The Best Classic Books for Dark Academia Lovers
You’re obsessed with dark academia—the moody aesthetics, the intellectual drama, the slightly concerning fascination with morally questionable scholars? (Same.) You’ve read The Secret History, you swoon over candlelit libraries, and now you’re thinking: Maybe it’s time to dip into the classics?
Great news: classic literature and dark academia go together like old books and existential crises. Many of the novels that define the aesthetic are inspired by, reference, or straight-up worship the classics. And some classics? They are dark academia before dark academia was even a thing.
In this post, we’re diving into the best classic books for dark academia lovers, whether you’re here for gothic mansions, tragic scholars, or philosophical chaos. I’ll also share:
🖤 Which modern dark academia books were inspired by these classics
🖤 The best ways to read them for peak aesthetic vibes
🖤 A fun little challenge to make your TBR feel extra darkly intellectual
Grab a cup of tea, and let’s get into it!
1. Why These Classic Novels Appeal to Dark Academia Readers
Dark academia isn’t just about wearing tweed blazers and drinking black coffee while dramatically annotating books in candlelight. (Though let’s be honest, that’s a big part of the fun.) At its core, dark academia thrives on intellectual obsession, moral dilemmas, and gothic, atmospheric settings—and classic literature delivers all of that in spades.
Here’s why these books are basically dark academia before dark academia was a thing:
The Obsession with Knowledge (even when it ends badly)
Dark academia LOVES characters who get a little too obsessed with learning—often to their own downfall. And classic literature? It basically invented this trope.
📖 Faust (Goethe) – The ultimate ‘I want to know everything’ cautionary tale. Dr. Faust sells his soul to the devil in exchange for unlimited knowledge. (Spoiler: It does not go well.)
📖 Frankenstein (Mary Shelley) – Victor Frankenstein, the original mad scientist, takes intellectual ambition to new (and horrifying) heights by reanimating the dead. A great pick if you love stories about the dangers of playing god.
📖 Crime and Punishment (Dostoevsky) – Raskolnikov, a broke philosophy student, decides he’s so intellectually superior that he can get away with murder. (Spoiler: He cannot.)
If you love stories about brilliant but morally compromised characters spiraling into obsession, these classics should be at the top of your list.
Philosophical Dilemmas & Moral Ambiguity
Nothing says dark academia like long, existential discussions about morality, fate, and the meaning of life (preferably while sitting in a dimly lit study with a glass of wine in hand). These books deliver just that:
📖 The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde) – What if you could stay young and beautiful forever while a portrait took on all your sins instead? Dorian Gray really tests the limits of morality, vanity, and self-destruction.
📖 Hamlet (Shakespeare) – The ultimate existential crisis play. Hamlet spends five acts brooding over death, fate, and revenge, making it a dark academia staple.
📖 The Stranger (Albert Camus) – A short but deeply philosophical novel that explores absurdism, free will, and emotional detachment.
These classics force readers to wrestle with big, messy questions about life, death, and whether it’s okay to make morally questionable choices in the pursuit of knowledge. (It usually isn’t.)
Gothic, Atmospheric Settings & Moody Vibes
The dark academia aesthetic thrives on gloomy mansions, eerie libraries, and the feeling that someone is definitely watching you from the shadows. Classic gothic literature is full of this kind of haunting atmosphere:
📖 Wuthering Heights (Emily Brontë) – A windswept, brooding romance set in the misty Yorkshire moors, complete with ghostly visions and deeply dramatic characters.
📖 Dracula (Bram Stoker) – A creepy Transylvanian castle, eerie journal entries, and a group of scholars investigating the supernatural? Sounds like prime dark academia material.
📖 Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier) – A young woman marries a rich aristocrat only to find herself haunted (figuratively? literally?) by his dead wife’s lingering presence in a very unsettling mansion.
If you’re here for haunted corridors, mysterious figures, and dark secrets, gothic classics are your perfect match.
Elite Academic Spaces & Intellectual Circles
There’s something about exclusive, old-money academic settings that just scream dark academia. These classics capture the allure—and often the toxic underbelly—of intellectual elitism:
📖 Brideshead Revisited (Evelyn Waugh) – A novel drenched in nostalgia, Oxford University vibes, and complicated friendships among the upper class.
📖 Jude the Obscure (Thomas Hardy) – A heartbreaking tale of a working-class man who dreams of studying at university but faces brutal social barriers.
📖 The Iliad & The Odyssey (Homer) – Ancient literature is essential to dark academia, and these epic Greek classics are everywhere in modern DA books. (If you’ve read The Secret History, you know how important Greek mythology is to the aesthetic.)
Whether it’s the forbidden allure of academia, the intellectual snobbery, or the elitist social circles, these books capture the dark academia spirit perfectly.
2. Connections Between These Classics & Popular Dark Academia Books (+ Their Retellings!)
One of the best things about dark academia is how deeply rooted it is in classic literature. Modern DA books don’t just borrow the aesthetic—they are steeped in the themes, characters, and even direct references from classics. Some dark academia novels are straight-up retellings, while others weave in nods to ancient texts, gothic literature, or philosophy.
Here’s a deep dive into which classics influenced your favorite dark academia books—because let’s be honest, part of the fun of reading dark academia is pretending you’re in on the literary references.
Greek Tragedies & The Secret History
Classic: The Bacchae (Euripides)
Dark Academia Book: The Secret History (Donna Tartt)
If you’ve read The Secret History, you already know: Greek mythology is at the heart of dark academia. The novel follows a group of elite students who become obsessed with ancient rituals and philosophy, leading them down a very dark path (understatement of the century). But the story’s real inspiration? The Bacchae, a tragedy by Euripides about a group of people so caught up in their devotion to a god (Dionysus, god of wine and chaos) that they lose control completely. Sound familiar?
📖 How It Connects:
The Bacchae features an elite group indulging in ritualistic worship and excess, much like The Secret History’s classics students.
Both stories explore intellectual arrogance leading to self-destruction.
There’s a whole lot of murder, moral corruption, and tragic consequences.
So if you love The Secret History, reading The Bacchae will make you appreciate just how deep the classical influences run.
Shakespeare & If We Were Villains
Classic: Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth (William Shakespeare)
Dark Academia Book: If We Were Villains (M.L. Rio)
Here’s where things get theatrical! If We Were Villains is a modern dark academia favorite, and it centers around a group of students in a prestigious acting school. The plays of Shakespeare are more than just thematic touchstones—they directly shape the characters’ lives and decisions. In fact, the three plays that play a central part in the book are Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. The students in If We Were Villains are deeply immersed in their performances of these iconic works, which gives the book that same tragic, poetic intensity Shakespeare is known for.
📖 How It Connects:
The scheming and betrayal in Julius Caesar mirrors the deception in the novel.
The Romeo and Juliet dynamic is echoed in the forbidden relationships and tragic loss.
The dark ambition and paranoia from Macbeth align perfectly with the characters’ downward spiral.
These plays don’t just appear in the book—they shape the characters, their relationships, and even their ultimate fates. If you love dark academia with a theatrical, tragic, and deeply literary feel, Shakespeare is a must-read.
Dracula & The Historian
Classic: Dracula (Bram Stoker)
Dark Academia Book: The Historian (Elizabeth Kostova)
Dracula has a classic dark academia vibe, from the gothic setting to its mysterious academic undertones. But if you’re craving a more modern take on this iconic tale, The Historian is your perfect companion. Elizabeth Kostova’s novel is a deep dive into the legacy of Dracula, blending historical research, academic quests, and the supernatural. The story follows an academic search into the legend of Dracula, and the quest to uncover the truth becomes as dark and dangerous as any Gothic novel could ever be. If you’ve always been intrigued by the intellectual side of Dracula and wondered how it could be reimagined as a more modern dark academia novel, The Historian answers that question beautifully.
📖 How It Connects:
The scholarly pursuit of Dracula’s origins mirrors the academic investigation often found in dark academia novels.
The search for lost knowledge leads to mystery and horror—a classic dark academia combo.
The novel’s mysterious tone and Gothic atmosphere draw directly from Dracula’s eerie legacy.
Dive into the classic horror and mystery of Dracula to explore its chilling themes of obsession and the supernatural.
Carmilla & An Education in Malice
Classic: Carmilla (Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu)
Dark Academia Book: An Education in Malice (S.T. Gibson)
Carmilla is one of the earliest examples of vampire fiction, featuring a sinister relationship between two women that’s charged with mystery and obsession. Fast forward to An Education in Malice, which reimagines this iconic story for a modern, dark academia audience. This novel blends the mysterious, atmospheric tension of the original with a fresh, psychological depth and the sense of danger that defines modern dark academia tales.
📖 How It Connects:
Carmilla is full of manipulation, obsession, and the blurring of boundaries, themes that are explored in An Education in Malice with a more contemporary twist.
Both stories feature a hauntingly complex relationship between the characters, one that pulls them into a world of intensity and danger.
The atmosphere in An Education in Malice is just as Gothic, moody, and unsettling as Carmilla, with a slow-building sense of unease that leaves you questioning what’s real and what’s not.
If you're drawn to gothic horror with a psychological edge, Carmilla is your classic gateway into the world of dark academia’s darker themes.
3. The Best Way to Read These Books for Maximum Dark Academia Vibes
Alright, so you’ve got your stack of classic books that radiate dark academia energy—now what? You could just crack them open and start reading, but where’s the fun in that? No, no. If you’re going to fully immerse yourself in the dark academia aesthetic, you need to commit to the vibe.
Think dramatic main character energy—like you’re the mysterious, well-read student in a gothic novel.
Here’s how to make the reading experience feel like you’ve stepped straight into the pages of a dark academia book:
Set the Mood (Because Ambience Is Everything)
Dark academia is all about atmosphere, and you want to set the right mood before you even open the book. Think mysterious, moody, and intellectual—we’re talking candlelit rooms, a cozy chair, maybe even a heavy blanket for the perfect chilly vibe.
Here’s how to get started:
Lighting: Dim, warm lighting is key. Try candles, fairy lights, or a vintage desk lamp to set the mood. Dark academia is all about feeling like you’re in an old library or a dusty study.
Music: Classical music (Bach, Chopin, or a spooky film score) or instrumental jazz will help transport you into that dreamy intellectual space.
Surroundings: Add some antique-looking decor, perhaps a glass of wine or a cup of tea (English breakfast, of course!), and a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed.
Want to take it a step further? You can also play dark academia-inspired ambient sounds and playlists to really set the scene.
Here are some of my favorite YouTube videos that make the perfect background noise for diving into these classics (or any dark academia book):
Dark Academia Aesthetic Ambience – Thunder & Soft Echoed Music
Dark Academia Ambience with Relaxing Rain Sounds
Library Sounds – Study Ambience
Library Ambience ASMR – Crackling Fireplace Sounds & Page Turning
You’re in the Dead Poets Society – Dark Academia Playlist (classical piano)
Studying in an Old Library in the Melancholic Rain
You're Studying in a Haunted Library with Ghosts
Dark Academia Tunes for Walking Through Snowy Streets – Melancholic Piano
Dark Academia Instrumentals – Haunting Melodies for Winter’s Embrace
Cozy Coffee Shop Ambience – Melancholic Piano
You’re Studying with Some Classical Music in an Ancient Library
The goal? You want to feel like you’re in a Gothic novel or an ancient lecture hall.
Embrace the Aesthetic
Let’s be honest—part of the dark academia appeal is looking like you belong in a musty library filled with ancient tomes. You don’t have to wear an oversized sweater or a vintage blazer while reading, but it definitely helps. Bonus points if you add some annotating into the mix—underline passages, jot down dramatic thoughts in the margins, or pretend you're preparing for a literature lecture that no one actually assigned you.
Read Like a Scholar (But Make It Fun)
Speaking of academia—one way to make classics even more enjoyable is to go full literary nerd mode. Look up fun facts about the book’s history, read analyses of key themes, or even discuss it with friends who also enjoy suffering through (ahem, I mean, appreciating) dense Victorian prose.
Or better yet—start a dark academia book club where you can sit around with fellow book lovers, sip tea, and discuss whether Dracula is more of a gothic romance or a full-on horror novel.
Channel Your Inner Mysterious Academic
At the end of the day, the best way to read these books is to lose yourself in the world of dark academia. Treat each book like a secret manuscript you stumbled upon in an old library. Read it slowly, take in the details, and let yourself be fully obsessed with the aesthetic, the drama, and the sheer intellectual energy of it all.
Who knows? Maybe by the time you finish, you’ll have the urge to scribble cryptic notes in an old notebook, take late-night walks through ivy-covered buildings, or get just a little too invested in learning Latin.
No judgment. It happens to the best of us.
And if you love the idea of diving into these classics but feel a little intimidated by the dense language or old-timey writing style (looking at you, Moby-Dick), don’t worry—I’ve got you covered! Check out my post on Reading Strategies for Classic Novels for all the tips and tricks to make these books way more enjoyable (and way less like required reading for a class you forgot to attend).
4. A Fun Dark Academia Reading Challenge
Okay, you’ve made it this far—so why not turn your dark academia reading into an actual challenge? Because let’s be real: everything is more fun when it feels like an intellectual quest, and nothing screams dark academia like structured intellectual pursuits with a side of existential crisis.
The rules? Simple. Complete as many of these dark academia-inspired books and reading prompts as you want—no deadlines, no pressure, just fun. Bonus points if you journal about your experience, annotate your books like a dedicated scholar, or dramatically stare out a rain-soaked window while reading.
I’ve put together two downloadable lists to guide your next deep-dive into the world of classic literature:
📜 Classics Reading List for Dark Academia Lovers – A curated selection of classics perfect for fans of dark academia.
📜 Classic Literature Reading Challenge Checklist – If you’re feeling extra ambitious, this checklist includes 90 essential classic books to conquer, whether you’re in it for the aesthetic or just want to flex on your Goodreads friends.
Now grab your notebook, pour yourself another cup of tea, and let’s get reading. Because if we’re going to romanticize our lives, we might as well do it properly—with a slightly pretentious reading challenge and a lot of atmospheric gloom.
And if you want to take the dark academia vibes even further, I’ve got just the thing—check out all my Dark Academia-themed printables and Classic Literature-inspired goodies in the shop to surround yourself with even more bookish aesthetic.
Articles you might also be interested in:
Classic Literature for Different Tastes: Exploring Genres Within the Canon
10 LGBTQ+ Classic Books You Need to Read
Why You Should Read the Classics and Where to Start
