Femgore and female rage: A Q&A with Heather Darwent
author of 'The Things We Do to Our Friends' and 'A Sharp Scratch'
If you become a paid subscriber of The Dark Academicals Book Club during Summer School (16-27th June) you’ll get a 20% discount for the first year of your subscription whether you pay monthly or annually. Welcome to class!
One of our favourite books of season four of The Dark Academicals was Heather Darwent’s debut novel, ‘The Things We Do to Our Friends’.
It’s dark, twisty, unexpected and an absolute ride. We gave it the coveted dark academia seal of approval and have been eagerly awaiting news of her next novel.
‘A Sharp Scratch’ released at the very end of May and we cannot wait to get stuck into it. In the meantime, we were lucky enough to ask Heather a few questions about dark academia, the Gothic and why she’s so drawn to female friendship.
Heather Darwent is based just outside of Edinburgh. Originally from Yorkshire, she came to Scotland to study History of Art at the University of Edinburgh. Her debut novel, ‘The Things We Do To Our Friends’ was a Sunday Times Bestseller. Her second novel, ‘A Sharp Scratch,’ was released in May 2025.
How aware of Dark Academia as a genre are you, and how would you describe it?
Awareish! The genre is such a brilliant one as it covers some of my favourite books of all time: ‘The Lessons’ by Naomi Alderman, ‘Brideshead Revisited’, ‘The Secret History’, ‘Babel’, and many more! It seems to describe somewhat of an aesthetic these days, and this is no bad thing for me. One of the things I love about these novels is the gorgeous, brutal imagery. Delicious.
The common theme for me would be insider entering into an elite group or relationship. I think we'll be writing these kind of books forever as it has enduring appeal. Speaking of the genre, ‘These Mortal Bodies’ by Elspeth Wilson will be out soon, which I'm excited for.
How do you feel about 'The Things We Do to Our Friends' being adopted under dark academia?
I'm... intrigued by it! No strong feelings either way, I've certainly made use of some of the tropes of the genre that I love.
Edinburgh, where 'The Things We Do to Our Friends' is set, is a city that dark academia dreams are made of. Where would you recommend a dark academia fan visit in the city?
Great question.
One of my favourite things about Edinburgh is that it's super walkable, even if it is a little hilly. I would start in the Old Town – wander round some of the university buildings and walk up Cockburn Street and Victoria Street. I'd pop into some of the second-hand bookshops around the Grassmarket. Then, I'd walk down to the New Town (via Topping & Company.) for lunch and wander round Moray Place – the flats are palatial and stunning.
The emotional stakes in 'The Things We Do To Our Friends' often eclipse those found in romantic relationships. Why do you think female friendships can feel so intense, at times even more intimate and more dangerous?
It's a theme I keep coming back to! I love reading and writing about female friendships, especially those focusing on early twenties. I think there can be a really interesting tension in those years, so I always find myself drawn to that time period.
We find that a lot of successful dark academia novels are set before the technology boom of the last decade or so. What was it about 2006 that drew you to set the novel then? Or did the novel itself require that setting?
There's something very nostalgic about writing without thinking too much about social media. I also think it works quite well in the context of dark academia – there's a certain elitism about being 'off' social media that I find interesting.
Ultimately it's a time I remember – when I was at university it was just at the very inception of Instagram etc, so I enjoyed writing without it. Writing a novel is such a marathon task that often you really have to lean into what you enjoy and what you're going to have fun with, and for me, that was a book that didn't incorporate social media. Despite the dark themes, I hope it offers a bit of escapism for readers.
The rotting, decaying manor house in France, the creeping mould, and the metaphorical hauntings of the novel sing of the Gothic. Did you have any specific Gothic inspirations or touchpoints for 'The Things We Do to Our Friends'?
Oh yes, ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and ‘Rebecca’ come to mind. I love the Gothic novel, and I always find myself to Gothic imagery for inspiration, without even being quite aware of it! I love to blend that imagery with some of the plot beats of a psychological thriller – that for me is very satisfying.
Your second novel, 'A Sharp Scratch', was released at the end of May - congratulations! Would you be able to tell us a little about it?
Of course! ‘A Sharp Scratch’ is about Betsy, who has been unwell for years. She ends up tempted by Carn, a luxurious retreat promising true healing. At Carn, Betsy discovers her imperfections make her unique and special, but she must follow the rules. There, her reality begins to blur, and as she meets the other girls at Carn, they begin to wonder if something more macabre might be at play...
I'm a big fan of the burgeoning sub-genre of literary body horror that tackles wellness culture and unhinged women (I learned recently that it's sometimes known as 'femgore'!) that 'A Sharp Scratch' sits in. What do you think it is about the comingling of these elements that are appealing to readers at the moment?
Oh, me too! I think it's an interesting one as I didn't specifically go in to write about wellness, it just kind of happened as a conduit to exploring manipulation. I tried not to get too specific either, as I liked the hazy feel of an undetermined time period.
That said, I think this kind of femgore and body horror is a way to explore rage in a way that, to me, feels very unapologetic (in the best possible way). We're also seeing readers becoming more accepting of pretty visceral and shocking horror.
Was the experience of writing and publishing 'A Sharp Scratch' different from 'The Things We Do to Our Friends'?
Pretty different. This second book changed A LOT! It had a plot that seemed to go... everywhere, and it needed a lot of tweaking. This time, the publication has felt more chilled as I understand the process better. If I meet people that loved the book I'm still so grateful and mind-blown that they've read it. I don't think that feeling will ever get old.
Where can we find you online and keep up to date with everything coming up from you?
@hdarwent on Instagram for cats, babies, books and events!
Are you able to tell us anything about what you're working on at the moment?
A dark psychological thriller about a pair of writers: I'm LOVING writing it.... so we shall see how that goes. I'm a thriller addict – can't seem to stop writing in that genre.
Thank you so much to Heather for speaking with us! We’re super excited to read ‘A Sharp Scratch’.
Buy ‘A Sharp Scratch’: Waterstones | Amazon UK | Blackwell's | Bookshop.org
Buy ‘The Things We Do to Our Friends’: Waterstones | Amazon UK | Blackwell's | Bookshop.org