Nocticadia by Keri Lake: A Book Review

Nocticadia was originally self-published by Keri Lake in 2023 and built a devoted following through word of mouth. It was subsequently picked up by Bloom Books and has a 4.19 rating on Goodreads. I gave it three stars.

Synopsis

Nocticadia is a standalone dark academia gothic romance. Lilia Vespertine arrives at Dracadia University, a centuries-old institution nestled on a secluded island off the coast of Maine, on a full scholarship.

She is there to investigate the mysterious illness that killed her mother; a disease no one else seems to believe existed.

The island has its own history of disease, its own buried secrets, and its own dangers, including Devryck Bramwell, known on campus as Doctor Death: a brilliant pathologist and her professor. Beneath the slow-burn romance, something parasitic is spreading through Dracadia, and it has been there for a very long time.

My review

The first half of this book is strong. The island, the university; it is immersive and creepy. The parasite plot is unsettling in a biological horror vibe that is giving Stephen King.

The slow burn between Lilia and Devryck is well-constructed, and Lake makes us wait for the payoff, giving us the spicy scenes we deserve.

The audiobook narration by Aaron Shedlock and Stella Hunter suits the dual POV structure well; switching between Lilia and Devryck’s perspectives cleanly. I much prefer this type of dual narration. Where the chapter is in a female voice, from her POV, but the male characters have a male voice, not the actress putting on a male voice and vice versa.

But somewhere in the final third, the book started losing me. Three things in particular:

• • The first is the villains monologing. At the point where the antagonists have the main characters at their mercy and choose to explain their entire plan before disposing of them. This trope has been so thoroughly satirised, most memorably by Austin Powers. The villains explain their schemes, at length, while the protagonists are captive. It is a storytelling shortcut that flatters neither the characters nor the reader.

• The second is the twin reveal. The twin plot twist is one of the more well-worn devices in thrillers/crime. It feels overplayed, done.
• The third is the MMC’s habit of referring to Lilia as a girl rather than a woman. Combined with a line about her “tasting of innocence”, it sat uncomfortably alongside the age gap dynamic, giving ick.

Nocticadia has a 4.19 rating on Goodreads and many readers cite the ending as one of the best things about the book. But, it just didn’t resonate with me.

What I liked / what I didn’t

What I liked

The first half is atmospheric and well-constructed. The island setting is immersive, the parasite plot is creepy and original, and the slow burn between Lilia and Devryck, complemented by their spicy scenes, is great. The audiobook narration is well-matched to the material.

What I didn’t

The villain monologue trope is the storytelling equivalent of Dr Evil explaining his plan. The twin reveal felt too convenient. The MMC’s repeated references to Lilia as a girl, combined with the innocence line, sat uneasily with the age gap dynamic.

Final verdict

Nocticadia is a strong first half let down by tropes. If you are a fan of dark academia, gothic romance, and slow-burn forbidden love, there is a good chance you will enjoy this more than I did.

Where can I read it?