Thank you to Titan Books for sending a copy of In These Hallowed Halls in exchange for an honest review.
In These Hallowed Halls, edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane, is a dark academia anthology featuring 12 twisted tales of scholarly scandal. College is not always about books and midterms. Uncover forbidden romance, murder and betrayal lurking in the dark corners of the stacks.
“The Professor of Ontography” by Helen Grant
Phoebe discovers a locked door at her college that leads to the mysterious Ontography department. Strangely, no one on campus knows what Ontography is or who teaches it. Curiosity eventually gets the best of Phoebe, but at what cost? Will she ever learn the secrets of the professor of Ontography and what takes place behind that door?
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Helen Grant expertly builds suspense as Phoebe uncovers more and more about the mysterious field of study. The whole time I read this story, I had this unsettling feeling in my stomach. I could not wait to discover what was behind that door, and I found myself rushing to find out the truth. Grant does not disappoint; the ending of this one will sit with me for a while.
“Phobos” by Tori Bovalino
More than anything, Mila Orlicker wants to become a member of the exclusive academic club, The Order of Prometheus. So far, she has done everything the order asked of her, including pulling her own tooth. When the order demands the most sinister of tasks to complete initiation, does Mila have what it takes to get everything she wants?
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The panic created on the page by Tori Bovalino in the climax of “Phobos” kept me thinking about this story long after I had finished reading. It was so intense that I took a short break to have a mini panic attack about it. For such a short story, Bovalino makes it easy to invest in Mila and her fate in Prometheus.
“Four Funerals” by David Bell
After a student murders four classmates in a school shooting, Dr. Mike Buckley cannot help but feel somewhat responsible. Mike had been unknowingly encouraging the delusional student simply by doing his job. Angry loved ones threaten Mike as the rumors become more and more vicious. Driven by guilt and respect for his former students, Mike attends all four funerals. Ultimately, he makes an unlikely ally with Debbie, the shooter’s mother, who has also been ostracized because of her son’s actions.
It is a touching yet chilling story showing unique perspectives of an all too common tragedy today. “Four Funerals” makes you think about how your actions affect people unknowingly. Bell forces the reader to consider perspectives they wouldn’t normally consider. This shows that you should look at all sides with empathy and understanding because you never know what someone is going through.
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“The Unknowable Pleasures” by Susie Yang
Sophie learns of a secret relationship between her classmate and their professor. Fantasizing about the details of this affair begins to consume Sophie’s life to the point of obsession. Will she seize an opportunity to learn the truth about the scandalous duo?
The character and relationship development was exciting and well done. I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next clue about the taboo couple. Unfortunately, all of the buildup leads to a vague and disappointing end. Perhaps the idea was to let the reader assume about the relationship, but I just wanted some juicy revelation in the end. How could Sophie become so obsessed, to the point of involving her boyfriend, only to not find out what happened?
Worth the Read
Overall, In These Hallowed Halls is an excellent addition to any dark academia collection. Every story is worth a read, and a handful are exceptional standouts. The imagery describing the schools in every story is beautifully done. Each writer has a unique way of transporting the reader to these various Universities. The descriptions of the campuses almost made me miss walking the halls of my alma mater (almost). I certainly miss perusing the dead, silent stacks of the always-empty library.
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The romantic elements in some of these stories felt like a forced afterthought, and I believe they could have done without them. The more disturbing stories are the ones that clung to me the most. The macabre tone resounds in every entry and carries the reader from one dark atmosphere to another.
After reading these twisted tales, my dreams were dark, disturbing and, of course, took place in a library. This anthology is satisfying for fans of dark academia, horror or mystery genres. Make sure you have a warm blanket when you read because some of these stories will chill you to the bone.
Always shop locally if possible; if not, grab your copy of In These Hallowed Halls from the Penguin Random House website.
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