As the evenings stretch longer there's no better time to soak up the atmosphere of the season and sink into the gothic beauty of a dark academia novel, the very thing that so heavily inspired our brand new Fable Book Series! 📖🕯️

Here are some of our go-to recommendations for anyone looking for a good dark academia book that will remind you of the scent of old books and waxed paper, mingled with candle smoke and incense...

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

“I suppose at one time in my life I might have had any number of stories, but now there is no other. This is the only one I will ever be able to tell.”

You've probably heard of her, as she is the Holy Grail of Dark Academia reading, but have you actually read her?! The Secret History is the quintessential novel of the genre—a tale of obsession, beauty, and the slow unraveling of morality. Set in an elite Vermont liberal arts college, the story follows a group of classics students under their eccentric professor Julian Morrow. Their devotion to esoteric beauty and ancient philosophy leads them to something truly dark. Light a candle and read this by the glow of the flame!

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”

Jane Eyre is the masterpiece that bridges the gothic and romantic with the spirit of Dark Academia.  Mystery, romance, and rebellion... Jane, a 'plain' but fiercely intelligent orphan, navigates her new life in the eerie and gothic Thornfield Hall where she unexpectedly finds a dark love. This book whispers to the soul of anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider. Brontë's sharp commentary on class, gender, and autonomy remains startlingly relevant to this day. Get ready to fall in love and then have your heart broken by the unrelenting angst!

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

Haunting and wild, Wuthering Heights is the even more unhinged sister to Jane Eyre. Set against the bleak windswept Yorkshire moors, it tells the story of Heathcliff and Catherine, two souls intertwined in love and revenge. This isn’t your typical love story. It’s destructive, obsessive, and honestly - a little (okay, a lot) depressing. With themes of death, passion, and the sublime power of nature, Wuthering Heights is a sweeping drama perfect for those looking to be completely and utterly consumed by a novel.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

“Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.”

The mother of all gothic novels, but we think she deserves a seat at the Dark Academia table too. Frankenstein explores the dangers of ambition and the loneliness of being “other.” Creation, exile, and the thirst for intellectual greatness make this an essential read for anyone who’s ever been both terrified and fascinated by the human condition!

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

“We were always surrounded by books and words and poetry, all the fierce passions of the world bound in leather and vellum.”

If you're a fan of The Secret History, you might like this! Set in a top arts conservatory, this novel follows a group of Shakespeare-obsessed theatre students who get caught in a web of performance, friendship, and tragedy, both on and off the stage. This is a slow-burn academic mystery soaked in Shakespearean references.

Babel by R.F. Kuang

“We're here to make magic with words.”

A newer addition to the dark academia canon, Babel is an exploration of colonialism, language, and the destructive power of empire, wrapped in the academic world of a magical alternative 19th-century Oxford. Part historical fantasy, part anti-colonial study, Babel is a truly unique tale. If you like your dark academia with a dose of revolution and heartbreak, choose this for your bookshelf next.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”

A haunting tale of vanity, art, and the consequences of indulgence, The Picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of a beautiful young man whose portrait bears the scars of his sins while he remains forever untouched. With its tongue in cheek humour and philosophical undercurrents, this novel is a cornerstone of gothic literature and a perfect fit for the dark academia bookshelf. 

Whether you’re penning melancholic poetry in a leather journal or simply seeking a novel that feels like a storm trapped in old pages, these dark academia reads will not disappoint. Light a candle, adorn your Fable Book Ring, pour some fresh tea, and lose yourself in a world where beauty and darkness entwine.

So, which is your favourite Dark Academia novel? Do you have a book like these that we should add to our bookshelf? Let us know over on Instagram @shopdixi 📚✨