Unhallowed Halls (Lili Wilkinson, A&U)

Lili Wilkinson’s latest young adult novel, Unhallowed Halls, is a dark academia fantasy about finding your inner strength and accepting who you are. After a tragic incident that ended her only friendship, Page Whittaker moves from sunny Florida to the grey, cold moorlands of Scotland to attend the exclusive Agathion College for troubled teens. She hopes this mysterious school will be a place where she can finally fit in and learn to control the emotions she believes have caused harm to others. Page soon realises that the school is built on the foundations of an ancient secret society tied to demonic magic, and even her new group of friends is hiding things from her. Wilkinson (Deep Is the Fen, Hunger of Thorns) has crafted such a vivid sensory and immersive experience that I was easily transported to Page’s world. Readers learn about her insecurities, fears and longing to belong. The author skilfully weaves Page’s journey of self-discovery into a tale of mounting tension, as she and her new friends must confront an evil threat—a layered narrative that keeps readers engaged in both Page’s growth and the supernatural stakes. A must-read for fans of magical realism, fantasy and stories with demons, Unhallowed Halls is a gripping, unputdownable read from start to finish. Recommended for readers who enjoy works by Leigh Bardugo or Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle series.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Ana Brawls is a librarian, reviewer and emerging writer originally from Brazil. Her work has been published in Australia and abroad. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews Think Australian top reviews