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!

I really thought I would like this more, but the plot kinda started to unravel in the second half. It was still intriguing, like I famously put books down forever even if I still kinda want to know what's going to happen, so the fact that I did want to finish this one is telling.
What I liked:
-The setting! If a book is set in Scotland, I will at the very least pick it up. Add in a boarding school with mysterious goings-on and I'm sat.
-The inherent magic of nature.
-Most of the characters. I especially liked the established relationships: Ren and Gideon and Lacey and Cyrus
-I LOVED that Cyrus got to say goodbye to Lacey. It's been a full 12 hours and I still want to cry about it.
-Speaking of Lacey, I loved her and wished we got more of her. I was also primed to like her because her tarot card was the Queen of Swords and that's a special card to me.

What I didn't like:
-I didn't feel like the 'how' was explained very well. Like, how did part of the goddess get separated from her, how did the body swapping start in the first place... etc.
-Oak and Page's relationship felt forced to me. He was kinda mean at first and it didn't quite make sense that she would have a crush on him.
-Page's name was hardly ever mentioned to the point where anytime someone actually called her by her name I was like "oh yeah, that's her name."
-Also the piglet thing disappeared pretty quickly? What happened to "you're piglet until there's a newer student"?
-Didn't Page go to class like, three times? She was there for a little over a month...

Overall I did like it, I just thought I would like it more than I actually did. 3.5/5 stars

This deeply atmospheric gothic fantasy gave me a new appreciation for Dark Academia novels. Set in the Scottish highlands, the rich descriptions of sights, smells, and tastes completely pull you into the story.

I loved everything about this book — the setting, the mystery, the found family. It features a fully Queer cast and an MC with Endometriosis. I've never seen a book with Endo rep before, so I was incredibly excited to pick this one up, and I feel like it captured the details of the condition perfectly. The book openly discusses periods and chronic pain, showing how resilience can grow from chronic pain.

Between the haunting setting and the secrets everyone is keeping, I was drawn into the mystery and fantasy of the novel. The secrets unfold slowly, like a tangled thread, and I loved the fantasy elements. Despite a complex plot, the story was easy to follow and balanced logistics with emotions. The book does get quite dark at times, with moments seeming quite bleak and hopeless for our protagonists!

I also adored the soft romance between Oak and Paige. Even when things felt dire, I was rooting for them every step of the way.

I really enjoyed Unhallowed Halls. It was a mix of dark academia and cosmic horror. Themes of friendship and trust were explored. It did get a little confusing toward the end, but was still a satisfying read. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

This book just didn't really click with me, I think I'm not the dark academia reader. I love the Gothic vibes of the dark academia genre but for some reason I just don't devour the books like I always think I will. I know there is a huge reader base for this book and it will do amazing!

I read a good portion of this while getting an allergy test done and honestly? It did not take my attention away from the itching spots on my arm.

I kind of knew going in that this would be just a classic YA Pick Me novel, especially since it's an American girl going to some prestigious almost secret school in Scotland where magic happens and people focus solely on ancient classical literature. She spent a good bit at the beginning whining about the lack of Jane Austen.

I don't know. I gave this the honest shot I could, but it wasn't for me. Doesn't mean it can't be for others.

Unhallowed Halls was an absolutely unexpected adventure! It started off full of suspense it felt very *the beginning of a gothic horror movie, you know something is wrong and a few weird things happen but you still have no idea what is going on*. 25% in I started to get some answers but there were still SO many mysteries. Halfway through this book took a turn and I was shocked! I had no idea *that* was coming, now you may figure it out sooner but I don’t read this genre very often and I loved being flabbergasted! After the twist things get progressively unhinged in the best way and it was practically impossible to put the book down. I expected to enjoy this book I did not expect the genre blending quest I got and it was worth every page! Content wise this is on the more mature side of YA. There is angst, struggle with identity and belonging, and difficult past’s. They are older teens and sex is mentioned but all the on page romance is strictly pg, there is cursing but it isn’t pervasive, a SA from the past is alluded to but not graphically. There are a litany of murders, mostly of children, violence, violent wounds, horrible adults, someone gets eaten but the violence isn’t terribly graphic. If you feel like revisiting the angst of your teenage years with the picturesque backdrop and moody vibes of Scotland give this one a try! Thank you Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this arc, all opinions are my own.

I just don't know if this one was for me, you know? From the first page, I thought that the language was a bit overwrought, the mentions of classic literature a bit egregious. I think one less mention of the copy of Middlemarch she was holding would have been plenty. I think part of what makes gothic literature and dark academia work so well is the atmosphere, the near palpable tension, and I think unfortunately for me, even at the outset, I felt like the book was trying too hard and nothing pulls me out of a book faster than that. This is not a fault that belongs solely to Unhallowed Halls. It is a critique I have with many horror and suspense novels.

I did my best to give the book a fair shake, but I think unfortunately it never quite found its footing for me. I can see why other users would rate it highly however, and I would recommend this book to younger readers or perhaps those newer to the genre.

Not just another Dark Academy where one who doesn't fit among wealthy kids and ancient classic texts joins and unravels more. She is more than can handle and they want her there for a reason. A secret society, plot twists and demons are unveiled. Makes for an interesting dark academy read. I was surprised by some plot twists.

Thank you to TBR & Beyond and Delacorte Press for providing me with a digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)

I absolutely loved this book! Unhallowed Halls perfectly captures the dark academia aesthetic with its eerie boarding school setting, a deeply immersive atmosphere, and a mystery that slowly unfurls into something far more sinister.

The book starts off a bit slow, but I didn’t mind because the writing was so evocative and atmospheric that I was happy to just soak it all in. As we follow Page’s arrival at Agathion, the unsettling nature of the school is evident from the start. The creeping sense of unease, the strange history of the institution, and the tightly-knit yet secretive group of friends she falls in with all build toward a deeply compelling mystery.

I really enjoyed the cast of characters, though I do wish we got a little more development for Lacey and Gideon. However, Page’s perspective is engaging, and watching her try to piece together the secrets of Agathion was so satisfying. By the halfway mark, the mystery begins unraveling rapidly, and the pacing picks up significantly. The last half of the book was impossible to put down—I flew through it in one sitting!

While the first half is steeped in moody, gothic atmosphere, the second half leans away from the dark academia vibes and hurtles straight into Lovecraftian horror. The sense of creeping dread turns into full-blown cosmic terror, and the transformation is absolutely gripping. The twists, the tension, and the unfolding of dark secrets kept me absolutely hooked.

Final Thoughts:
Unhallowed Halls is a perfect read for fans of Curious Tides and dark academia mysteries that blend atmospheric writing with sinister secrets. It delivers everything I hoped for—moody aesthetics, morally gray characters, eerie history, and a slow-burning but rewarding mystery that builds into something truly terrifying. I highly recommend this one and can’t wait to see what Lili Wilkinson writes next!

This book gave me the vibes and the atmosphere I wanted for a dark academia set in an old castle in England.
I was intrigued by the beginning when we first met Paige and got glimpses of the reason she's headed to this remote school. The school itself, and the group of students Paige wants to be friends with are certainly interesting. However, during the parts where she was actually in class, I felt like what they were learning was definitely over my head and I did lose a bit of interest during these moments. But once the plot starts moving forward and we get some clues about what is to come the interest and came back and I was sucked in unit the end.

There are plenty of twists and turns, and I loved the supernatural turn. The ending had action-packed and emotional moments that had me needing to see how everything was going to play out.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lili Wilkinson for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Unhallowed Halls coming out February 18, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love dark academia and creepy boarding schools. I think there was a lot of mystery in the beginning. Page and her friends were interesting. As the story progressed, I lost some interest. There were just a lot of things going on for me. I was hoping it would stick more to one genre. I would definitely read another book by this author, but I don’t think this book was for me.

I think that this book had a really compelling start which drew me into the story right away. Unfortunately (and I don't know if this was just a pacing thing, or a character thing, or something) I just slowly stopped vibing with the story as it went on. I think that the relationships between the characters didn't feel developed enough for what the story required of them. I didn't dislike this, but I think the relationships and the ending just made this a book that was not for me. I do think that a lot of people will love this, though, and I am excited to get our physical copies in at the branch!

Thank you met galley and Lili Wilkinson for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review’ I enjoyed this book and gave it 3.5 stars .. what an atmospheric and mysterious read!

A thought provoking young adult dark academia full of philosophy, mystery & intrigue. If you love novels based at boarding schools with found family, a little love interest and touch of magical mystery this is certainly for you. LGBTQ+ inclusive, no spice.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Delacorte Press for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars!

TL;DR: Unhallowed Halls is a book that I had a very fun time reading! I came for the dark academia and mild supernatural horror vibes and Wilkinson delivered on both. The intimidating structure and cold halls of Agathion combined with the fog-enshrouded moor surrounding the campus created a wonderfully gothic and eerie atmosphere that set the tone well for the story. Page was an easy MC to root for and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the found family vibes with the "elite clique" that she finds herself taken into. While the second half of the story was a fairly large departure from the first half, I went with the vibes and found myself enjoying the tonally different and slightly ludicrous unfolding of events. It's batty but if you can just roll with it and suspend your disbelief, it's a fun time (at least, it was for me)! 😂

From the beginning, Wilkinson does a great job of setting the tone that "something just isn't quite right here" without readers being able to pinpoint what exactly that is. From the foggy moors to the austere halls of Agathion to the isolating school rules and strict Magisters to the demonic pig that almost kills our MC in one of the early scenes... There's a profound sense of wrongness that lingers around this boarding school castle set in the Scottish moors. This book was very much outside of my comfort zone although I'm glad that it was still at the level of supernatural horror/creepy that I could handle. That said, the author does a great job in not only maintaining that bone-deep feeling of wrongness but also creating grotesque and horrifying scenes through imagery that sticks with you long after you turn the final page—at least, that's how it worked for me.

Our MC, Page, was an interesting character who I found easy to empathise with. There's a sense of mystery that surrounds her character as we begin to get glimpses of things that happened in her previous schools that seem like inexplicable supernatural events, and we learn that her parents kind of see her as this ticking time bomb that could go off at any minute. She has spent her life feeling out of place for being too smart and feeling like there was something profoundly wrong deep inside of her which she hopes Agathion can fix, only to realise she's a different kind of oddity in this school of poor little rich kids. Despite experiencing quite an awkward start with the friend group she eventually became a part of, and who came to play a significant role in this/her story, she slowly finds her place with them. I appreciated the growth that Page experiences and how she comes to embrace what makes her different and most importantly, learns to forgive herself for her past. She got the healing she deserved and I was happy for her!

I have to admit that the academic aspect of this story was slightly overwhelming with its philosophical discussions about the great dead Greeks—it straight up just made me feel dumb AF, haha. If you love the "studying" aspect of dark academia, I think you'll enjoy how it's done here! I did love the Celtic mythology that's woven in as these are stories that I've not heard of before but looking it up led me down a mini-rabbit hole of internet searching to learn more. There were some great plot twists, some I (proudly) saw coming and a few others that took me by surprise! The unfolding of events picks up in pace as Page uncovers sinister secrets the more she hangs out with the clique. Now, while the first half of the story is perfectly mood-appropriate dark academia, the second half is where you'll really have to suspend your disbelief. If the first half is a slow and steady build, the second half is an unexpected explosion and while such a big tonal shift would normally irritate me, going with the flow ended up making this an intense yet oddly fun (and funny) supernatural romp! Let's just say that as the supernatural and mythological aspects get more intense, the wilder the events that happen in quick succession. I can fully understand why some readers might not like this and how it might not work for many.

That all being said, I wish that certain elements had been better explored. The 'found family' vibes from the friendship group were great but I wanted to learn so much more about them individually and to have seen more growth in their interactions and relationships with Page firsthand. They felt too much like simple plot devices for how central they are to this story! There is also a romance which, I didn't mind all too much but I would've liked to see more of that progress organically. I wouldn't necessarily say it's instalove but there were interactions between them that I think needed proper unpacking before they got to where they were emotionally in the end.

Overall though, I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did because it's so far outside of my comfort zone. Wilkinson does a fantastic job with setting the scene and creating an immersive atmosphere and while I don't know what her intention was with making the second half so drastically different, I'm glad that I found myself not minding it too much. 😂 I would say that if you like gothic dark academia vibes + mythology + demonology, I think you could enjoy this too!

This book started off really good. I was into it and enjoying it all, but slowly it started to lose its appeal. Overall it was a satisfying read but it fell just a little short for me.