Overview

Page Whittaker arrives at Agathion College, a remote boarding school set deep in the Scottish moors. The school offers a fresh start for students with troubled pasts, and Page is desperate for that chance. What she finds instead is a place built on secrets. Her scholarship is not as generous as it first appears, and the school’s traditions hide something old and dangerous. As Page settles in, friendships form and fracture, and it becomes clear that Agathion was never meant to be safe.

Writing & Voice

We found Wilkinson’s writing rich in mood and carefully paced. The setting is vivid, with cold stone corridors, endless fog, and a constant sense of watchfulness. The early chapters take their time, letting the tension grow slowly. When the story turns darker, the shift feels earned. The language is clear and controlled, balancing academic ambition with creeping horror.

Characters

Page is smart, guarded, and lonely, shaped by past mistakes and a need to belong. Her fellow students each carry their own damage, and their friendships feel fragile and real. The teachers are unsettling in quiet ways, delivering lessons that seem to reach far beyond the classroom. Together, the cast creates a sense that everyone is part of something larger, whether they want to be or not.

Themes

The book explores belonging, control, and the cost of intelligence in rigid systems. We see how institutions protect themselves at the expense of individuals, and how old ideas can be repackaged to look respectable. Agathion becomes a symbol of power disguised as opportunity, offering safety while quietly demanding obedience.

What Worked

• Atmosphere: The school and surrounding moors feel vivid and unsettling.
• Genre blend: Dark academia and supernatural horror work well together.
• Ideas: The story asks sharp questions about knowledge, privilege, and control.

Minor Quibbles

• The slow opening may test readers who prefer faster pacing.
• The later twists shift the story in bold directions that may not suit everyone.

Final Thoughts

We found Unhallowed Halls tense, thoughtful, and deeply atmospheric. It is a story that rewards patience and leans into its darkness with confidence.

Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5/5)