A dark academia young adult novel?? What more could we ask for? Today I bring you another thrilling read to add to your TBR. Check out the full book tour here!
Summary:
Page Whittaker has always been an outcast. And after the deadly incident that destroyed her single friendship at her old school, she needs a fresh start. Which is why when she receives a scholarship offer from Agathion College, an elite boarding school folded deep within the moors of Scotland, she doesn’t even consider turning it down.
Agathion is everything Page has ever a safe haven full of dusty books, steaming cups of tea and rigorous intellectual debate. And for the first time in her life, Page has even managed to become part of a close group of friends. Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey and Oak help her feel at home in Agathion’s halls–the only problem is, they’re all keeping secrets from her.
Page doesn’t know it yet, but her perfect new school has dark roots–roots that stretch back to its crooked foundation, and an ancient clandestine society with rumored ties to demonic magic. Soon, Page will be forced to learn that not everyone at Agathion is who they say they are. Least of all, her friends.
Agathion claims to teach its students history…but some histories should stay buried.
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My Thoughts:
Where to begin with the wild ride Unhallowed Halls takes readers on…
The first few chapters felt slow to me, the typical things unfold. Page goes to a new school, finds her place, and friends. While this is happening, something feels off. Something more is unfolding on the moors in Scotland, something dark, something ancient.
Agathion is a posh school for wealthy teens who have a troubled life. Quickly, Page is swept into the Agathion’s world. Sruggling to balance the social norms and scholarly content while also witnessing the unusual traditions that take place on school grounds. Page is left with a burning curiously of her purpose at Agathion, because the likelihood she was given a scholarship out of good faith is impossible.
Wilkinson does a great job of leaving the reader questioning: what is the difference between a tradition and a ritual? After an unusual graduation ceremony, Wilkinson begins to weave in horror elements that soon bloom into cosmic horror. It was delightful to watch the unhinged horror unfold. The first half of the story hints at supernatural, the second half of the novel embraces the unhinged consequences of magic. I loved the second half of Unhallowed Halls, but if you are not a horror reader or someone who dabbles in cosmic horror you may find the second half of the book muddy.
All of the elements of a delicious dark academia are present. Brooding teens, a lush natural scape, uniforms, friendship, an ancient boarding school, and an underlying sense that dark magic is running amok. If you enjoy dark academia, grab a copy of Unhallowed Halls.
About the Author:
Lili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of eighteen books for young people, including The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out. Lili has a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is a passionate advocate for YA and the young people who read it, establishing the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Her latest book is A Hunger of Thorns
Follow Wilkinson:
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