One of my most popular posts is this guide to the Dark Academia genre. I wanted to look a little more closely into the topic since reading Dark Academia novels has become one of my guilty pleasures. 

I’ve said before that I must live under a rock since I heard about Dark Academia maybe two years ago. After seeing it mentioned a thousand times, I looked it up and saw everything I love. Aging scented paper and woodsmoke. Whispering autumn leaves drifting outside gothic windows. Glowing candlelight illuminating scholarly texts. I love anything about a quest for knowledge.  

Atmosphere and Aesthetics

A huge part of Dark Academia’s appeal for me is its evocative atmosphere. So much of this genre focuses on things I loved even before I had a handy name for it: ivy-clad university buildings, hushed libraries, rain-slicked cobblestones, and melancholy atmospheres. You already know how much I love autumn and winter. Clothing choices such as tweed, cashmere, and worn leather satchels are also a go. Even though I’d never wear such things myself, I think people who wear them look pretty spiffy. 

Intellectual Curiosity 

Another thing I love about Dark Academia is that at its core it’s about the pursuit of knowledge. Whether the knowledge in question is classical languages, obscure philosophical texts, or magical rituals, the characters are driven by a desire to learn. 

Dark Academia promotes a love of learning, which gets points from me. Readers are often invited to learn alongside the characters as we encounter fascinating historical issues or philosophical dilemmas. In Dark Academia, however, this pursuit is rarely innocent, and it often leads down dangerous paths. 

Moral Ambiguity 

The dark in Dark Academia isn’t just about shadowy libraries but about moral complexities, and many of the characters are brilliant but deeply flawed. Actions can be driven by ambition or a warped sense of loyalty.

Dark Academia can also delve into themes of elitism, privilege, secrecy, and hypocrisy. I wrote a little about elitism in Dark Academia in this post. While there are certainly elitist institutions, my experience as an adjunct professor was quite different. 

Intense Relationships

In Dark Academia, relationships between characters can be incredibly intense. Friendships are passionate, rivalries are cutthroat, and romantic entanglements are all-consuming. When a small group of brilliant, often socially awkward individuals are thrown together in an exclusive environment, their bonds become highly charged and often dangerous.

These relationships can drive much of the drama and often lead to the central conflict or crime. The claustrophobic intimacy creates high stakes as betrayals feel deeper and loyalties are tested to their breaking point.

Mystery, Suspense, and the Gothic

While not always a murder mystery, many Dark Academia stories feature elements of suspense, mystery, and gothic intrigue. I wrote about Poe’s Gothic literary style here. There are secrets to uncover, past events that haunt the present, and often a pervasive sense of unease. The genre frequently draws on classic literary traditions, giving it a timeless feel that appeals to those who love the intellectual thrill of unraveling a complex plot.

Dark Academia Influences

Some of the greatest novels of all time have been important in influencing the Dark Academia genre. While not all of these books are specifically about learning or knowledge, they share a dark sensibility that influenced later writers.

Here’s a very short list.

1. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

4. Short stories and poetry by Edgar Allan Poe

5. Shakespeare’s tragedies such as Macbeth and Hamlet

6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

7. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (or really anything by du Maurier)

8. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

For me, Dark Academia often has intellectual depth, which I love and find lacking in a lot of what I read. Many writers these days (not all by any means) are good at telling stories but not as good at mining their stories for the deeper meanings within. This is why I go back to the classics again and again. The classics are about something.

Now that it’s nearly autumn, I’m getting ready to sit in my comfy recliner, grab a cup of tea, and get lost in the wonderful world of Dark Academia. I’ll probably start by rereading The Secret History yet again.

Categories: Book Recommendations, Books, Creative Writing, Reading Inspiration, What I’m Reading, Writing InspirationTags: creative writing, dark academia, dark academia books, Reading Inspiration, writing inspiration