School is a place for learning, but with the right circumstances, it comes to represent much more. Different aspects of education are both celebrated and challenged within dark academia novels, sparking curiosity and conversations about morality, diversity, equality, and more. Read on to learn about three insightful novels in the dark academia genre.
HOT PICK
The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
SYNOPSIS:
As the Director of Magic at Chetwood Academy, Doctor Walden has a whole host of responsibilities. She teaches A-Level Invocation, attends countless meetings, and keeps the 600 students and the institution’s centuries-old legacy secure from demons. A powerful magician, Walden does her job well, but in order to truly keep the school safe, she might need to protect it from herself.
WHY:
Emily Tesh emerged on the writing scene just years ago, but she’s asserted her presence with award-winning and bestselling books. Merging sapphic elements, dark academia, and fantasy, The Incandescent examines flawed systems, such as education, and takes the unique approach of following a teacher rather than a student, a dynamic sure to intrigue readers.
BEACH READ
Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown
SYNOPSIS:
A decade after completing her degree at Princeton, Maya returns for her college reunion and to celebrate her little sister Naomi’s graduation. The celebration is quickly thrown off course when Naomi is found dead after joining an exclusive social club Maya once belonged to. All roads lead back to the past, and it just may force Maya to confront a long-kept secret.
WHY:
Lauren Ling Brown’s debut novel is a multi-layered mystery. She gives depth to both Naomi and Maya with dual perspectives and multiple timelines, exploring race, sisterhood, and privilege through the sisters’ attendance at an elite institution. Society of Lies appeals to one’s moral compass and seeks to ask a question that is more applicable in society than ever before: How far would you go to belong?
DARK HORSE
It’s a Privilege Just to Be Here by Emma Sasaki
SYNOPSIS:
Wesley Friends School is the most prestigious preparatory school in Washington, D.C., a renowned institution that claims to champion “Diversity, Achievement, Collegiality.” Aki Hiyashi-Brown is proud to teach and enroll her daughter there. But after a hate crime occurs on campus, Aki is caught in the middle of faculty and student responses.
WHY:
It’s a Privilege Just to Be Here is another searing novel full of relevant social commentary. In a political climate that questions diversity in education, it is an increasingly relevant read. Emma Sasaki’s debut novel is a thought-provoking consideration of societal issues and how different generations envision social justice.
That’s it for this week’s Three to Read. Thanks for tuning in to read about these scintillating and character-driven dark academia novels! Don’t forget to join us next week for more curated recommendations.
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