Why is there so much dislike for RF Kuang?

I’ve read countless reviews, Reddit posts, and various forums about her work and the general consensus appears to be that she is a terrible writer/storyteller. I’ve read all of her books thus far (just finished Katabasis) and don’t quite grasp why she is so disliked. Her skill in developing stories and characters has its issues, sure, but that is the case with most books/authors. Why does she get so much heat for it? Her premises are imaginative and she clearly has talent in certain areas. Why is she so much more vocally disliked than most other writers? Part of me wonders if it’s misogyny or misguided envy because half the time when I’m reading these reviews, I can’t help but think that the critics probably couldn’t do much better. I don’t know anything about her as a person, but as a writer I don’t see how her work justifies the seemingly vast amounts of bashing. Any amount of praise for her work seems to get downvoted so I’m a bit uneasy about asking this question, but I’m hoping to stimulate a worthwhile discussion from those who have read her writing. My apologies if this post breaks any rules. What is your perspective? Do you think the general dislike is proportionate to her talents? Is there something I’m missing?

Posted Dec 7, 2025, 5:08 AM UTC

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