The Dark Academicals

It’s already time for the finale of season eleven! This season has truly flown by and we’re hoping to send it off with another brilliant 2025 release.Kate van der Borgh’s debut novel, ‘And He Shall Appear’, has been recommended for fans of ‘The Secret History’ and ‘Saltburn’ so hello, that’s us! It sounds like a deliciously dark and addictive read and in this episode we have a look to see how well it matches up to our Dark Academia framework.In this episode we discuss:The power of secondary charactersThe reinvention of the self, especially at universityCampus novels

This episode of the podcast has been an evolution. If you’re a reader of our Substack (if not, um why?) then you’ll probably be confused that ‘Spoilt Creatures’ is making an unexpected appearance on season 11. Let me tell you, it was a journey to get here. The previous title we picked wasn’t right for the podcast and then option two was putting me (hi, it’s me Sophie) into a reading slump and I’d only just escaped one, so we changed tacks one more time. Thankfully it stuck and we both raced through 'Spoilt Creatures’.THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT US. THE KIND OF WOMEN WE WERE.Iris seeks a different kind of life. Promise comes in the form of Hazel, who lives at Breach House - a women's commune on a remote farm. At Breach House, the women live and eat in abundance, are guided by landscape and ritual, all while under the leadership of their gargantuan matriarch, Blythe.But is Breach House truly the haven it seems? When an unforgivable transgression comes to light and power struggles intensify, the women find themselves hurtling towards an act of devastating violence that will threaten everything they've fought to create.Cult-y sad women making bad decisions in literary fiction with dark academia vibes? Yep yep yep. But how strong are those dark academia vibes?In this episode we discuss:- The intersection of cults, high education and secret societies- The rise and reign of femgore - literary feminist horror- The trend of women creating their own curriculums

It was the cover of ‘Voice Like a Hyacinth’ that initially caught our attention, but as soon as we realised it was a tricksy novel about female friendship featuring obsessions, a ritual and a creepy professor? We needed to get that on The Dark Academicals ASAP.The intersection of art and dark academia is always one that’s interesting and provides a different view of academic focus to what we usually see and explore on the podcast.Five young women eager for success rely on the unspeakable to make their dreams come true in a chilling novel about martyrdom, ritual, and obsession by the author of We Ate the Dark.Art student Jo Kozak and her fellow classmates and best friends, Caroline, Finch, Amrita, and Saz, are one another’s muses—so close they have their own language and so devoted to the craft that they’ll do anything to keep their inspiration alive. Even if it means naively resorting to the occult to unlock their creativity and to curse their esteemed, if notoriously creepy, professor. They soon learn the horrible price to be paid for such a transgressive ritual.In its violent aftermath, things are changing. Jo is feeling unnervingly haunted by something inexplicable. Their paintings, once prodigious and full of life, are growing dark and unhealthy. And their journey together—as women, students, and artists—is starting to crumble.To right the wrong they’ve done, these five desperate friends will take their obsession a step too far. When that happens, there may be no turning back.‘Voice Like a Hyacinth’ sounds like it will fall in that familiar place between a literary thriller and dark academia, but there’s only one way to find out!

We’re both suckers for fantasy romance so when that intersects with dark academia? Just give it to us. This season is really delivering on making us read authors we’ve wanted to try for ages and never gotten to as we’re reading Elise Kova’s very much anticipated new releases, ‘Arcana Academy’. This launches a new series about illegal magics, tarot, royalty and a deal gone awry. We’re very, very excited for this one.A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first instalment of an enthralling fantasy romance series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy's enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world-and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?We absolutely love the sound of this and we can’t wait to get stuck into this chunker. We’re hoping for some swoon and danger as well as those dark academia vibes that we’re always craving.In this episode we discuss:- The richness of the magic system, and the lack of the general world-building- Clara and Kaelis: a potential love story of the ages?- Sophie’s internal struggle of reading this alongside a fantasy giant and the consequences she inflicted on herself

It’s that time of the season - dark academia adjacent time! Our adjacent title for this season is a book from one of my literary heroes and one of my most beloved writers, Jane Austen. It’s the first time we’re tackling Austen on the podcast and we’re going to be delving into the world of the Gothic satire or parody with ‘Northanger Abbey’. Though ‘Northanger Abbey’ is one of the last published Austen novels as it was published posthumously, she wrote it towards the late 18th Century when she was in her very early 20s, following her first visit to the city of Bath.

Welcome to Season 11 of The Dark Academicals! We’ve got a heck of a season coming up for you this summer and our first title of the season is a book that has received a whole lot of love since it was traditionally published earlier this year, and the author is already beloved after only two releases.We’ll be tackling ‘Blood Over Bright Haven’ by ML Wang.

Wildly, it’s becoming a bit of tradition to see out the end of the season with a podcast episode dedicated to speaking to an author and Season 10 saw us speak to the wonderfully lovely and very smart Kat Dunn, the author of ‘Hungerstone’, ‘Bitterthorn’ and the ‘Battalion of the Dead’ trilogy.It was ‘Hungerstone’ that captured us and we had so many things to discuss about the Gothic, dark academia, women and the wonderful ‘Hungerstone’ which you can learn about right here:FOR WHAT DO YOU HUNGER . . . ?Lenore is the wife of steel magnate Henry, but ten years into their marriage the relationship has soured, and no child has arrived to fill the distance growing between them. Henry's ambitions take them from London to the Peak District, to the remote, imposing Nethershaw estate, where he plans to host a hunting party. Lenore must work to restore the crumbling house and ready it for Henry's guests - their future depends on it.But as the couple travel through the bleak countryside, a shocking carriage accident brings the mysterious Carmilla into Lenore's life. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night, Carmilla who stirs up something deep within Lenore. And before long, girls from the local villages fall sick, consumed by a terrible hunger . . .As the day of the hunt draws closer, Lenore begins to unravel, questioning the role she has been playing all these years. Torn between regaining her husband's affection and the cravings Carmilla has awakened, soon Lenore will uncover a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk . . .Set against the violent wilderness of the Peaks and the uncontrolled appetite of the Industrial Revolution, HUNGERSTONE is a compulsive sapphic reworking of CARMILLA, the book that inspired DRACULA: a captivating story of appetite and desire.With influences of the Gothic and inspiration from a classic vampire tale, ‘Hungerstone’ was something we absolutely had to read for the podcast (you can listen to the episode here) and we were so excited to get to speak to Kat herself.

A book pitched as ‘dark academia romantasy’? Say less. This promises some potential for morally grey taboo romance, a real villain and a fun time, but the ever present conflict between romantasy, spicy romance and dark academia will test what we know and see as dark academia as it always does when we read these types of novels for the podcast.“Your destiny is not to do what is right. Your destiny is to destroy us all.”Willow Madizza never thought she’d accept a place at Hollow’s Grove University, the secret and prestigious institution where the best and brightest of her fellow witches learn to wield their magic.But Willow has reasons for being at Hollow’s Grove beyond the education it offers. Raised to be a weapon against the Coven that presides over the University, she must find the bones of her ancestors in order to reclaim the magic that is her destiny.Her only obstacle is Alaric Grayson Thorne, the University’s beautiful and infuriating Headmaster. Gray is ruthless, manipulative, dangerous – he represents everything Willow has been taught to despise. But despite their mutual loathing, Gray understands Willow better than anyone, and he might just be the key to unlocking her full power…Will the romantasy outweigh the dark academia? Or will the dark academia stay shrouded in spice?In this episode we discuss:- When love interests are actually just predators- The unrealised potential of this novel- Witches and vampires, oh my

‘Vita Nostra’ has lingered on our masterlist of dark academia titles since the conception of The Dark Academicals and after we tackled a novel about translation in season nine, it felt only right to tackle a novel that has been translated, and the beloved ‘Vita Nostra’ was the answer.

While I feel like I’ve known about the existence of ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ by Joan Lindsay for so very long, it even has a film adaptation, but the mysterious synopsis and the question it asks about fact vs fiction really speak to our dark academia adjacent desires. This is the first time either of us has read this modern classic! Let’s dive in!

Both Sarah and I have big buzzwords outside of dark academia, and several of them are vampires and ‘Carmilla’ retelling and we added ‘Hungerstone’ to our line up so fast when we learned that this novel is inspired by ‘Carmilla’ b Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, a sapphic vampire novella that predated ‘Dracula’.Even with my slight aversion to historical fiction, reading this and talking about it on Season 10 was a no-brainer.FOR WHAT DO YOU HUNGER . . . ?Lenore is the wife of steel magnate Henry, but ten years into their marriage the relationship has soured, and no child has arrived to fill the distance growing between them. Henry's ambitions take them from London to the Peak District, to the remote, imposing Nethershaw estate, where he plans to host a hunting party. Lenore must work to restore the crumbling house and ready it for Henry's guests - their future depends on it.But as the couple travel through the bleak countryside, a shocking carriage accident brings the mysterious Carmilla into Lenore's life. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night, Carmilla who stirs up something deep within Lenore. And before long, girls from the local villages fall sick, consumed by a terrible hunger . . .As the day of the hunt draws closer, Lenore begins to unravel, questioning the role she has been playing all these years. Torn between regaining her husband's affection and the cravings Carmilla has awakened, soon Lenore will uncover a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk . . .But does the Gothic lead in dark academia with ‘Hungerstone’?In this episode we discuss:- The motifs of blood- The crumbling estate of Nethshaw and the way it interacts with Lenore’s crumbling marriage and mental state- Carmilla’s presence in the novel, and her lack of presence on page

We explore 'An Academy for Liars'; twisty, dark and academic... But is it Dark Academia? We go through our defined tropes and hold it up against the framework and ask ourselves just that!

With ‘Special Topics and Calamity Physics’ and ‘Night Film’ both catapulting Marisha Pessl into the realms of early BookTube and book internet fanfare in the early 2010s, with whispers of dark academia and academia-related stories that blend with thrillers and literary fiction. We’ve both been long-interested in Marisha Pessl as an author and the fascinating premise and stunning cover of ‘Darkly’ meant it was sent straight to the top of our dark academia wishlist…A seemingly ordinary high school student. A mysterious summer internship. And a legendary games designer, now dead.When an ad for an internship with the Louisiana Veda Foundation appears, Arcadia 'Dia' Gannon rushes to apply. Veda's game-making empire, Darkly, was renowned for its ingenious and terrifying games back in the day and Dia is as obsessed with them as anyone.The remaining games are priced like highly sought-after works of art, with the rarest and most notorious commanding tens of millions of dollars at auction. Now, Dia is thrust into the enigmatic heart of the operation. But who are these other interns? Why do they all seem to have something to hide? And why was she really chosen? It soon becomes clear that this summer will be the most twisted Darkly game of all.But will ‘Darkly’ live up to our inflated dark academia dreams?In this episode we discuss:- The many pop culture, movie, TV and literary influences and connections we found in ‘Darkly’- The way that the media villainise creative, successful women, and the way that the men around them support and facilitate it- The role of romance, Poe Valois III and Choke Newington

This will forever go down as a Podcast highlight for us. Being given the opportunity to talk with the one and only M L Rio about Dark Academia, her new book ‘Graveyard Shift’, while also waxing lyrical about ‘If We Were Villains’ was something me and Sophie could have only dreamed of when we started The Dark Academicals.M L Rio's novella is summarised thusly:“Every night, in the college's ancient cemetery, five people cross paths as they work the late shift: a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, the steward of the derelict church that looms over them, and the editor-in-chief of the college paper, always in search of a story.One dark October evening in the defunct churchyard, they find a hole that wasn't there before. A fresh, open grave where no grave should be. But who dug it, and for whom?Before they go their separate ways, the gravedigger returns. As they trail him through the night, they realize he may be the key to a string of strange happenings around town that have made headlines for the last few weeks--and that they may be closer to the mystery than they thought.”In this episode we discuss:The rising trend of the Dark Academia genreM L Rio's writing patterns, preferences, influences and processesTHAT ENDING of ‘Graveyard Shift’The cultural and linguistic legacy of Shakespeare and his worksA sneaky little insight into the next novel, ‘Hot Wax'And a whole lot of tangents…

This historical fantasy is from the realms of classic YA and we’re both super excited to revisit this novel that we both read around 10 years ago for the podcast as from what we remember, it has definite dark academia fantasy vibes.While this series is now out of print, ‘The Great and Terrible Beauty’ is still available in ebook, and it stands as a touchstone of YA. It's 1895, and after the death of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in British India to Spence Academy, a proper boarding school in England.Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception at Spence is a chilly one. To make things worse, she's being followed by a mysterious young Indian man who has been sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls – and their foray into the spiritual world – lead to?But how will it hold up to the tropes of dark academia and a reread a decade later?In this episode we discuss:Revisiting a classic YA novel fifteen years laterSophie’s issues with historical fiction and the subjugation of womenAn unexpected treatise on politics, reading, and how everything is political in the wake of the 2024 US Presidential ElectionAnd a whole lot of tangents…

This debut novel has been everywhere all year and it’s about time we got around to reading it. ‘The Four’ by Ellie Keel sounds super dark and it gives real dark academia vibes already: scholarship students in an elite institution, a dead friend, and the mystery of what happened.We were always The Four. From our very first day at High Realms.The four scholarship pupils. Outsiders in a world of power and privilege.It would have made our lives a lot easier if Marta had simply pushed Genevieve out of our bedroom window that day. Certainly, it would have been tragic. She would have died instantly.But Marta didn’t push her then, or – if you choose to believe me – at any other time. If she had, all of what we went through would not have happened.I’ve told this story as clearly as I could – as rationally as I’ve been able, in the circumstances, to achieve. I don’t regret what we did. And I would do it all again.There are good dark academia tingles coming from this synopsis and we’re so excited to see if it lives up to that and delivers on the dark academia.In this episode we discuss:The importance of character arcs and development (and when it falls short)Institutional maltreatment, generational expectations (and exploitation) and morality vs elitismJustice for Marta

We read the first book in this series, ‘Belladonna’, back in season seven and we’re so excited to revisit Signa at Thorn Grove following the cliffhanger at the end of the first novel. ‘Belladonna’ is one of the most fun books we’ve read for the podcast and I think this is just going to be just enjoyable.The dangerous, seductive and suspenseful New York Times bestselling sequel to the Gothic fantasy romance Belladonna.A duke has been murdered. The lord of Thorn Grove has been framed. And Fate, the elusive brother of Death, has taken up residence in a sumptuous estate nearby. He's hellbent on revenge after Death took the life of the woman he loved many years ago . . . and now he's determined to have Signa for himself, no matter the cost.Signa and her cousin Blythe are certain that Fate can save Elijah Hawthorne from prison if they will entertain his presence. But the more time the girls spend with Fate, the more frightening their reality becomes as Signa exhibits dramatic new powers that link her to Fate's past. With mysteries and danger around every corner, the cousins must decide if they can trust one another as they navigate their futures in high society, unravel the murders that haunt their family, and play Fate's unexpected games-all with their destinies hanging in the balance.But will it hit any of the tropes to make it dark academia? Or will the mystery win out?In this episode we discuss:The way the novel raises issues of women, marriage, bodily autonomy in a vague historical settingFate vs DeathThe need for justice for Blythe and Eliza

Our dark academia adjacent title for this season is one of Sophie’s favourite books. ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier is a masterclass in Gothic suspense and it’s something that we’ve needed to tackle on the podcast for a very long time. On a trip to the South of France, the shy heroine of Rebecca falls in love with Maxim de Winter, a handsome widower. Although his proposal comes as a surprise, she happily agrees to marry him. But as they arrive at her husband's home, Manderley, a change comes over Maxim, and the young bride is filled with dread. Friendless in the isolated mansion, she realises that she barely knows him. In every corner of every room is the phantom of his beautiful first wife, Rebecca, and the new Mrs de Winter walks in her shadow.Not since Jane Eyre has a heroine faced such difficulty with the other woman. An international bestseller that has never gone out of print, Rebecca is the haunting story of a young girl consumed by love and the struggle to find her identity.This is going to be Sarah’s first read of this novel and we’re so excited to head to Manderley for an adventure into the Gothic - a foundation of dark academia.In this episode we discuss:Villains and sympathising with villainsMaxim’s obsession with Mrs De Winter’s youth and innocenceWe discuss the power of weather and seasons acting as a character

Our second episode of this season takes us to London, Karachi and New Dehli in Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi’s debut novel, ‘The Centre’.This one leapt onto our radar as soon as that incredibly arresting cover was unveiled and we found out it was about a prestigious translation centre - it had to be a podcast book!Welcome to The Centre. The cost may be high, but you'll never be the same . . .Anisa Ellahi longs to become a translator of 'great works of literature', but right now she is stuck in her London flat writing subtitles for Bollywood films.Then she is told about the Centre, an elite, invite-only programme that guarantees complete fluency in any language in just ten days. Seduced by all that it could make possible, Anisa enrols. But the Centre's services come at a disturbing hidden cost. Still - it's worth it, right? After all, success comes at a price . . .By turns dark, funny and surreal, The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi takes the reader on a journey through Karachi, London and New Delhi. Throughout it interrogates the sticky politics of language, translation and appropriation and asks: what price would you be willing to pay for success?‘The Centre’ is undoubtedly going to be an interesting and thought-provoking read, but how does it fit into dark academia?In this episode we discuss:The intersection of translation and colonialismThe potentially meta nature of a book within a bookPrivilege, money, power and the intersections with living abroad

Season 9 of ‘The Dark Academicals’ is HERE - we’re back! - and we’re starting off with a huge debut that is being marketed as dark academia Black vampires and honestly, say less.Hidden in our world, a society of vampires originating in Africa, can only feed from select human bloodlines. Each bloodline represents a House more cutthroat than the next. To ensure peaceful co-existence and inherit their legacy, human children of these families must study at an elite university before choosing a vampire companion.Lost Heiress, Kidan Adane grew up far from Uxlay University. She is obsessively protective, mildly nihilistic, and willing to do anything to save her loved ones. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her - the alluring yet dangerous Susenyos Sagad, the same vampire bound to her own House.To stay in Uxlay, Kidan must study an arcane philosophy, work with four enigmatic students, and survive living with Susenyos - even as he does everything to drive her away. It doesn't matter that Susenyos' violence speaks to her own and tempts Kidan to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill him at all costs.When a murder mirroring June's disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. Here, she discovers a centuries-old threat. And June could be at the very centre of it.The Cruel Prince meets Ninth House in this dangerously romantic dark academia debut, where a lost heiress must infiltrate a secret society and live with the vampire she suspects kidnapped her sister.With calls to ‘Ninth House’ and ‘The Cruel Prince’, vampires and a whole new mythology, this could be starting off the season with a bang. But how does this fantasy really live up to the tropes of dark academia?In this episode we discuss:Vampire lore within literatureThe cause and effect of genre and literary categorisationSusenyos, Kidan, and everything it could have been.