Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Lessons in Betrayal, Love, and Literature
15
items Here is the list of Dark Academia Books…..
Secret societies, occult rituals, and Yale’s dark underbelly — Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House is the perfect modern Dark Academia novel. Following Galaxy “Alex” Stern, a student investigating supernatural crimes at Yale, this book blends mystery with th...
NINTH HOUSE: Bestseller by The Familiar Author
A 1920s Shanghai retelling of Romeo and Juliet with a gothic, academic twist. Political intrigue, forbidden romance, and a deadly monster lurking in the city make this an engrossing read.
THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
A psychological thriller set at an elite university, this novel unravels dark secrets from the past as six former students reunite, only to find themselves tangled in a murder mystery.
In My Dreams I Hold a Knife: A Novel
The book that defined Dark Academia. A group of eccentric classics students at a prestigious college commit a crime and must navigate the psychological consequences. Donna Tartt’s prose is hypnotic, drawing you into the dangerous world of privilege a...
The Secret History
Another quintessential Dark Academia book, If We Were Villains follows a group of Shakespearean actors whose obsession with their craft leads to tragedy. It’s gripping, poetic, and absolutely enthralling.
6. If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio
A mind-bending, philosophical take on the genre, Vita Nostra introduces a strange university where students’ studies lead to incomprehensible transformations. It’s one of the most unique books in this category.
Vita Nostra
A group of the world’s most powerful young magicians competes for a place in a secret society that controls all knowledge. Expect betrayal, intellectual games, and a dash of existential dread.
The Atlas Six
This masterpiece blends historical fiction with magical realism, set in an alternate version of Oxford. It’s an intricate commentary on language, power, and colonialism wrapped in an irresistible Dark Academia aesthetic.
BABEL: An Arcane History of the Oxford Revolution
A gripping story about a brilliant student navigating a corrupt, militarized academy. Expect political intrigue, philosophical dilemmas, and a richly built world inspired by ancient Rome.
The Will of the Many: Hierarchy, Book 1
Murder, Greek mythology, and a prestigious university set the stage for this psychological thriller. A gripping blend of mystery and Dark Academia themes.
The Maidens: Dark Academia Thriller
While not strictly Dark Academia, A Little Life shares the same moody, intellectual atmosphere. A heartbreaking story of friendship, trauma, and the passage of time among a group of college friends in New York.
A Little Life: Man Booker Prize 2015
A mesmerizing novel set in post-war Barcelona, revolving around a secret literary society and a lost book. It’s mysterious, poetic, and steeped in the allure of knowledge.
SHADOW OF THE WIND: CEMETERY OF FORGOTTEN
A surreal, satirical take on Dark Academia, Bunny follows an MFA student who falls into a bizarre, cult-like friendship with a group of elite writers. Strange, unsettling, and deliciously dark.
Bunny
Music, academia, and obsession intertwine in this haunting novel set in Cambridge. It’s an eerie and atmospheric exploration of genius and madness.
The Bellwether Revivals
This gripping novel follows a group of Shakespearean actors at an elite arts college, where intense rivalries and obsession with their craft blur the lines between performance and reality. With rich prose, psychological depth, and a love for classic ...
If We Were Villians