As autumn’s golden hues give way to long shadows and brisk winds that tease the edges of winter, the season invites a journey into the world of dark academia—a genre that blends intellectual obsession, the gothic, and the mystical and dark. If you’re craving books that capture a more brooding atmosphere of autumn, get these five titles on your TBR!

1. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Often considered by the bookish community as the quintessential dark academia novel, The Secret History delves into the lives of a group of elite college students who become entangled in a web of obsession, power, and murder. Set against the backdrop of a small New England college, the novel’s exploration of morality, intellectualism, and the consequences of transgression is as chilling as the autumn air. 

2. Babel by R.F. Kuang

Babel is a recent addition to the dark academia genre, blending historical fantasy with linguistic theory and colonial critique. Set in an alternate 19th-century Oxford, this novel follows a group of students at the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation, where language is a world power, one controlled and wielded by the wealthiest nations on the planet. Kuang’s exploration of the intersections between language, knowledge, and empire, is haunting and descriptive and thus makes it a perfect fall read.

3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic tale of vanity, decadence, and moral decay, making it the perfect gothic dark academia book. The novel follows the handsome Dorian Gray, who wishes to remain eternally youthful while his portrait ages and bears the consequences of his corrupt life. Wilde conjures a beautiful and gothic atmosphere that makes the narrative even more eerie and unsettling.

4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Jane Eyre is more than just a Gothic romance; it’s a journey into the depths of the human psyche. The novel’s setting—an isolated, windswept manor—combined with its exploration of themes like madness, passion, and independence, makes it the perfect September and October read. Bronte's descriptive prose means you can feel the cold winds of northern England blow straight off the page and through the air around you.

5. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a cornerstone of Gothic literature and a profound meditation on creation, humanity, and the monstrous. Set in desolate, often foreboding landscapes of central Europe, the novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates life only to be horrified by what he has done. The themes it questions, such as knowledge, hubris, and the consequences of playing God, align perfectly with the dark academia genre and make it a must-read.

Each of these books offers a deep dive into the darker aspects of human nature, wrapped in the rich, atmospheric settings that define dark academia as well as Autumn. Whether you’re drawn to more philosophical, existential musings or Gothic horror, these novels will provide the perfect backdrop to your chilly autumn nights!