2.5 ⭐️ (3.5 ⭐️ for the book & 1.5 ⭐️ for narration)

The audiobook of The Unhallow Halls was a mixed experience for me. Let’s start with the frustrating parts—because there were quite a few.

First, the main character drove me absolutely insane. She had the dreaded "I'm not like other girls" syndrome and reminded us of it constantly. For someone who’s supposed to be a scholar and a literature enthusiast, she made some shockingly dumb choices. The side characters were way more interesting than her. I found myself far more invested in them than the protagonist, who had the personality of a rock.

Then there’s the narration. The audiobook was fine—until the accents started. And the Australian accent? Truly awful. It completely pulled me out of the story, which is especially disappointing since the book is literally written by an Australian author. I couldn’t take it seriously, which made it hard to keep reading.

Now for the good: I loved the dark academia and Greek mythology elements. That was hands-down the strongest part of the book and the only reason I didn’t DNF it. The romance had its moments, though I still can’t quite believe anyone would fall for the main character. If you’re looking for something between The Secret History and An Academy for Liars, but on a much lighter level, this could be a good introduction to the dark academia genre, especially for younger readers.

Between the in depth characters, intriguing magic, and the vibrant world building, this book got hooks in me so quick. I have read Wilkinson before, enjoying every word, but not like this! I truly adored this book. The audio narration was produced so well. I felt the emotion and the stakes through the narration!

After experiencing horrors at her old school and carrying that trauma around with her, Paige jumps at the scholarship she is awarded to the prestigious Agathion College, a picturesque castle in the Scottish moorlands that is worlds away from the sweltering Floridian town she is from.

She has always been na outcast, but now she is an outcast among the elite, making her feel small and worthless… until she is welcomed by a group of friends, letting her into their orbit. They all have secrets though, and Paige is still feeling like she is being held at arms length. Soon enough, Paige discovers that not only do they have secrets that are larger than life, this school was built on very old secrets and lies, putting all the students in potential danger.

Paige discovers what she is really capable of, the power of friendship, and the power she holds within herself. And every single page gets better and better. There is so much magic and adventure. There is found family and some romance… this book is so freaking good!!!!!!!!

Okay there’s a lot to unpack here. Firstly, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for access to this ARC. I think I’d give this one 3.75. It was a little too YA for me but it was still good. The narration was really good, other than the lady’s Australian accent in places which was a little jarring. But on the whole her performance was good.

The beginning of the story had me gripped, but as we moved towards 60% onwards then my goodness it got complicated.
This book gives us magic, demons, and twists and turns. There’s body possessing with souls involved which sometimes makes the characters being called ‘Oak’ and ‘Not Oak’ quite confusing sometimes.

But I did like the way the FMC kept learning about herself and gaining in confidence. It was giving me ‘One Dark Window’ in places but only very briefly.

This book takes you on a JOURNEY… one that is quite complex, a little strange at times, but still pretty good.

This started off as a chill audiobook that was easy to settle into. Since it’s in first-person POV, the world-building unfolds very slowly, and it takes a while before we properly step into the halls of Agathion College.

Before I continue with my review, I have to ask—why is the main character’s period such a recurring topic? I genuinely don’t understand.

As the story progresses, things spiral into chaos—characters become more unhinged, actions lead to increasingly wild consequences, and the dialogue starts to feel a bit awkward, sometimes even forced. And don’t get me started on the super stereotypical character(s).

In the end, while it wasn’t necessarily bad, it also didn’t bring anything new to the table. This book might resonate more with newcomers to dark academia, but for seasoned readers, it struggles to stand out in a genre that’s already packed with strong contenders.