6 books discussed on the new Dark Academia podcast (The Dark Academicals)
Ho, ho, ho. And no, that’s not a Father Christmas impression, it’s actually more of a what, ho! Because we’ve only gone and done it. All of my fellow Dark Academia fans out there can rejoice as finally someone has finally created a podcast dedicated to the genre.
Yep, that someone is us. There is a dedicated podcast page right here that you can click through to visit.
And our trailer and intro is up and ready for you to listen to now! It would be really great if some of you could follow us on Spotify, and then when we launch our first episode in January, you’ll be notified as soon as it drops!
But I wanted to reveal a few of the titles we have lined up for Season 1 of our podcast The Dark Academicals.
The podcast where we delve into the mythos of Dark Academia, one book at a time.
Cute tagline, isn’t it? *beams with joy*
We aim to discuss each book from several perspectives. The first: Is it Dark Academia? And what makes it fall under that category? Some books have a more fluid definition, so we think it will be really interesting to explore the nitty gritty of the genre rules.
The Second: Are there any key issues/character developments that need to be discussed? How is the genre being explored and/or challenged?
The Third: Are there any criticisms and/or diverse readings of this book?
Finally: Any thoughts and feelings, both from a personal and academic point of view.
Naturally, this format can and will change as we adapt to fit each title we read and discuss, but it will still fundamentally be the same.
So, here’s our current line-up for season one:
‘The Secret History’ by Donna Tartt
The granddaddy of Dark Academia. It had to be done. This book is the beginning. And it is the end. No questions. (Well, some questions… many, actually, but still. It’s THE one).
‘If We Were Villains’ by M. L. Rio
Another obvious choice. Gotta lay the foundations first though, right?
‘Ace of Spades’ by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
A bit of a curveball but we’re keeping you on your toes. A Dark Acadmia YA? Potentially.
‘Madam’ by Phoebe Wynne
This book blew me away earlier in 2021. I can’t wait to dissect it!
‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Another one coming out of your blindspot. This is what we would call a ‘Dark Academia Adjacent’ title. We’ll explain further in the episode.
‘Catharine House’ by Elisabeth Thomas
This one has quickly established itself within Dark Academia circles and we’re excited to read it!
What do you think of our first line-up?
Episodes coming January ‘22! Don’t forget to follow ‘The Dark Academicals’ wherever you listen to your podcasts.
If you wanted to buy your own copies of any of the upcoming books, then consider using bookshop.org. Yes, we are affiliated with them so we do get something out of it, but by making your bookish purchases through them you’re also supporting local bookshops.
Written by Sarah
