8 Books With Dark Academia Settings

There’s a certain allure to the world of dark academia—a place where the pursuit of knowledge collides with intrigue, obsession, and often, a touch of the sinister. These stories unfold in ancient libraries, ivy-covered universities, and the hallowed halls of prestigious institutions, where intellectualism thrives and dark secrets simmer just beneath the surface. If you crave a setting steeped in mystery, intellectual brilliance, and a chilling undercurrent of danger, these eight books will take you deep into the heart of dark academia, where nothing is ever as innocent as it seems.

1. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

A true masterpiece of the dark academia genre, The Secret History is a gripping tale of a group of elite college students whose obsession with ancient Greek philosophy leads them down a path of murder, betrayal, and madness. Set against the backdrop of a prestigious New England college, Tartt’s novel immerses readers in a world of intellectual superiority, eerie isolation, and the devastating consequences of unchecked ambition. The book’s gothic atmosphere and tragic characters pull you into a world where beauty, knowledge, and darkness intertwine, and the price of perfection is steep.

2. If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

A modern tribute to Shakespearean tragedy, If We Were Villains is set in a prestigious arts college where a group of drama students’ lives begin to mirror the dark and complex plays they perform. As tensions rise and rivalries fester, their bond unravels in a deadly game of jealousy, betrayal, and murder. The book’s decadent setting, where Shakespeare’s words are studied as sacred texts, creates an atmosphere of intellectual obsession and lurking danger. With its sinister undertones and tragic plot twists, this novel is a love letter to the world of theater, where art and life become dangerously entangled.

3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

While not traditionally categorized as dark academia, Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray perfectly encapsulates the seductive, dangerous allure of intellectual and artistic obsession. Dorian Gray, a young man of extraordinary beauty, is drawn into a decadent world of philosophy, art, and hedonism by the enigmatic Lord Henry. As he explores the depths of indulgence and vanity, his portrait grows old while he remains eternally young—an eerie reflection of the moral decay that festers beneath his perfect exterior. With its intellectual richness and dark, moral undertones, The Picture of Dorian Gray feels like an academic descent into madness.

4. Bunny by Mona Awad

Bunny is a wonderfully twisted dark academia novel that explores the power dynamics, obsession, and unspoken rituals within a creative writing program at a prestigious university. The protagonist, Samantha, is an outsider—until she’s drawn into the strange, insular world of the “Bunnies,” a clique of wealthy, privileged students who seem to live in a realm of their own. As Samantha becomes entangled in their bizarre and increasingly disturbing activities, Bunny unfolds as a fever dream of identity, belonging, and obsession. With its surreal twists and disturbing undertones, this novel captures the unsettling side of academia where appearances and reality collide in unexpected, often grotesque ways.

5. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Though The Bell Jar isn’t typically associated with dark academia in the traditional sense, its portrayal of intellectual isolation and the haunting pursuit of perfection fits perfectly within the genre’s themes. Esther Greenwood, a young woman on a summer internship in New York, struggles with her sense of identity and the crushing weight of societal expectations. Plath’s sharp, poignant prose captures the mental and emotional toll of trying to reconcile personal ambition with existential despair. The intellectual environment of Esther’s college days, along with her spiraling sense of self-doubt, creates a chilling atmosphere of academic pressure and personal tragedy.

6. The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

Set in the mysterious and isolated world of a prestigious boarding school, The Lying Game follows four friends who, years after a tragic incident, are forced to confront the dark secrets of their past. The story is centered around a game of lies and deception that spirals out of control, leading to devastating consequences. Ware’s atmospheric writing captures the eerie, cloistered world of the school, where the boundaries between truth and deception blur, and where the pursuit of knowledge is overshadowed by the weight of buried secrets. This novel explores the darker aspects of academia and the way in which the pursuit of truth can sometimes lead to destruction.

7. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

In Never Let Me Go, Ishiguro blends dystopian science fiction with the subtle, eerie qualities of dark academia. Set at Hailsham, a seemingly idyllic boarding school, the story follows Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth as they navigate the mysterious and unsettling purpose of their education. As the students grow older, they slowly begin to understand the true nature of their existence. With its chilling undercurrent of existential dread and questions of morality, Never Let Me Go is a haunting exploration of the ways academic institutions shape our lives—and, ultimately, our fates.

8. Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko

Vita Nostra is a Russian dark academia novel that delves into the sinister, mind-bending nature of education at a mysterious university. The protagonist, Sasha, is thrust into a world where the boundaries between reality and magic are blurred, and where the process of learning itself becomes a form of psychological torment. The university, with its secretive professors and twisted academic experiments, creates a chilling atmosphere that questions the value of knowledge and the price one must pay to attain it. With its complex, darkly intellectual themes, Vita Nostra captures the essence of dark academia in a fantastical, almost surreal setting.

Conclusion: Enter the World of Dark Academia

These eight novels invite readers to step into the shadowy corners of academia, where intellectual pursuits often lead to dark, obsessive paths, and the consequences of knowledge are rarely as straightforward as they seem. From murder and betrayal to existential dread and moral decay, dark academia settings are rich with intrigue, complexity, and a constant pull between beauty and danger. Whether you’re fascinated by ancient philosophies, Shakespearean tragedies, or twisted boarding school dynamics, these books will transport you to a world where the pursuit of knowledge is never innocent—and never safe.