BSG #112: Hell is Kelli / Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

What this episode covers

You know what they say: Hell is going to grad school. Or that’s what R. F. Kuang says, and we here at Book Squad Goals tend to agree with her assessment. This week, the squad dives into Kuang’s latest, Katabasis, discussing everything from the state of Booktok and the publishing landscape to whether or not an erection qualifies a book for Romantasy status. Feel free to weigh in by sending an email to [email protected]. You can also check out our blog for at least one NEW POST (gasp) at booksquadgoals.com/blog. Stay tuned for our next episode on 11/11 where we’ll be revisiting the film Midsommar along with Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, author of The Mean Ones. You should also read along for our next bookpisode on Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang, where we’ll be joined by Sam, owner/founder of Seattle Book Club, on 11/25. Finally, please consider subscribing to our Patreon, https://www.patreon.com/booksquadgoals, for just $3 a month! Please!!!!TOC:0:30– Welcome! And icebreaker14:05–Magic as metaphor18:20–Is this book too academic?35:04–Alice and women in academia1:00:00–Pacing and what could go1:16:19–Anything else? Ratings?1:20:02–What’s on the blog? What’s up next?

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Book Squad Goals?

This episode is 1 hour and 29 minutes long.

When was this Book Squad Goals episode published?

This episode was published on October 29, 2025.

What is this episode about?

You know what they say: Hell is going to grad school. Or that’s what R. F. Kuang says, and we here at Book Squad Goals tend to agree with her assessment. This week, the squad dives into Kuang’s latest, Katabasis, discussing everything from the state...

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

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