14+ Books Set in Residential Schools

by Jen Moyers (@jen.loves.books)

I'm a big fan of books set in residential schools, whether they're boarding schools or colleges. There are a MILLION out there, so I just chose the first ones that popped into my head when I thought of this topic. There's something about residential schools that concentrates life experience--when I was in high school reading Lord of the Flies, we spent SO much time talking about how the boys' time on the island was a microcosm for human existence, and I think residential schools can function the same way.

I'm updating this list from 2020 with even more books in these compelling settings! These range from dark academia to mystery to romance, so there's something for every reader! (Updates are marked with asterisks.)

Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - Bardugo is an auto-buy author for me, and I was excited when she announced that she was launching a new series for adults. Ninth House did not disappoint! Here's my review. **Update: Book 2 in this series, Hell Bent (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm), is just as brilliant as Ninth House, and book 3 is on the way!

Lev Grossman's The Magicians (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - The Magicians is the first book in a trilogy about a school for magicians, including Quentin Coldwater, who is obsessed with a fantasy series about a magical land called Fillory that is transparently inspired by Narnia. These books are dark and gritty, with all the fun of any magical school. (The television adaptation, while quite different, is also great!)

Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - It's nearly impossible to describe this book without spoilers, so I'll just say: read this book immediately! It is absolutely brilliant. (Again, I'll recommend the adaptation--this one is a fabulous film.)

**Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious  (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) series - Johnson makes great use of an unusual residential school setting in these incredible mysteries. The original trilogy is brilliant, and she continues the story of Stevie Bell in two additional books, with another on the way next year. Here's my review of the series.

Lisa Lutz's The Swallows (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - Sara shared this one with me--it is a twisty, mysterious read that kept me entranced until the last page. Here's my review.

**Rebecca Makkai's I Have Some Questions for You (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - I loved this novel of looking back into the past (that's where the residential school first comes into things!) and of searching for truth in the midst of memory.

**Naomi Novik's A Deadly Education (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - This book, the first in a trilogy, is set at Scholomance, a school devoted to the darkest magic, and focuses on El, a prickly loner who is just trying to survive her school experience and (maybe) to set herself up for a life as an employed witch when she leaves. Right from the beginning, when El is saved—against her will—by the school's hero, her unique personality and voice are on display. She's also constantly fighting the inclinations of her magic, which yearns to destroy rather than to build. The world building here is amazing, and I loved seeing El being pulled gradually into friendships even as she resists vulnerability.

**Amanda Quain's Ghosted (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - This delightful modern retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey makes great use of its residential setting. You can read my full review here.

Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - Fangirl, my favorite book by Rainbow Rowell, follows protagonist Cath through her first year in college. Cath is an introvert, a twin (her sister Wren goes to the same school), and a writer of fan fiction for the popular Simon Snow fantasy series. At one point, a character in the book says that a few months of college is like years of "regular" life (that's a ROUGH paraphrase!), and it's one reason we see Cath grow so much. **Update: Rowell's Simon Snow books, beginning with Carry On (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm), are also incredible.

Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep  (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - This was the first book I read by Sittenfeld, and it made her a must-read author for me. Prep follows Lee Fiora through her four years at Massachusetts's Ault School, and I could not put down this compelling, character-focused novel.

Elisabeth Thomas's Catherine House (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - This recent release is a claustrophobic, mind-bending wonder. Here's my review.

**Alice Winn's In Memoriam (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - While not all of the story is set in a boarding school, the foundation of this tale of love in the midst of war is established in one, and it's key to our understanding of the characters. Read my full review here.

Meg Wolitzer's Belzhar (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - Wolitzer's YA novel about a boarding school for teenagers who need therapy makes beautiful use of literary allusions and a surreal narrative to tell the story of Jam Gallahue and the magical world she discovers.

**Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - I can't imagine that many readers haven't heard about the Fourth Wing books, but just in case . . . these delicious romantasy books (with dragons!) are a fabulous, ongoing entry into the genre.

#bookishfaves #yalit #contemporaryfiction #fantasy #dystopian

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