books. This makes 2 books where the autobiographical elements are in their ascendence (3 if you count Babel, but it’s less there, I think), and I am hoping her next book ventures further afield. Still, a good book read in two sittings.
View in Books ↗Some very good moments, and a final act that elevates what came before, bring it to 4 stars for me, but this following Yellowface makes me a bit worried that the author’s success has led her to think that she is the most interesting part of her books. This makes 2 books where the autobiographical elements are in their ascendence (3 if you count Babel, but it’s less there, I think), and I am hoping her next book ventures further afield. Still, a good book read in two sittings.