Campus Novels to Read in Autumn and Winter
If you’re tired of being recommended The Secret History.
The colder months are the perfect time to discover the peculiar magic of campus novels. As the days grow darker, we reach for thicker coats and woollen scarfs, we exchange iced coffee for spiced tea, and watch the trees as they shed their leaves. Summer dissolves into the remains of a distant memory.
For some, university days are buried in nostalgia, while for others, campus life remains an all-consuming reality—one filled with the quiet ticking of clocks and the whispers of late-night discussions. Campus novels, with their lingering air of mystery, suspense, and the faintest brush of romance, offer a genre that captures both the elegance and unease of academic life, suspending us, as winter itself does, in a season of quiet introspection.
The Secret History is arguably the most popular campus novel in recent times. It’s rare to go a day without seeing it mentioned on a social media post. And rightly so! It is one of my favourite books, firmly among my top 3. But if you've already read Donna Tartt's cult classic and are craving more of that elusive campus magic, here is a selection of amazing campus novels that aren’t mentioned enough:
If We Were Villains
If We Were Villains by M.L.Rio follows a group of seven elite acting students at an exclusive arts college, their lives immersed in Shakespeare’s works and the intoxicating allure of the theatrical world. The line between performance and reality starts to blur with fatal consequences as the group of friends struggles with ambition, jealousy, and betrayal. After one of them is found dead, the rest must convince the police of their innocence.
Why I recommend it: I've read this book several times, each as good as the last. It is the closest novel in terms of atmosphere and plot to The Secret History, so I think fans of Donna Tartt will appreciate it.
Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society is a novel about a group of young men at a conservative prep school whose lives are transformed by their unconventional English teacher, Mr. Keating. Encouraging his students to embrace the power of poetry, individuality, and carpe diem—seize the day—Keating inspires them to challenge the status quo and discover their own passions. Problems begin to arise as family and faculty members oppose this newfound mentality.
Why I recommend it: In this case, the book was actually published after the film and is based on an earlier script, so there are a few subtle differences throughout the story. Nonetheless, if you love the film as much as I do, I think you will be captivated by the book too. It preserves Mr. Keating’s iconic speeches and I can practically hear his voice as I read them.
Stoner
Stoner by John Williams is the quiet, profound story of William Stoner, a modest English professor at a Midwestern university. Born to a poor Missouri farming family, Stoner discovers a love for literature that changes the course of his life, leading him into academia. As the years pass, his quiet resilience struggles with a failing marriage and a frustration with his career’s progression. Through Stoner’s deeply felt experiences, the novel explores themes of love, disappointment, ambition, and the quiet dignity found in a life devoted to one’s passions.
Why I recommend it: This is one of the books I’ll be reading in November, in case you also want to read it at the same time. I have heard positive things about it and I felt it explored a different side of campus life that is worth mentioning.
The Idiot
The Idiot by Elif Batuman follows Selin, a curious and shy freshman at Harvard in the mid-1990s, as she navigates the complexities of language, love, and self-discovery. Drawn into an email correspondence with Ivan, a Hungarian student, Selin embarks on an intellectual and emotional coming of age journey following themes of identity and purpose.
Why I recommend it: Elif Batuman writes in a stream of consciousness kind of way that I hadn’t experienced in a novel before, and perhaps, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea - but I loved it! Her references are genius and Selin’s narration is effortlessly humorous. A campus novel in an increasingly digital world.
The Ninth House
The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo follows Alex Stern, a troubled young woman with a dark past and an unusual gift: the ability to see ghosts. Alex attends Yale University where she’s recruited into a secret society tasked with overseeing the activities of the university’s other occult societies, each practicing their own brand of dangerous magic. Delving deeper, she uncovers a deadly mystery hidden within the rituals and rivalries of these secret societies, forcing her to confront both sinister forces and her own haunted past.
Why I recommend it: I remember being struck by the sheer imagination of the plot the first time I read this book. Exploring the different secret societies at Yale was utterly fascinating—even if their powers are fictional… or are they? It’s a perfect book for those that are looking for a campus novel with fantasy elements.
Please feel free to comment if you’ve read any of the books mentioned in this post as I would love to hear your thoughts. And as always, I hope my curated selection of recommendations proves useful to you!
Might "Brideshead Revisited" be regarded as a campus novel? At least sort of?
Stoner is on my TBR too. Excited to get to it. 😊