Katabasis

Katabasis is a story of reflection, of self-acceptance, and of personal change. It's a story which many will relate to, deeply impacting with an experience that will resonate and make one feel seen.This is the journey of Alice and Peter, who travel through the courts of Hell to bring back their recently deceased advisor in order to get him to write recommendation letters as they finish up their PHD programs. This journey showcases all they are willing to sell for their futures (ironic once you start reading!) but it's also a journey of reflection as they come to recognize the cost of their choices.One of the strongest facets of this work is allowing for a very fallible lead. Alice is imperfect in her choices and perspective. It leads to fallouts, to regrets, to mistakes along the way. But for someone whose memory is impeccable, use of magical chalk superb, and genius in tact, these vulnerabilities are not dents in her armor but rather proof she remains human. Proof she can still learn, proof she can overcome hurdles on her path, and proof she can rid herself of the ghosts haunting over her shoulder.There is a constant shadow over Alice's decisions and thinking. The shadow of her advisor, Professor Grimes. This is the man she has entered the depths of literal Hell to save. You would think this means this is an amazing individual who deserves a second chance at life. And Alice certainly would tell you all about Grimes' high intelligence and accomplishments. But slowly but surely we see the cracks of Grimes and Alice (and Peter's) true opinion. We come to know a man not of intelligence but of manipulation, of predatory tactics and narcissistic arrogance. Grimes becomes the intoxicating spell of validation personified. He is less the measure of genius and more the measure of our worst traits. Jealousy, rivalry, selfishness, and pride. If this were a videogame, Grimes would be the final boss, the last villain Alice must face in order to free herself from the prison he created of her life in the living world.My heart broke for Alice. When her journey begins Alice can come across, especially in how she acts towards Peter, she can be unlikable, selfish, and unyielding. Then we get past those surface layers, and we see a young woman who has been used and discarded. A woman who cannot fathom the blame can lie elsewhere, assuming she is guilty of what’s happened to her. Assuming she cannot be more than her desperation for genius. More than her magic. This journey is the freedom of Alice, as we see her reclaim her agency and power. She stumbles, she makes awful choices, some steps forward lead to two steps back, but Alice is nothing if not determined. And we see her fight for redemption and freedom from expectations. And she finds encouragement along the way to do just that, primarily from her companion in hellish adventure, Peter.Oh gosh, how I loved Peter! I wish we had his POVs but at the same time, I am glad this is primarily Alice’s journey. Peter is another consequence and impact on her journey, but a positive one. He is her catalyst for change. To shed her unyielding exterior and begin her transformation. We have flashbacks of the evolving – and devolving – relationship between Peter and Alice. How their friendship was poisoned, but how the thread tying them together remained. They are both so narrow-minded in their educational pursuits that they lose parts of themselves, but through their connect it’s like a rediscovery of their humanity takes place. And a reorientation of what truly matters most is explored.There were times the plot got away from me. Throw in some hyperbolic geometry, philosophical and logical debates, all the math and science and high thinking and so on and so forth and you’ve got me scratching my head trying to understand it all. It tripped me up at the beginning but I knew it was never going to quite click with me and letting that desperation to understand go allowed me to embrace the supreme character work. Alice and Peter became my North Star, and they are all I needed to find me way through.In ways this felt like homework, but I mean that in the highest regard. It felt like a work you've poured blood, tears, and sweat into and whose work you feel so proud of. Except I'm the grader and it's an A. I was riveted, I was heartbroken, I was hopeful. A truly unique experience in reading I am so happy to know.

So disappointed, the book I’ve been waiting for and the cover comes damaged! I can’t believe I waited so long for this book and the cover comes ruined.

Has anyone else had printing issues? My end pages were double printed, passages were duplicated and pages of texts are missing.Story is great! Printing is atrocious.

The book is fantastic… but the quality of it especially for being a special edition is seriously lacking. Amazon did a terrible job with the print and handling of this book. Even the copy sent to replace one that was bent AND torn was in bad shape. Rebecca deserves better.

The edges are detailed and beautiful—the cover, not so much, which is a big disappointment. The US cover doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the book in edges or story.