Ronnica Reads | An Arcane Inheritance

An Arcane Inheritance

Author: Kamilah Cole

Description:
A modern-day dark academia fantasy with a twist, perfect for fans of Babel and A Deadly Education.

Warren University has stood amongst the ivy 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 rumors and dark secrets. But as she settles into her Freshman 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.

“Draws readers into its spell before asking readers to consider who pays the true price of power—and what it means to refuse to let the powerful win.” — Laura R. Samotin, author of The Sins on Their Bones

Discussion Notes

Schedule for Discussion

Themes Discussed

  1. Classism/privilege:
    While both classism and racism are prominent in this book, the discussion specifically around privilege shows how individuals often remain ignorant of the advantages they have due to their background. Ellory experiences this when her classmates make assumptions about her background.

  2. Racism/tokenism:
    There are instances where Ellory faces tokenism at the university, being seen through the lens of racist assumptions, which reflect an unfortunate reality within such institutions. The text highlights the need to address racism head-on, rather than defensively focusing on accusations.

Closing Thoughts

Curious about your thoughts on any of this, or anything else that stood out!

This content was further analyzed by Ronnica Reads and is based on the ongoing discussion surrounding the book.