Whether you’re the type who yearns to learn or you’re more inclined to watch the clock tick down to dismissal, these riveting and mysterious dark academia reads have something for everyone. Read on for five stunning stories filled with intrigue and secrecy.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Secret History follows a group of eccentric students attending a small liberal arts college in Vermont as they develop a deep and dangerous obsession with ancient Greek culture and philosophy. Narrated by Richard Papen, as he becomes closer with the group of students and begins to unravel the threads of a dark secret they share, readers discover simultaneously the dangers of living too deep in an echo chamber and the repercussions of fanaticism. The novel explores themes of human morality, the depths of the human psyche, and the social consequences of guilt and paranoia.
Babel by R.F. Kuang
Set in an alternate 19th-century England, Babel follows Robin Swift, an orphaned boy from modern-day Guangzhou, who is brought to London and trained to master languages until he eventually enrolls in the elite Royal Institute of Translation at Oxford University, commonly known as Babel. Babel is the nation’s translation hub and the center of all of their metalworking. The more Robin learns about the work he’s doing as he dives into his studies, the more he questions the ethics of his work, particularly how it fuels England’s global colonialism. This book addresses themes of language, international and individual power imbalances, and the personal cost of knowledge in this historically and linguistically meticulous read.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Galaxy “Alex” Stern never dreamed of the Ivys. After she dropped out of high school, she picked up dead-end job after dead-end job, drug dealer boyfriends, and much darker habits. In her hospital bed, after nearly becoming another victim in an unsolved multiple homicide, Alex is thrown a (seemingly) random lifeline – a chance to go to Yale University. But there’s a catch: she must spy on their mysterious secret societies. These eight “tombs” are known to attract celebrities, wall-street professionals, and other powerful and dangerous students from elite families. But as she discovers more about their activities, she realizes they are up to things far more wicked and astonishing than she ever could have imagined. Ninth House explores themes of privilege, corruption, recovery, and identity alongside Alex as she yearns for healing in her upside-down world.
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
Since childhood, Effy Sayre has been haunted by dreams of the Fairy King. Armed with her torn copy of Angharad, the tale of a mortal girl who falls in love with and destroys the fairy king, she’s always yearned for answers. When the late author’s family puts out a contest to redesign the prolific creative’s estate, Effy is compelled to participate. But the dusty, archaic mansion is a seemingly unconquerable task and the residents are worse. Preston Héloury is an uptight, skeptical scholar determined to root out the author as a fraud, and as the two discover deeper and darker secrets, forces both human and magical begin to conspire against them. And the truth could cost them everything. This novel dives into themes of magic and reality, unlikely partnerships, and secrecy as Preston and Effy seek answers to their burning questions.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Zachary Ezra Rawlins, video game designer and general gaming fanatic, never imagined he was anything exceptional. But when he stumbles upon a mysterious book hidden in the library – and stranger, a story from his childhood written to the exact detail – he embarks on a journey to understand forces larger than he could ever have dreamt. He follows a series of clues, a bee, a key, and a sword, to an elite party in New York City, where he discovers more than a secret library, but a place that bridges the existence of time and space. A place of lost and loved things and those who would give anything to protect it. But as with all treasured things, there are also those who seek to destroy it. As Zachary makes unlikely friends and explores the starless sea, he puts himself on a path of discovery, both of his importance in the story and his purpose in his own life. The Starless Sea explores themes of loyalty, mystery, and magic and combines with complex storytelling and dynamic characters to create a truly vibrant and beautiful read.
From secret societies to mysterious murders, each and every one of these reads will be sure to grip your attention from beginning to end.
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