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redpolaroid11

Burnt out grad student stuck in escapism

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My Taste
Salt to the Sea
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop
The Midnight Library
The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings, #1-3)
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Katabasis

redpolaroid11 commented on a post

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  • Gods of Jade and Shadow
    Mexican Mythology Recs

    My favorite part of this book was the Mayan mythology, it felt like a really fresh way to include old myths that wasn’t the usual Greek/Roman/Norse myths. Does anyone have any recommendations for other books where Mayan, Aztec or other native Mexican mythology is a central part of the story?

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    Level 2

    Level 2

    100 points

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    Post from the Katabasis forum

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  • Katabasis
    Thoughts from 7%
    spoilers

    View spoiler

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  • redpolaroid11 commented on a post

    1w
  • Katabasis
    Thoughts from 27% (page 146)

    This book has made me realise why I don't like a lot of Dark Academia novels. I love that this book engages with the actual academia, and we get to see it and understand it through the eyes of the protagonists. Other DA books I've looked at, the 'academia' aspect is just relegated to the setting (like it's set in a magic school, everyone has magic, but we don't really learn a single thing about magic unless it's necessary to explain a relationship). And as a grumpy person with a masters degree, I have no desire to just read about students having fun and doing anything but study 😂

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  • Post from the Katabasis forum

    1w
  • Katabasis
    Thoughts from 1% (page 5)

    Holy shit lembas bread??? That’s it im sold

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  • redpolaroid11 set their yearly reading goal to 5

    1w

    redpolaroid11's 2025 Reading Challenge

    2 of 5 read
    I Hope This Finds You Well
    The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands
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    Post from the Katabasis forum

    1w
  • Katabasis
    Literally page 1

    So excited to finally read this!! I saw it coming out in September and since then it’s been on my TBR and as a grad student I’m expecting it to hit a bit close to home. This is my first R.F. Kuang book and I was really drawn to what other people have said about her writing, especially the academic tone. I love fantasy but I sometimes feel disappointed when a book doesn’t make me think critically about the plot or the message. Given the $35 I spent on a hard copy, I hope it won’t let me down 🥲

    For the grad students out there, what did you think?

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  • redpolaroid11 wants to read...

    1w
    1984

    1984

    George Orwell

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    redpolaroid11 wants to read...

    1w
    The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)

    The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)

    R.F. Kuang

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    redpolaroid11 finished reading and wrote a review...

    11w
  • The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands
    redpolaroid11
    Jul 31, 2025
    5.0
    Enjoyment: 5.0Quality: 4.0Characters: 4.0Plot: 3.5

    I really enjoyed reading this book and had a hard time putting it down! Fantastic premise and very unique characters, though I wish it went on for a bit longer. The ending felt a little rushed, but still satisfying.

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  • redpolaroid11 started reading...

    11w
    The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands

    The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands

    Sarah Brooks

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    redpolaroid11 wants to read...

    13w
    The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands

    The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands

    Sarah Brooks

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