Unfollowed Halls is a sharp, eerie, and thought-provoking ride through the blurred lines of online culture, identity, and truth. Lili Wilkinson delivers a story that feels both modern and haunting, with twists that keep you guessing and a voice that pulls you right in. The characters are complex, the atmosphere tense, and the themes hit hard in the best way. It’s smart, unsettling, and impossible to put down. A standout read that I’m still thinking about—and already recommending to friends.

In Unhallowed Halls, Lili Wilkinson introduces us to Page Whittaker, a teenager who has never quite fit in. After a traumatic and deadly incident at her previous school destroys her one precious friendship, Page eagerly accepts a scholarship to Agathion College, an elite and mysterious boarding school hidden deep within the Scottish moorlands. Agathion promises a fresh start—a sanctuary of old-world charm filled with intellectual challenges, steaming cups of tea, and the quiet magic of belonging.


But as is often the case with institutions shrouded in mystery, Agathion hides dark roots beneath its charming exterior. Page quickly becomes part of an intriguing but complicated friend group: Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey, and Oak. Each character is captivating at first glance, yet Wilkinson struggles to fully develop them, leaving readers somewhat disconnected and craving more depth. At times, it felt like navigating a crowded room, unsure of whose story truly mattered most beyond Page's.


Wilkinson shines in creating the atmosphere of Agathion. The school's descriptions are beautifully detailed, perfectly capturing the dark academia aesthetic fans of the genre adore—think misty moorlands, creaky staircases, shadowed hallways, and hidden secrets whispered behind closed doors. The tension of an ancient clandestine society lurking beneath the surface added intrigue, keeping the pages turning even through the slower-paced sections.


Speaking of pacing, Unhallowed Halls takes its time building to its dramatic reveals. The deliberate pacing works beautifully at times, creating an eerie suspense that heightens curiosity. However, the slowness also risks losing readers who prefer a quicker plot. For me, it sometimes drifted too slowly, especially in the novel’s middle stretch, leaving me impatient for the promised magic and action.


One of the strongest aspects of the story is Page herself. Her experience as an outcast, coupled with her chronic illness (endo rep thoughtfully incorporated), adds layers of realism and depth, making her character exceptionally relatable. Wilkinson portrays Page’s internal struggles authentically, creating a protagonist readers genuinely want to root for.


On the other hand, the magical elements hinted at throughout—particularly the tantalizing mentions of demonic magic—felt somewhat underdeveloped. Readers hoping for high-stakes fantasy might find themselves longing for more explicit magic or supernatural revelations. Perhaps this is personal preference, but more tangible magic would have enriched the reading experience.


Despite these reservations, Unhallowed Halls delivers strong emotional resonance through Page's journey, exploring themes of friendship, trust, and belonging alongside darker explorations of power, secrecy, and the cost of buried truths. The subtle queer representation was woven naturally into the story, providing authenticity without feeling tokenistic.


Ultimately, while Unhallowed Halls may not fully meet the expectations of readers looking for abundant magic or rapid pacing, it excels as atmospheric storytelling with compelling emotional undertones. Wilkinson’s novel holds appeal particularly for fans of slow-burn mysteries and character-driven narratives.


Perfectly imperfect, this dark academia fantasy lingers in the mind long after the final chapter, leaving readers wondering which histories should truly stay buried—and at what cost.


Final Verdict:


Unhallowed Halls is an atmospheric journey into a world where secrets simmer beneath polished appearances. While pacing and characterization could have been stronger, Page’s relatability and Wilkinson’s vivid prose ensure a rewarding read, ideal for readers who crave mood over magic.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I’m such a sucker for all dark academia books with spooky vibes that are very atmospheric. This book delivered just that and it couldn’t be more perfect.

A solid premise for a novel, but unfortunately another book that fails the academic portion of its Dark Academia theme.

And that’s the thing about going for Dark Academia rather than just Fantasy set at a school: The academics have to actually pass the test for good research and implementation.

The idea behind this book felt right, but the use of Ancient Greek philosophy is at its best unsophisticated and in its worst moments, outright incorrect. It also doesn’t help that we got other things casually tossed in that don’t fit: Shakespeare! Schopenhauer! Celtic myth!

The bones of the plot are ok if you try to read it just as straight YA Fantasy, though it devolves into something fairly nonsensical in the end that definitely doesn’t fit academically and really doesn’t do so in a narrative sense either.

One of the best books I've read this year - dark and suspenseful but with characters you care about and are rooting for the whole time. So many twists and turns and surprises - could not stop reading just to see what would happen next. Excellent writing and a gripping storyline - well done! This book is sure to be a hit in our middle school library and we will be purchasing multiple copies.

Enjoyment rating: 2
Quality rating: 3

I realized about halfway through this book that this wasn’t my kind of book and I wasn’t the right audience for it, but I’ll try to be otherwise as objective as possible.

In the beginning of the book, the vibes were immaculate, as the kids say. The book had a rich academic atmosphere full of mystery and intrigue. The description of the library alone had me convinced this was THE book for me. The dark academia elements were right on, and Page trying to find her way in a new school with her classmates from different worlds is well done. I loved the references to classic literature, and I enjoyed the fact that I had to pull out a dictionary and Google more than once to brush up on my vocabulary or references to Greek mythology. That doesn’t happen very often, and it’s exactly what I’d hope for in a dark academia book. I wish some of the references had more depth to the story instead of just showing how educated the characters are, but they’re fun regardless. It was perhaps trying a little too hard, but I was here for it.

Things got weird when it moved from dark academia boarding school with super rich kids to the magical elements. What was working really well was lost in trying to develop and explain what was going on. There are a lot of complex explanations, fast action scenes that are hard to follow, and a lot of confusing events. To be completely fair, I’m not into demons or body swapping as concepts, but I also had a hard time following what was happening — or figuring out why I should care. There are a lot of weird things going on, and I found it more gross and disturbing than enjoyable in any way.

The character development started out well, but several characters had big moments later in the book that didn’t hit for me because their development had paused. I sometimes had a hard time remembering which character was which, which got even worse when body swapping came into the picture. It seems like found family was supposed to be a key element of this, but there were characters that never seemed to have a relationship built with Page herself except for just being part of the friend group automatically.

It also seemed like there wasn’t a lot of development in the overall effects of what happens in the book and how this school and the actions of it have been going for so long. What happens after the events in the book? What kind of impact did this have in the world? How closely connected is the mythology of this book to the real world? I never could figure it out. There’s a big need not to ask too many questions to get through the book, and I found myself not wanting to ask them because I didn’t really want more details about this weird world anyway. I did wonder why all of these students for generations didn’t ask those questions though. The kids that go to this school are supposed to be smart, but oh boy are they willing to be oblivious about some really weird stuff.

Overall, this wasn’t a book for me. I just don’t like gruesome elements, demons, or body-swapping much. If I read something with those elements, I need the book to be well-written to convince me to stick around anyway. This book didn’t do that. However, I think dark academia fans looking for a dark magic story may enjoy this a lot.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book for purposes of review. My opinions were not influenced by this at all.

This took me longer than I wanted/expected to finish. It started out so slow, with so much unknown and hidden. And it felt like it wasn't going anywhere. We were just introduced all the different characters, but so much was not being shown or told. It felt like a dark academia, but the magic angle was a surprise showed only about 30% in (if not more). The fact that this is about magic, and secret societies, and very dark goals, made this book better. The second half was completely different from the first. So much was happening and moving so fast, that I just had to finish and find out how all the characters will end up. However, the rushed second half felt like it wasn't completely ironed out. It wasn't as focused on the characters anymore, just making sure that all the action makes sense, and no mistakes were made, etc. For example. the pink suit case? It was so random, I kept waiting for something to pop out of that thing, and nothing. Just a material item that Lacey couldn't let go? Also, what about Ren, being so big and determined in one scene, becomes a cowering coward in the next? It didn't feel like her at all. And then Gideon, oh poor Gideon. They all stepped into the background for the MC to shine, and it doesn't feel natural, not with their ARCs so far.

I wanted to love this, but by the end I really didn't care. It was just too long, dragged out. The second half even though it was more entertaining, still didn't make it a great ending. The fantastical elements just felt unfinished, not completely thought out. The last twists especially felt unnatural to the whole plot. I wish the atmosphere and the character building have kept up to its promising beginning.

Page arrives at Agathion in Scotland following a disastrous incident at her school in Florida. There, Page hopes to put the chaos within her in order. But she also finds something unexpected, something she wasn’t looking for: being a part of a close knit group of friends. However, things are not right at Agathion - the school has a dark history and Page and her friends are caught up in it. There is something sinister at Agathion - will they discover what is happening before it is too late?

A dark and interesting novel that took a bit of time to get into at first. But the second half of the novel more than made up for it. Imaginative and eerie with great character development.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this title!

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Page Whittaker has just received a scholarship from Agathion, an elite private boarding school in Scotland. Though she has no idea why she was chosen, she is only too happy to leave her small Florida town behind after an incident at her old school. And at first, Agathion seems perfect, a haven for intellectuals, and Page even feels like she might be making some friends, except that she’s certain they are hiding something from her – and so is Agathion itself. As Page begins to learn more about her new school, she will come face to face with the dark history behind it and unearth a conspiracy tied to a secret society that supposedly has ties to demons and magic.

I’ve been trying to read different types of books within my usual genres this year, and this fit the bill perfectly. Dark academia is something I’ve tried in the past a few times, and I’ve mostly enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to returning to that genre again.

I know the synopsis of this book basically said ‘dark academia with demons’ but that definitely didn’t prepare me for it. The first half of the book certainly had a lot of dark academia vibes, and this was my favourite part of the book – introducing Agathion, a school that was mysterious and somewhat creepy, but at the same time appeared to be a cosy haven of learning, tons of Greek philosophy and weird rituals. The world building was excellent, it really brought the whole feel of Agathion to life and I felt like I was exploring those halls right alongside Page.

The second however, was very different, taking a sharp turn into dark fantasy and demons with a side of horror. It was an intriguing read, with some fascinating mythology to tie it all together, but I do wish the story as a whole was more cohesive. The book felt like it was in two distinct halves, which I found disappointing, as without the dark academia part, this would not have been nearly as appealing to me.

Despite my little disappointment with how the plot played out, the story had me completely hooked. It did take a little while for things to get moving, but once it did, it was one crazy roller coaster all the way to the end. The pacing was steady throughout and the writing was pretty good too.

Page was an interesting character with a pretty complicated past that she has never been able to explain. She was just as adrift as the reader throughout this book, so seeing things through her perspective and following along as she discovered not only Agathion’s secrets, but the truth behind the incidents she has experienced was great. However, her character arc was not the most realistic in my opinion, seeing as this entire book took place over six weeks or so.

The secondary characters, while they were likeable and the whole found family dynamic they had was lovely, I didn’t really connect to them as much. I think that’s just the nature of the genre though, because the plot held my attention so firmly that even if there were more POVs or backstory for these characters, I doubt it would have had much impact.

Honestly, there were at least three points in the book where I thought it was nearing the end, and then I checked the page count on my kindle and there were way too many pages to go. That said, I did enjoy the many plot twists that set the characters off on yet another tangent to handle some or the other unexpected event. It was all rather chaotic, but so much fun to read!

I felt the ending was a bit much, personally, especially with Page supposedly having these abilities all her life but never knowing, and then all of a sudden, being able to basically work all kinds of miracles. It required a significant suspension of disbelief, but if you can manage that, it was quite good.

Overall, I enjoyed Unhallowed Halls. It was an entertaining read, and it has also encouraged me to start reading dark academia again – I had quite forgotten how much fun it is! I would highly recommend this book for fans of the genre!

This YA romantasy is full of dark intentions, mysterious environs and complicated teen emotions. The centuries old school set in a Scottish castle was the real star, but the rest of the cast of characters was also great with tangled threads of loyalty and romance. I enjoyed the complex lore of the school and the land surrounding it as well as the layers of the mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and TBR & Beyond Book Tours for my copy. These opinions are my own.

This is an unsettling story that is creepy, enticing and well written. The atmosphere is masterfully created and I had a hard time putting this down. If you enjoy dark academia or horror, I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Lili Wilkinson,Random House Children's and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and the author for a free advanced reader copy of this book.

3.5 ⭐️

This dark academia book has a very interesting premise. It felt like a YA version of the Atlas Six by Olivie Blake, but more supernatural. I enjoyed the found family in this, but also felt like I wanted to get to know some of the other characters more.

I love dark academia, especially when it doesn't feel like it's trying too hard to be "smart." This one is both fun and smart, and keeps you interested in the demonic fantasy of it all. Recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC gifted in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really interesting and at some times creepy read! I enjoyed it and I think students will enjoy the vibe of the dark academia mystery. The characters were good and Agathion was perfectly weird and I think this would be enjoyable to my students who like this style of writing and book.
I enjoyed the ending and that it sort of was a circle back to the beginning but obviously with a lot of consequences 😂 This did keep me guessing and I had no idea it would end up where it did, if you are looking for dark academia & a mystery this would be right up your street!

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc to preview.

Oh this was good. From the effortless weaving of queer stories to the easy insertion of classic references to the cast of characters I found myself genuinely connecting with, this is Dark Academia done right. The magic system made sense, and felt accessible as both a reader and as someone who rarely believes that teens can just easily get thrown into these things. The suspense was eerie and the plot twists were well timed.

I really loved this book, and I really think other people will too.

Unhallowed Halls
by Lili Wilkinson
Pub Date: Feb 18 2025


This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a non spoiler review, because you as reader need to read this book. Also, I feel sometimes I have in the past gave away to much of the plot line. This has diminished the pleasure for would be readers..

Page Whittaker secretly longs for a place to fit in, and just maybe the exclusive Agathion boarding school might be the place. Set deep in the Scottish moors, the isolated school’s ideology of mind over body, and heavy Classical Latin and Greek and Roman philosophy make for the perfect dark academia setting. After a violent incident at her last school she excepts a scholarship to attend Agathion and hopefully have a new start. Once there she finds school a challenge, and just when she is on the edge of becoming excepted into a close nit circle of friends, she realizes that they and the school’s magistrates are keeping mysterious secrets from her.

I have been looking forward to this book ever since I heard about it because I enjoyed the last book I read by the author. I knew this book was likely to be the perfect mix of tense and atmospheric and it definitely lived up to those expectations.

The setting was fantastic a school in a secluded Scottish setting, so it’s mostly damp and cold, in an old building that happens to be built between a ring of standing stones. I could feel the chill in my bones just reading about it and of course, it added to this mysterious and elitist school, who seem to only deal with Greek scholars and doesn’t seem to have a set graduation.

I won’t lie a lot of the academic references on the different philosophers went over my head but I could feel the research in the pages and it helped to give the school its exclusive feel. It also adds to the mysterious quality that you feel as soon as Page arrives there because you feel like all the students are in on a way of life that the rest of us couldn’t comprehend.

That quality is what caught my attention and made me eager to devour this book, there were so many questions that I had and more unusual things kept happening which propelled me further into the story. There comes a stage, after a lot of strange occurrences, where the story adds some fantastical elements, which I enjoyed and gave me a lot more questions and a bit of a chilling feeling about where the story was headed.

I would never have predicted where this story was going there are so many twists and turns it certainly keeps you on your toes once the action starts to pick up. I won’t say too much about the plot because I don’t want to spoil it but I will say that the pace ramps up and there are a few things that happen that I felt I didn’t get enough time to digest before the next thing happened. I felt like I didn’t get the chance to invest myself as fully in the characters in the second half of the story because everything was happening so quickly.

The characters were all pretty intriguing, they all had a brilliance about them, I quite liked that in a school that is supposed to be an equaliser in terms of outside status and privilege, there still managed to be groups and some hierarchies.

I enjoyed the relationship between Gideon, Ren, Oak, Lacey, and Cyrus, they seem at the same time tight-knit but also very separate people, which makes for some interesting dynamics. Page is quite a curious and complex character we hear things from her perspective but she is also a bit of a puzzle, which makes for an interesting protagonist.

Unhallowed Halls is both a mysterious and exciting story, I almost read it in one sitting because I didn’t want to put it down. I’m looking forward to what the author comes up with next because I love the dark, chilling, and tense atmospheres that she creates.

You might need to pick this one up if you like dark academia, gothic boarding schools, strange magic, demonic rituals, plant magic, a touch of Eldritch horror.

I was hooked from the beginning when I started this, I’m always a fan of dark academia and the premise of this one sounded so good I couldn’t turn it down. From the gothic feel to weird happenings, the author did a good job keeping me on my toes and trying to figure out what was really going on.

I loved the ancient magic that was intertwined through the story and the relationships between the characters. My absolute favorite part was the backdrop of the Scottish highlands

I received a gifted copy of this, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I don’t read a ton of fantasy but the draw in of dark academia, demons, and queer rep - I had to give this one a go - and I’m so glad I did. This book was intriguing from the start and I continued to be interested throughout, making this a fairly quick read despite the longer chapters and 464 pages. The ongoing twists and turns were great at keeping the pace. I think the author did a great job describing the setting and characters and made it all very unique and really brought me inside the book. I also really enjoyed all the philosophy and mythology discussion throughout!