There’s something irresistible about the dark academia genre. Maybe because it often feels like stepping into a secret world. One built of ivy-covered walls, midnight debates, candlelit libraries, and the hum of ambition and secrets whispered through the halls. We’re drawn to it because it mirrors our own love of curling up by a fire with our favorite book.
The best dark academia books don’t just tell stories; they draw you into worlds where the stakes are impossibly high, where morality and desire are complicated and sometimes laced with a touch of magic, mystery, or forbidden knowledge. They remind us why we’re drawn to mystery, to beauty, to romance. They also remind us why we’re drawn to the shadows. To the whispers of secrets hidden beneath ancient halls, where loyalty and betrayal dance hand in hand.
Beneath the surface of tradition and prestige, there’s tension, rivalry, and the thrill of uncovering what’s hidden. Here are our favorite dark academia books everyone should read.
1. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Why Read It: This is a quintessential dark academia novel. Tartt spins a tale of brilliant misfits at an elite college, their obsession with beauty and classics leading them into dangerous, irreversible choices. It’s quite literally the blueprint for the genre.
About the Book: Under the spell of a brilliant classics professor, a circle of eccentric misfits at a New England college find themselves drawn into a world of beauty and philosophy far removed from ordinary campus life. But their pursuit of the transcendent soon turns perilous, leading them past the bounds of morality and into the shadows of obsession.
From its Pages: “Forgive me, for all the things I did but mostly for the ones that I did not.” - Donna Tartt, The Secret History
2. If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
Why Read It: Set in a Shakespearean conservatory, this novel explores the intoxicating and destructive nature of performance, friendship, and rivalry. Think: secret societies of actors, blurred lines between the character and self, and a crime that won’t stay buried.
About the Book: On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the detective who imprisoned him waits for the truth. Ten years earlier, Oliver and six fellow Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory navigated ambition, rivalry, and the blurred line between performance and reality. But during their final year, a deadly incident on opening night forces them to confront tragedy, betrayal, and the ultimate challenge: proving their innocence to the world—and to themselves.
From its Pages: “You can justify anything if you do it poetically enough.” - M.L. Rio, If We Were Villains
3. Babel by R.F. Kuang
Why Read It: A magical take on dark academia. In 1830s Oxford, translation is both power and weapon, and secret societies battle over knowledge that could reshape empires. Here istory, language, and rebellion converge.
About the Book: In 1828, Robin Swift—an orphan brought from Canton to London—trains in languages under the watchful eye of the enigmatic Professor Lovell before entering Oxford’s Royal Institute of Translation, known as Babel. There, he discovers silver-working, a form of magic that fuels Britain’s imperial power. But as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin soon realizes that knowledge serves the empire, not truth, and he’s forced to choose between loyalty to Babel or resistance with the Hermes Society as war with China looms.
From its Pages: “This is how colonialism works. It convinces us that the fallout from resistance is entirely our fault, that the immoral choice is resistance itself rather than the circumstances that demanded it.” - R.F. Kuang, Babel
4. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Why Read It: Welcome to Yale, where secret societies control more than just campus politics. Bardugo blends real-world prestige with the supernatural, unraveling mysteries that simmer beneath gothic towers. It’s dark academia with teeth and plenty of ghosts.
About the Book: Galaxy “Alex” Stern, a survivor of a horrific unsolved massacre and a life once lost to chaos, gets a second chance at Yale on a full ride—but only to spy on its secret societies. Tasked with uncovering the truth behind their windowless “tombs,” Alex discovers their dark rituals go far beyond the elite social scene: forbidden magic, the raising of the dead, and a danger that could consume the living.
From its Pages: “All you children playing with fire, looking surprised when the house burns down.” - Leigh Bardugo, Ninth House
5. The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Why Read It: For those who love a mix of academia, exclusivity, and a dash of magic. Six of the world’s most talented magicians are recruited into a hidden society, where knowledge is endless and the price of entry is high.
About the Book: Every decade, six extraordinary magicians are chosen to join the secretive Alexandrian Society, a world of unmatched power and prestige. But the path is perilous: as alliances form and betrayals loom, each recruit must fight for their place—knowing that not all of them will survive the year.
From its Pages: “The moral of this story is: Beware the man who faces you unarmed. If in his eyes you are not the target, then you can be sure you are the weapon.” - Olivie Blake, The Atlas Six
6. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
Why Read It: What if your school wanted to kill you? Novik’s Scholomance series reimagines academia as a deadly magical boarding school where survival is never guaranteed. Sharp, witty, and brimming with humor and charm.
About the Book: After Orion Lake saves my life—for the second time—I decide he needs to die. Everyone else adores him, but I don’t need help surviving the Scholomance, a school full of monsters, cursed artifacts, and deadly expectations. I’ll make it out alive on my own terms, defying the roles the world wants me to play—even if that means taking Orion down myself.
From its Pages: “Was I starting to feel evil? Yes, now I was worrying I'd be turned to the dark side by too much crochet.” - Naomi Novik, A Deadly Education
7. Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Why Read It: Less ivy halls, more scientific experimentation. Two brilliant college students unlock the formula for extraordinary powers, only to discover that ambition and morality rarely coexist.
About the Book: A decade after betrayal, Victor escapes prison to confront his former friend-turned-foe, joined by a young girl with hidden powers. Meanwhile, Eli hunts every super-powered being he can find, aided by a determined sidekick. Fueled by revenge and past loss, their collision sets a deadly course—but only one will survive.
From its Pages: “The absence of pain led to an absence of fear, and the absence of fear led to a disregard for consequence.” - V.E. Schwab, Vicious
8. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Why Read It: A lush, labyrinthine tale of secret doors, hidden societies, and stories within stories. Morgenstern crafts a dreamlike underworld where libraries are endless and every book is a portal. Perfect for those who crave the magical side of dark academia.
A secret: a passage from this book was the inspiration behind Briar Road’s stag emblem.
About the Book: Graduate student Zachary Ezra Rawlins discovers a mysterious book in a Vermont library that eerily recounts his own childhood. Following cryptic clues, he is drawn into a hidden underground library filled with lost cities, secret societies, and stories whispered by the dead. Guided by the fierce Mirabel and the enigmatic Dorian, Zachary navigates magical ballrooms, dark tunnels, and enchanted shores, uncovering both the library’s secrets and his own purpose.
From its Pages: “Everyone is a part of a story, what they want is to be part of something worth recording.” - Erin Morgenstern, The Starless Sea
9. Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth
Why Read It: Gothic, witty, and layered with metafiction. Set between a cursed New England girls’ school in 1902 and a modern-day film crew uncovering its mysteries, this novel is a love letter to sapphic romance, horror, and the dangers of obsession.
About the Book: In 1902, students Flo and Clara form the secret Plain Bad Heroine Society at Brookhants School for Girls, obsessed with each other and scandalous writer Mary MacLane—but their devotion ends in a macabre death. Over a century later, the abandoned school becomes the setting for a controversial film adaptation of a bestselling book celebrating its queer, feminist history, drawing new arrivals into a tangled web where past curses and present ambitions dangerously collide.
From its Pages: “Don’t find yourself regretting this. You’re much too young to haunt your own life.” - Emily M. Danforth, Plain Bad Heroines
10. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Why Read It: Greek tragedy collides with Cambridge secrecy. When a professor’s coterie of female students becomes linked to a string of murders, dark academia takes on the pulse of a psychological thriller.
About the Book: Edward Fosca, a charismatic Cambridge professor adored by students and the secretive female society The Maidens, is suspected by therapist Mariana Andros of being a murderer. When a student connected to her niece is killed, Mariana becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind Fosca’s dark rituals and the ancient myths he invokes, risking her career, relationships, and even her life to stop him.
From its Pages: “After all, everyone’s entitled to be the hero of their own story. So I must be permitted to be the hero of mine. Even though I’m not. I’m the villain.” - Alex Michaelides, The Maidens
11. Bunny by Mona Awad
Why Read It: Surreal, grotesque, and witty. This cult-favorite dives into the strange, saccharine, and sinister world of an MFA program where a lonely outsider is drawn into a clique of women whose workshops involve… transformations you won’t expect.
About the Book: Samantha Heather Mackey, an outsider in her elite MFA program, is drawn into the eerie, ritualistic world of her rich, clique-like classmates known as the Bunnies. Invited to their secretive “Smut Salon” and off-campus Workshops, Samantha finds reality blurring as her loyalties, imagination, and friendships collide—threatening everything she thought she knew about herself and those around her.
From its Pages: “Why do you lie so much? And about the weirdest little things?", my mother always asked me. "I don’t know", I always said. But I did know. It was very simple. Because it was a better story.” - Mona Awad, Bunny
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12. Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
Why Read It: For those who want their dark academia infused with sharp political bite. In a city fueled by magical academia, a young woman uncovers the corruption and exploitation powering the institution she once revered.
About the Book: After twenty years of relentless study, Sciona becomes the first woman admitted to the High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry—but her challenges have just begun. Paired with a mysterious janitor hiding a tragic past, she navigates a hostile workplace while uncovering an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever, if it doesn’t get them killed first.
From its Pages: “So many parents will try to kill everything brilliant about a girl in the name of giving her a good life, a safe life, a chance at happiness.” - M.L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven
13. Dead Poets Society by N.H. Kleinbaum
Why Read It: An ode to literature, rebellion, and the beauty of thinking for oneself. This novelization of the beloved film captures the spirit of young scholars inspired by an unorthodox teacher to seize the day—and to discover the cost of breaking free from tradition.
About the Book: At Welton Academy, new English teacher John Keating inspires Todd Anderson and his friends to resurrect the Dead Poets Society, a secret club where they explore poetry, passion, and individuality. But as the boys embrace freedom and self-expression, they soon discover that defying authority comes with tragic consequences, and their newfound courage is tested in ways they never expected.
From its Pages: “We are dreaming of tomorrow, and tomorrow isn’t coming; we are dreaming of a glory that we don’t really want. We are dreaming of a new day when the new day’s here already. We are running from the battle when it’s one that must be fought.” - N.H. Kleinbaum, Dead Poets Society
14. Edinburgh by Alexander Chee
Why Read It: Lyrical and devastating, Chee’s debut is a haunting meditation on trauma, music, and identity. Following a Korean American boy in a boys’ choir, the novel blends beauty with unbearable darkness.
About the Book: Twelve-year-old Fee, a talented soprano in a Maine boys’ choir, witnesses abuse by the director but stays silent—haunted when his best friend Peter becomes a victim. Years later, trying to rebuild his life, Fee takes a teaching job near his hometown and encounters Arden, a student who uncannily resembles Peter and is connected to the very man who destroyed his youth.
From its Pages: “Hate is love on fire, set out to burn like a flare on the side of the road. It says, stop here. Something terrible has happened. Envy is like the skin you're in burns. And the salve is someone else's skin.” - Alexander Chee, Edinburgh
15. Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Why Read It: Katabasis plunges into the underworld of power, loss, and myth. A scholar’s descent becomes both literal and metaphorical, reflecting academia’s eternal dance with obsession and destruction.
About the Book: Alice Law has sacrificed everything to work with the greatest magician in the world—until his death, possibly her fault, sends her on a dangerous journey into Hell to secure her future. Joined reluctantly by her rival, Peter Murdoch, she must navigate a treacherous underworld using only spells, courage, and the lessons of Orpheus and Dante, discovering along the way that their shared past could either save them—or destroy them.
From its Pages: “Believe the lie - trust the lie - it is the only thing you have. Stay in the cage and paint the walls. If you do not, then you must quit; but if you can delude yourself long enough, then your delusions might very well come true.” - R.F. Kuang, Katabasis
16. A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Why Read It: Witchcraft, grief, and queer romance spiral together at a centuries-old boarding school. When a new student arrives to research the school’s history of witch trials, the line between research and ritual blurs—and obsession turns deadly.
About the Book: Felicity Morrow returns to the ivy-covered Dalloway School in the Catskills, haunted by the tragic death of her girlfriend and the dark legacy of the so-called Dalloway Five, rumored witches who died mysteriously. Drawn back into the school’s occult past by new student and prodigy novelist Ellis Haley, Felicity must confront the lingering darkness of Dalloway—and of herself—just as history begins to repeat itself.
From its Pages: “But bitch felt like a harsh word to apply to a girl who was fighting so hard to make space for herself in a world that didn’t want her.” - Victoria Lee, A Lesson in Vengeance
17. The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith
Why Read It: Imagine a library in Hell where unfinished stories reside. Hackwith’s novel invites us into a place where characters from abandoned books come alive, secrets hold power, and librarians must play both keeper and gatekeeper.
About the Book: Claire, Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing in Hell, maintains unfinished stories and prevents characters from escaping their books. But when a Hero breaks free and the angelic Ramiel attacks over the powerful Devil’s Bible, Claire and her assistants must track the rogue story and protect a book capable of reshaping the boundaries between Heaven, Hell, and Earth.
From its Pages: “How much easier it would be if everyone knew their role: the hero, the sidekick, the villain. Our books would be neater and our souls less frayed. But whether you have blood or ink, no one's story is that simple.” - A. J. Hackwith, The Library of the Unwritten
18. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
Why Read It: A gothic tale of folklore, obsession, and the fragile line between reality and myth. When a timid architecture student wins a contest to design a home for her favorite author, she’s drawn into a world of decaying mansions, academic rivalries, and haunting truths hidden beneath the waves.
About the Book: Haunted by visions of the Fairy King, Effy Sayre believes her destiny lies in redesigning the estate of Emrys Myrddin, author of a cursed fairy tale. But at the decrepit Hiraeth Manor, she faces an unwelcoming staff, rival scholar Preston Héloury, and dark forces—both mortal and magical—that threaten to unravel the truth and bring them both to ruin.
From its Pages: “That was the cruelest irony: the more you did to save yourself, the less you became a person worth saving.” - Ava Reid, A Study in Drowning
19. The Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson
Why Read It: Dark, decadent, and subversive. This novel invites readers into an elite institution where lies are currency, power is masked in ritual, and truth is more dangerous than deceit.
About the Book: Lennon is invited to Drayton College, a hidden school of magic in Savannah, where she discovers her innate gift of persuasion—the power to control others and even matter itself. As she hones her abilities under the guidance of her captivating adviser Dante, Lennon becomes enthralled by the campus, her classmates, and the mysteries of Drayton, all while confronting the school’s dark history and the terrifying challenge of mastering absolute power without losing herself.
From its Pages: “people who mistook greatness for its shadow. As long as they were in the presence of brilliance, they too were brilliant by proxy.” - Alexis Henderson, The Academy for Liars
20. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Why Read It: The classic that appeals to every dark academic soul. Wilde’s tale of vanity, corruption, and eternal youth is steeped in decadence and philosophy, reminding us that knowledge and beauty often come with a price.
About the Book: Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray follows Dorian, a young man whose portrait, painted by his friend Basil, ages in his place. Entranced by Lord Henry Wotton’s hedonistic philosophy, Dorian sells his soul to remain eternally beautiful while his portrait bears the marks of his moral corruption, chronicling a life of indulgence, vice, and consequence.
From its Pages: “The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.” - Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Dark academia opens the door to worlds full of mystery, ambition, and secrets waiting to be uncovered. From clandestine societies to tales of obsession and magic, these books pull us in and refuse to let go.
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