Originally a visual trend, dark academia emerged in the mid-2010s, defined by moody aesthetics and the allure of elite institutions. The term has since evolved to describe a unique literary micro-genre. This style, a blend of “Old Money” aesthetics and librariancore, features prep-school settings, classical literature, and serious, sometimes unsettling, themes. While many novels use a university setting for a grim or fantastical tale, the most compelling ones delve into the contradictions of elite institutions. As one Reddit commenter noted, the best stories “walk that fine line of romanticizing the pursuit of knowledge and criticizing the elitism and classism that has traditionally gone hand in hand with education.” This list of the best dark academia novels highlights essential titles that master this balance, making them perfect additions to your book club’s reading list.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Donna Tartt’s debut novel is widely considered the quintessential dark academia novel. Set in the 1980s at the fictional Hampden College, the story follows a group of students whose passion for classic literature takes a dangerously literal turn. The plot is both eerie and cerebral, but the book’s enduring appeal lies in its vivid setting. A Goodreads reviewer praised Tartt’s “rich in detail” evocation of life at a small New England university, filled with a mix of “ivory-tower intellectuals and ditzy cokeheads.” Inspired by Tartt’s own college experience, the novel explores the intersections of elite education and social status, and most potently, the dangers of intellectual elitism. This dynamic and memorable novel is a must-read for anyone new to the genre.
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
Fans of The Secret History will likely enjoy M.L. Rio’s If We Were Villains, which reinterprets many of its key elements with fresh twists. The story is told retrospectively by Oliver, who has served a long prison sentence. It centers on a close-knit group of theater students whose intense love for Shakespeare begins to blur the lines between their on-stage and off-stage lives. Readers have praised the novel’s fast-paced plot, tragic love story, and the pervasive intellectual aesthetic. One Goodreads reviewer perfectly captured its appeal: “Shakespearian aesthetics, academic setting, homoeroticism, a secret society… a devastating murder, and M.L. Rio has set the scene for an exhilarating, unsettling, and devastating thriller.” This is an engaging read for any book club seeking a page-turner.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
In Never Let Me Go, dark academia takes a distinctly dystopian turn. Kazuo Ishiguro creates a future England where a brutal caste system is enabled by medical advancements. Much of the novel is set at Hailsham, an idyllic boarding school where friends Ruth, Kathy, and Tommy grow up. The horror is subtle at first, with the story unfolding through Kathy’s memories in the ’90s. The true significance of Hailsham is only revealed in the second half of the book, exposing the terrible secrets hidden behind the school’s bucolic façade. This powerful and elegant allegory examines how institutions shape us, and as one reviewer noted, it reveals “how the banal doesn’t disguise horror — it simply does not consider it.”
Bunny by Mona Awad
In Bunny, Mona Awad offers a modern, satirical take on the genre, where horror is embodied by a clique of girls in Anthropologie dresses. The novel uses dark academia tropes to skewer the classism and elitism of MFA programs while exploring the dark side of female friendship. A Goodreads reviewer described it as a mix of Mean Girls, Frankenstein, Heathers, and Alice in Wonderland, praising Awad’s ability to highlight the “toxic… possessive, controlling, and almost cult-like mentality that can develop between women.” Bunny was a 2019 semifinalist for the Readers’ Favorite Horror award for its original blend of girl-on-girl aggression and body horror. This uncanny and satirical novel is sure to spark lively discussion in your book club.
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
Dark academia often explores power imbalances in educational settings, and Kate Elizabeth Russell’s My Dark Vanessa delves into this theme from a different perspective. This 2020 debut novel focuses on 15-year-old Vanessa, a vulnerable student at a New England boarding school. When she begins an inappropriate sexual relationship with her older teacher, she becomes lost in a desperate desire to feel chosen and seen. The novel inverts the narrative of Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, shifting the point of view from the predator to the prey. One Goodreads reviewer noted, “I had never given this consideration that the victim would not realize they were the victim.” While it may lack the Gothic architecture of some other titles, its prep-school setting and haunting exploration of the darker side of institutional life firmly place it within the dark academia canon.
This list represents some of the best dark academia novels that expertly blend aesthetic appeal with intellectual depth. They are perfect for book clubs seeking reads that are both engaging and thought-provoking.