Today I’m reviewing An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole. I adored Kamilah Cole’s YA duology (So Let Them Burn and This Ends in Embers) so when I heard about her adult debut taking on Dark Academia, I knew I had to pick it up. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for sending me a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
This review was originally posted on The Nerd Daily.
Warren University has stood amongst the prestigious elite for centuries, built on the bones – and forbidden magic – of its most prized BIPOC students…hiding the rot of a secret society that will do anything to keep their own powers burning bright. No matter who they must sacrifice along the way.
Ellory Morgan is determined to prove that she belongs at Warren University, an Ivy League school whose history is deeply linked to occult rumours and dark secrets. But as she settles into her first year, something about the ornate buildings and shadowy paths feels strangely…familiar. And, with every passing day, that sense of déjà vu grows increasingly sinister.
Despite all logic, despite all reason, despite all the rules of reality, Ellory knows one thing to be true: she has been here before. And if she can’t convince brooding legacy student Hudson Graves to help her remember a past that seems determined to slip through her fingers as if by some insidious magic…this time, she may lose herself for good.
CW: death, murder, violence, racism, classism, body horror, anxiety
My Thoughts:
If An Arcane Inheritance isn’t already on your radar, you need to rectify that mistake immediately. This is a fiendishly smart and intriguing take on the Dark Academia genre in Cole’s fantastic style. It is a strong adult debut with plenty to say, so I would suggest listening.
Kamilah Cole burst onto the scene with the phenomenal Divine Traitors YA duology, full of fantastic characterisation and twists that had me reeling. This continues into her adult debut, which is a hauntingly poignant and beautiful tale of love, loss and legacy. There is a fascinating throughline about whether it is better to have had and lost or to have never had at all. This lands in a stunning manner and conveys an emotionally rich message. Overall, the book is a wonderful evolution of Cole’s work with style and sensational characterisation. Those final few chapters have stayed with me long after the page as have these brilliant characters.
Cole has such a knack for layered characterisation that draws you in and makes you fall in love with these people. They are messy and complex and deeply flawed at times but you get to peel back their layers and understand their motivations. Warren University has only begrudgingly accepted Ellory for her academic excellence and the weight of that pressure sits heavily on her, as she is isolated and ostracised from this rigid hierarchy. She does not come from the right background in order to truly be accepted. Cole delves into institutional classism and racism here, tearing apart the touchstones of Dark Academia to reveal the bloody bedrock they are built on. It is a nuanced take on these powerful institutions and what lengths people may go to in order to preserve their own power and who they may be willing to sacrifice along the way.
Ellory is determined to succeed, to provide for the family she cares deeply for and to live up to these impossible expectations. I loved her intelligence and how active she is in her investigations, tapping into her dream of being a journalist. This comes in sharp contrast to the muddled flashes she has, the foggy states where she cannot tell she is or what is happening but is left with a strong sense of deja vu. It is atmospheric and unsettling, with the reader also unbalanced. Ellory is driven and passionate, wanting to always choose the right thing even if it costs her everything. However, there is also a temptation for power there and the dilemma Cole explores through this aspect is wonderful. I also enjoyed the rival dynamic Ellory has with Hudson as they are forced to work together to unravel this mystery. It crackles with tension of all kinds and evolves well. No spoilers here but the final thread of this is nothing short of breath-taking.
The writing is sumptuous, full of beauty and wonder at times and cuts like a knife at others. Cole is not afraid to take it to dark territory, pulling on atrocities that mimic our world far too closely. It is a stark reminder of the bedrock of many of our own power systems and how they are maintained. The world-building is teased out too with these eerie initial touches that start to weave together into the bigger picture. It is so wonderfully crafted and ties in with these overarching themes. It offers itself up for an almost instant reread so you can catch every little detail Cole included that you did not catch on your first read. All of it culminates in a beautiful ending that will stay with you.
An Arcane Inheritance is a classic Dark Academia tale with an incredible twist in its tale. Cole is resplendent in her adult debut and this is not a book you want to miss.
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