The Situation: Alice Law is on an incredible mission with a high chance for failure. But she feels she has no choice but to do the seemingly impossible, and certainly unadvisable. If she has done the right amount of research, and learned the right spells, and taken enough notes, Alice should be able to journey into Hell and retrieve her advisor, Dr. Jacob Grimes. All she has ever wanted was to become one of the best in the field of Magick. So far this has meant studying under Grimes, who is currently the best at what he does. With his support, she can graduate from Cambridge knowing that she is pretty much guaranteed a great job and a bright future. So his death must be reversed if she is to stay on track. Also, there is the small detail that she is pretty sure his death was her fault.
The Problem: Descending into hell and casually bringing someone close to you back to the land of the living is not a simple task, and Alice knows this. Her rival, Peter Murdoch, is also well aware of how complicated this task is, but believes they have a better chance of success if they attempt it together. But the last thing Alice wanted was for Peter to tag along. To her, Peter is the annoyingly kind and affable golden boy of the department who can do no wrong, and always comes out on top. He wins all of the awards, gets all of the praise, and most annoying of all, he is incredibly nice and just as brilliant as everyone says. Together, the two of them journey through Hell in search of the advisor that neither of them hold any real affection for, but the search could cost them even more than they realized.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a fantasy novel set mostly in Hell, but begins at Cambridge where Alice and Peter first begin their descent. Throughout their journey, there is much talk about philosophy, religion, logic, literature, and even mathematics. To make it through the many courts of hell, Alice and Peter will have to draw on every bit of knowledge they have, across several fields, and it still may not be enough. Naturally, something that is referenced throughout are Dante's thoughts from The Divine Comedy, especially as Alice and Peter have their own beliefs as to how Hell is arranged, and what is the best way to move through it. As the two of them continue their adventure, they must also reconcile who they are to each other, and take an honest look at the person that was Jacob Grimes.
My Verdict: There was considerable excitement surrounding this book, and for me, it was merited. Kuang wastes no time getting the story started, as the reader immediately knows what Alice is up to and why. Once she and Peter make it into Hell, the adventure and excitement do not stop for the next 500+ pages. Sure, the setting does not really change since they are in Hell, but every chapter is a new challenge, or puzzle, or question. And the story is not a simple movement through the different courts or levels of Hell. The pair are thrown off track many times, and the characters they encounter are fascinating (many are horrifying), and add to a story that is fun, but will also make the reader think. There are logic puzzles that Alice and Peter must work through, but they must also think about what they are really fighting for, and what they are willing to sacrifice to get it.
Favorite Moment: For the first half of the book, Peter Murdoch is a bit of a mystery, until he finally gets the opportunity to tell his story.
Favorite Character: In the beginning, it is pretty easy to dislike Alice, and at least be a bit suspicious of Peter. Alice admits, at least to the reader, that she is the type who is fine with favoritism as long as she is the one benefitting. And she is unwilling to believe or admit to any truth in which she is not special, or chosen, or superior in some way. Ultimately, I did not choose a favorite character, and I am not sure I can.
Recommended Reading: Kuang's Babel deals with a different kind of magic, but also takes place in an academic setting.
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