When I think of dark academia, I think of two things: novels such as The Secret History, Dead Poets Society, and The Picture of Dorian Gray, and the 2015 Tumblr photos of mahogany libraries, old clothbound books, “smart” school uniforms, and rainy cities. It’s interesting to consider how this literary subgenre and aesthetic has not only survived through the lifespan of a typical fad, but like English Ivy, has grown beautifully, spreading over popular culture. Presently, dark academia encompasses the alluring theme of academic ambition, old libraries, prep-school uniforms, and seasonal melancholy. Since dark academia is associated with the sort of feelings and settings that are most attributed to the autumn season, I thought a short list of YA dark academia reads would be perfect for the month of November.
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance Series, #1); 320 pages
All is fair at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where there are no teachers, no holidays, and where students earn a diploma in survival. At an institution where monsters are everywhere and failure can literally mean death, Galadriel, or “El,” is an enchantress, who not only needs to survive her education, but the complexities of being a teenager as well. This book is the first in a trilogy and continues with The Last Graduate and The Golden Enclaves.
All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters; 416 pages
Being a first-generation college student already has its own challenges, but it undoubtedly gets more complicated when that student is haunted by a mysterious force that obscures the distinction between reality and imagination. For Tara, this is certainly true. Tara is offered to enroll in Corbin College’s Magni Viri, an elite academic society that has free tuition, inspiring professors, and promises an ideal job upon graduation. However, once Tara is settled into her new college life, it’s not just her writing that has turned dark and twisted, but her dreams as well. As Tara uncovers the strange past of Magni Viri, she comes face-to-face with her own nightmare in an attempt to escape to safety.
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé; 448 pages
In their senior year at Niveus Private Academy, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo are selected to become prefects. With the ambition of becoming valedictorian, Devon and Chiamaka will stop at nothing to achieve this position—especially since college applications are due soon. However, when an anonymous texter called “Aces” begins to send menacing texts threatening to expose their darkest secrets, they realize that their future plans are no longer feasible.
The Library of Lost Girls by Kristen Pipps; 336 pages
Familial bonds, particularly sororal bonds, know no limit—and this story attests to that. When rebellious and spunky older sister Izzy comes home from Delphi School for Girls, a finishing school, Gwen Donovan is appalled by her sister’s transformation. Now “boring” and “eager to marry,” Izzy prompts her sister’s curiosity about the school. Gwen creates a plan to infiltrate the school, find out what happened to her sister, and bring the “old” Izzy back. But upon arriving at Delphi and observing its remoteness, lurking shadows, and strange pupils, Gwen’s boldness is weakened, especially by the eerie library with the names of girls on the spine of each book. To save her sister and the other students at Delphi from meeting a ruinous end, Gwen must discover the sinister core of the school before it is too late.
The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Maldavsky; 468 pages
Horror fanatic Rachel Chavez is the new girl and scholarship kid at Manchester Prep. She’s eager for a fresh start, and desperate to escape dark secrets from her past. But when a prank Rachel pulls goes wrong, it catches the attention of a mysterious group of students, the Mary Shelley Club. Rachel integrates into this group and witnesses the club arranging terrifying pranks to produce real, acute fear in the people around them. As these “Fear Tests” progress and competition turns deadly, Rachel must confront her past secrets to find out who, or what, has turned the tables and began to terrorize the Mary Shelley Club.
I hope that at least one of these titles piqued your interest; and if dark academia reads are not for you, check out previous blogs and reviews by other PRR writers for more book recommendations. Otherwise, enjoy these book picks!
Abigail Ortiz, Pine Reads Writer and Editor