Ahead of its main event in Autumn 2025, Manchester Literature Festival presents an extra special Summer event on Friday 22 August 2025 at Aviva Studios.
Following her sold-out appearance at the Festival in October 2024, this is a unique opportunity to join Rebecca F. Kuang - bestselling author, literary phenomenon, and one of the most compelling young voices in contemporary fiction - in one of her limited UK appearances.
Her highly anticipated dark fantasy novel, Katabasis has been praised by Leigh Bardugo as "a witty, gory, harrowing ride" and hailed by Olivie Blake as "a formidable, timeless work.” The novel plunges readers into the dark depths of the underworld, where two academic rivals embark on a rescue mission to save their advisor.
Kuang is renowned for her sharp, genre-defying writing. Yellowface was the publishing sensation of 2023—a number one Sunday Times bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club pick, a BBC Radio 4 at Bedtime and Foyles Fiction Book of the Year. She has earned accolades from the Nebula, Locus, Crawford, and British Book Awards for Babel and The Poppy War trilogy.
Ticket holders will have chance to buy copies of Katabasis before it goes on general sale. Rebecca will sign and/or dedicate ONE copy per customer at the event.
Manchester Literature Festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year! The main Festival runs 10-26 October 2025 with the full programme announced in August.