Perfect for fans of dark academia and thrillers that fit the ambiance of Halloween, “All That Consumes Us” by Erica Waters delves into the chilling story of Magni Viri, an exclusive academic society at the fictional Corbin College. Its exploration of the fine line between love and obsession propels the story forward in a relatable and fast-paced manner.  

Tara Boone, a first-generation and bisexual college student, is given the opportunity to join the ranks of Magni Viri with covered tuition, notable professors and an assured career path. She aspires to be a great writer, a dream finally feasible through her new opportunity. However, as she immerses herself in the social and academic life of the gothic Magni Viri dormitory, Tara discovers her acceptance was prompted by a much darker force than luck. 

She was chosen to be haunted.

One of the greatest aspects of “All That Consumes Us” is its construction of atmosphere. Right off the bat, Waters uses unsettling language to describe Tara’s interactions with Magni Viri. The creepy ambiance practically jumps off the page and into the reader’s surroundings. Beyond the physical setting, the predatory nature of academia was perfectly conveyed through the students of Magni Viri. 

Daily headlines, sent straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest at and around USC.

Each are gifted and driven students, though dually, they all have personal roadblocks that prevent them from independently achieving their goals. Magni Viri preys on these vulnerabilities to create a parasitic situation the students are unable to leave. The guise of horror allows dynamics such as racism, classism and homophobia to be explored within the college setting. 

Tara’s character traits shape the story in a unique way, especially from a first-person point of view. She is an inherently selfish character. Her sense of isolation is a universal experience during the transition to adulthood. Like all college students, she is desperate to find social acceptance and academic success. Though when she finally achieves it, she gives little thought to her impact on those around her. 

The story is told through a self-centric viewpoint. People’s actions are about her. Their feelings are only a result of her. All conflicts are meant to hurt her.

The behavior exhibited by Tara is incredibly immature, lending the writing to shallowly explore the world around her. “All That Consumes Us” could have benefited from a deeper exploration of the character dynamics and personal history that drove the plot. Even with heavy introspection, it lacked Tara’s insight into her relationships and conflict. However, the simplistic style allows “All That Consumes Us” to be accessible to a wide spread of readers because of its comprehensible nature. 

Tara’s emotional fragility defines every relationship she has, whether it’s her new ones with the Magni Viri students or old connections with home friends and family. A majority of the story’s problems could have been avoided or solved quicker if Tara had stopped playing the victim and actually tried to get help. She too easily brushed people aside because they weren’t overly flexible to her needs.

It is easy to pin Tara as a weak or even unlikeable character because of these tendencies, though in a realistic college setting, “Tara” is every other person you meet. College is a period of self-exploration and heavy doubt, and Tara’s instinct to self-protect is a reaction to her environment. The reader also learns that she had a rocky childhood and potentially takes abandonment much harder than the average person.

Stylistically, the book is written with a lot of open-ended questions. It seems as though every other page, if not more, is loaded with answered thoughts of Tara’s. On one hand, this style engages the reader with Tara’s headspace and forces them to tag along as she internalizes the messy world around her. On the other hand, the stream of questions becomes predictable and monotonous. The writing could have utilized more diverse sentence structure to elevate the story. 

The novel’s plot twists are what propel the reader to the end. Waters manages to keep the shock value high and her readers tight to the edge of their seats. Tara’s stakes continue to rise as she befriends the students of Magni Veri and engulfs them in her breadth of responsibility. Another aspect of Tara’s character that is vital to the story is her tendency to care for others even when they don’t ask for it. 

While on the surface, this trait directly contradicts her more selfish mindset, it actually goes hand in hand with her fears of abandonment. By taking on responsibility for others, she gets to decide when to leave people as opposed to the other way around. This tendency adds heavy internal conflict to the external conflict boiling around them, as Tara struggles to not feel guilty when letting others down.

In addition, the story’s interactions with ghosts take an interesting angle on possession. Rather than the students being completely helpless to their ghosts, the two battle for control over their fates, which poses an interesting allegory for the way passionate individuals handle their motivations. No matter how driven these students are, they still value their independence and life outside of their career goals. 

A downside to this supernatural take is that it held a lot of potential, but only succeeded in scratching the surface of its depth. The conflict could easily have been the same if the ghost element was replaced with something more tangible. The typical structure of a thriller novel was elevated by this paranormal element, but more could have been done to break the boundaries of the genre.

Overall, “All That Consumes Us” was an entertaining and fast-paced read. It embodies the October spirit and is a great book to help get you diving into the spooky end of this month.