Unhallowed Halls

By Lili Wilkinson

Reviewed by Ramona Naulty, Age 16

After swiftly reading (and thoroughly enjoying) Lili Wilkinson’s Unhallowed Halls, I can safely say that this book is a brilliant introduction to the world of fantasy. The novel follows the story of Page Whittaker, as she moves to Agathion, a fancy new school, and learns tremendous things about herself and the intriguing mysteries of her new home. It is cozy, with the academia ambience making it a good book to read by candlelight. The story is not fast paced, but it is gripping, with an insane ending that I definitely was not expecting.

If I am being honest, I have never really been a fan of fantasy novels, and when I started this book, I was skeptical. I didn’t even particularly like Page, probably because she wasn’t very relatable at first. But as I continued reading, I found some understanding for her character, and by the end of the book I found myself absolutely smitten with her, while rooting hard for her friends too. I guess I am also now a fan of fantasy. Wilkinson did a very good job of incorporating mythical elements to this book while maintaining the realism of adolescence.

Another part of this book that I really enjoyed was the subtle introduction to cults. One of my favourite books, The Boundless Sublime, was coincidentally also written by Lili Wilkinson and it is a thriller about a cult. Obviously, Wilkinson is skilled at writing novels about this topic, which is reflected in Unhallowed Halls.

All in all, Unhallowed Halls was a very good read. It did have some slightly disturbing scenes, but nothing overly graphic or scary. I think this book is perfect for ages 12-16, and I would highly recommend it. (The publishers recommend a reading age of 14+)

Delacorte Press 2025

Lili Wilkinson