7 Must-Read Dark Academia Novels

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Read the full article for more books and my detailed thoughts: booksandbao.com/must-read-dark-academia-books/

[@BooksRebound]

The best dark academia is Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko translated from Russian by Julia Meitov Hersey. It's insane. It's mind bending in such an incredible way. Unlike anything else I've ever read. It's incredible, check it out!

[@Maguire708Julie]

I came here to say this!!

[@BooksRebound]

@@Maguire708Julie the sequel Assassin of Reality comes out tomorrow! It's really really good. I read an arc and really enjoyed it n

[@brightsky31]

Can u tell me what's the age rating of this book?

[@BooksRebound]

@@brightsky31 Uhhhhh, idk. Hmm I guess I'd say anyone over 12 could read it, but it's written for adults in that it's not part of the YA genre despite Sasha's age. It doesn't have inappropriate content and it doesn't have YA tropes. It's just a great adult fantasy book

[@Maguire708Julie]

@@brightsky31 it’s probably rated as YA and the students are what we in the US would call high schoolers.

[@ejderhaz]

I 100% trust your book recs. Until now, I've loved every single book I've read thanks to your reviews.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Aw thank you!

[@MarquitasKnottyCrush]

Agreed on M. Shelley's Frankenstein- best book ever written

[@LM-th7dj]

Great video! I think my favorite dark academia novel is "Babel" by R.F. Kuang, but I also really loved "If We Were Villains" 😊

[@Maguire708Julie]

Wanted to recommend the Legendborn cycle by Tracy Deonn for dark academia that does not focus entirely on posh white kids. These are set in North Carolina (southeastern US) and feature root magic (in the African and African American tradition) vs. “traditional” magic brought to North America through the English.

[@zofiabochenska1240]

The book Leo has a great video about Dark Academia. She believe, that true Dark Academia needs some sort of critique - of elitism, class, race. And that some newer books only borrow the trendy estetics, without really stopping to think what should be the message.

[@thefriesofLockeLamora]

I'm not sure that every book needs a message. The romanticisation of the pursuit of knowledge doesn't always need messaging, no?

[@liapique]

My favorite dark academia books are those that are taking place in non-typical "academic" settings: Umberto Eco's The Name of The Rose (monastery) and Orhan Pamuk's My Name is Red (Ottoman Empire-era miniaturists' world).

[@priyap9358]

Agreed

[@Saternalius]

I had never considered that Frankenstein might be a Dark Academia novel before, but it makes perfect sense! So Mary Shelley created both Science Fiction and Dark Academia in one go. I always thought she was remarkable. I have read The Maidens, but I must admit that I didn't particularly care for it. I found the twist at the end to be a bit too over the top, and it seemed to come out of nowhere. I did love all the other books on this list that I've read (must get around to "Bunny"). "If We Were Villains" is amazing.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Yeah Shelley really was a rare kind of genius. And I do admit that The Maidens isn’t great. Very much chewing gum mystery, but the dark academia setting gave it enough of an edge for me to enjoy it

[@Saternalius]

@@WillowTalksBooks oh yes, the setting and the atmosphere in The Maidens did work really well. And for some reason I was really taken with Fred and his grey corduroy jacket, but the rest of it was a bit meh. The main character came off a bit "I am a woman written by a man so I must be overcome with emotion every ten minutes!"

[@bonnieheckman5049]

Great Video! I really enjoy reading Gothic Fiction, of all kinds. I have read some of these. "If We Were Villains" is the rare book that I read two times. I almost never read a book more than once. I got to the end of the book and went back to Page 1 with the feeling that I didn't want the book to end and kept reading. Of course, I got these recommendations from your channel. Thank You for sharing more great books!

[@WillowTalksBooks]

That is such a cool feeling 💜

[@rachel1021]

I really wanted to stop reading Bunny because of how I dropped out of college, which resulted in me never getting my (pointless) degree in German. It kind of made feel called out, which I know is my problem, not the book's or Mona Awad's. Lol. It was totally worth reading till the end though. Also I'm gonna watch Heathers someday :)

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Aw I’m so sorry to hear that! But being triggered by a book is a very unique experience and totally valid!

[@Amoscrts]

I loved The Cloisters so much! I’m a tarot reader and a lover of Dark Academia, so it seemed tailor made for me. Ninth House and Hell Bent were amazing as well!

[@philstrand]

Thanks for the video on my new favorite subgenre. A few sensational books that expand on what dark academia can be: All’s Well by Mona Awad and Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou. Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro also gives me that kind of DA vibe, but not nearly as wicked, wild, and satirical as the other two. Just started reading I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai, and it feels like dark academia meets true crime podcast. Really enjoying it so far. Cheers!

[@pattypage6723]

Thanks! Was,able to grab a couple of these at library

[@venuswilliamsinfurs]

Your channel is the best! Love all your recommendations for the contemporary 📖 🐛

[@vesnastihovic7014]

I love your accent.. 💖

[@KristinKravesBooks]

I haven't read Frankenstein since high school but it would be interesting to read it now through a dark academia lens. I loved the ending of If We Were Villains. I think about it all the time!

[@Maguire708Julie]

Rereading for a third time in my late forties made me realize how badly it was written why abridged versions and adaptations are popular. That said, I am extremely thankful for the existence of Frankenstein and everything it launched. It deserves a read, just be prepared for the journey.

[@nataliefair9549]

Have you heard of “For your own good” by Samantha Downing? Haven’t read it yet but it seems to have all the quality's of dark academia. A prestigious school, murder, and (the most important aspect personally) obsession with something. But it’s not the students, it’s the teacher who gets the “Teacher of the Year”, who’s oddly not bothered by the death making a student suspicious. His obsession is just pushing the students to their full potential no matter the cost.

[@sarahwallace2585]

Another great video Willow. You've reminded me I have 'The Cloisters' as an ARC which I forgot about.....

[@Barbarabrubru]

Just finished “if we were villains” based on your video and I read it in 1 day😅! Such a great story! It’s not at all easy for me to read Shakespeare as English is my second language, I probably missed a lot and yet I enjoyed this novel ❤ , many thanks again 😊

[@Janelle-p2i]

You inspire me to wear black eyeshadow,... Just kidding, I'm addicted to your blog's.

[@effloress]

Just put in a hold for The Cloisters at my library, ehehe 👹

[@bookofdust]

I would love to hear you’re take on These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever, which is a 1970s Leopold and Loeb type murder by Gay boyfriends at university in Pittsburgh. Micah is a Transman and I feel like there was lack of support of Gay readers, as many don’t like seeing anyone but Gay men writing about Gay male characters especially sexually. I keep waiting for it to emerge as a dark horse and be embraced in the Dark Academia TikTok or KZbin community, but it hasn’t had its break out as of yet, but I think it still could be coming.

[@David-sg1yi]

I have read Frankenstein 4 times (somehow) and I never thought of it as dark academia, but it's so obvious now. (I love dark academia.) I have seen Frankenstein labeled as science fiction.

[@ruth7855]

I read Bunny because of your review and I thank you. I gave it 5 stars!!!! I wondered if the lead Bunny that the narrator calls Duchess harkens to the Movie Clueless as the one guy calls main character Cher Duchess. Even though that movie isn’t really Dark academia it does have a sense of it and they are definitely clique-ish. I have all books reviewed here on my to read list. I have read Frankenstein 1818 but not 1831 revision by Shelley herself. I understand there were significant changes. Thank you for these awesome reds! Am really excited about cloisters and one you mentioned in another video as “emotional Frankenstein”

[@bookcaseofdoom]

oh hell I NEVER made the connection been Bunny and the Secret History, name wise. I'm dumb and I did a whole thematic vlog on Bunny😂I'm also reading The Maidens right now! Thank you for the list ❤️

[@ruth7855]

I am curious if your favorite Frankenstein is the original 1818 or the 1831 revision also written by Shelley herself. I have read the 1818 version and have plans to read the 1831 revision soon. I just found your channel and bought Bunny because of it. I hear a lot of mixed reviews. It sounds like its right up my ally.

[@lauren_s9037]

No Babel? I'd absolutely love to hear your thoughts on it Willow! 💜📚 Side note, I've bought 90% of your list because of your awesome videos.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I wasn’t a fan of The Poppy War and I have friends who loved it but hated Babel, so my likelihood of enjoying Babel is very low lol

[@gizmo3702]

Babel was so good. Streets ahead of the poppy war. It's a book with so much to say. The only thing I'd say is that the annotations annoy some people but for me at least it added a lot to the setting of the book.

[@onceaghost2693]

For Frankenstein, which edition would you reccomend first- the 1818 or 1831 version?

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Uuuuuhhhhhhhhh Google it? I went with the one in the bookshop

[@ChemicalPenguinn]

Bunny is fantastic!

[@michellesmelancholia]

Great list! I've never tried dark academia (except for Frankenstein!). Would you say being familiar with The Secret History ehances your experience of the newer dark academia books, or would it be fine to skip it?

[@WillowTalksBooks]

It’s definitely fine to skip it :)

[@kurapikakurta3863]

Just a heads up about Donna Tartt: I haven't read the book myself nor do I plan on ever reading any of her works. Several black book tubers I've been following have mentioned how one of her works (The Goldfinch) has personally traumatized them and they felt very dehumanized by the blatant racism in the work. It wasn't only black people, a lot of other marginalized groups are also expressing how much of her works are hurting them. She's a white author who uses racial slurs so liberally in one of her works amongst so many other things!! As a black person myself, I just don't want to subject myself to that. I'm not telling everyone else to not read her works. However, I would just like to precaution folks especially those who are from marginalized groups who might be reading her works that they could potentially be trauma inducing so please proceed with caution.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Thank you so much for bringing this to my (and others’) attention! I really appreciate that. I’ll check out what these booktubers have to say.

[@sakinaalia1067]

She also narrated the book and said the slurs.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Christ

[@sakinaalia1067]

This is not specific to the book but you could skip to the last chapter point about donna to hear this black and latine book tuber talk about it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnjNYX-Hgddoebc If you skip to 10:45 this asian booktuber talks about the anti-asian racism. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqTLi6Wvl51qjdU

[@kurapikakurta3863]

@@sakinaalia1067 OMG I did not even know this!! That's awful!!

[@blackcatseye22]

The Cloisters sounds interesting.

[@thefriesofLockeLamora]

I argue that dark academia is an aesthetic. It's not a genre in its own right. Like "gothic" or "urban". But you can also argue that aesthetic is a genre because genre is a marketing ploy. The Secret History is my favourite novel of all time. But I wonder because it was inspired by Tolstoy, Dickens and Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, why does no one read BR? Also also I'd argue the first dark academia novel (aesthetically) is Dorian Gray 🤣 I'd also recommend watching The Take's video essay on Dark Academia and how it's taken over the internet

[@06Yvonne06]

A lot of those books have been on my list for a while. I only read The secret history and Ninth House. I was rather bored by Ninth House though and thought that the main protagonist Alex was such a cliché character, with a cliché backstory and on top of that super unlikeable. I have no problem with that in general but I felt all of this I had read before somewhere and the only interesting thing was the extreme cliffhanger in the end of the book. To this day I am surprised that so many people find it outstanding. But there you go for different tastes in literature. The 3 books from your list that really sound interesting to me are Bunny, If we were villains and The Maidens. .

[@zachreads]

You may want to check out Catherine House by Elizabeth Thomas and Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I loved Piranesi but it was only dark Academia adjacent. I dnf'd Catherine House at about 50% and I dnf'd Ninth House at about 5%. Dark Academia isn't for me, I can't stand rich snobs or drugs (jmo). I do absolutely adore Frankenstein tho!

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I did a video on Piranesi a good while ago. Loved that book :)