The Library at Hellebore
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| Author | Cassandra Khaw |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Horror; dark academia |
| Published | July 22, 2025 |
| Publisher | Tor Nightfire |
| Pages | 288 (Hardcover) |
| ISBN | 9781250877819 |
The Library at Hellebore is a 2025 horror novel by Cassandra Khaw. It has been described as dark academia. The novel tells the story of a group of students with dangerous powers who are sent to Hellebore Institute. The faculty attacks the students, who seek shelter in the school's library in a bid for survival.
The story is presented non-chronologically; it is summarized here in chronological order for clarity.
In the modern era, magic has gradually returned to the world. Students who have dangerous magical abilities are sent to the Hellebore Institute, where their powers can be contained for society's safety.
Alessa Li wakes in an unfamiliar bedroom at Hellebore and realizes she has been enrolled against her will. She has the ability to eviscerate people with a touch; the men she has killed include her sexually abusive stepfather. During her time at Hellebore, Alessa has a contentious relationship with her roommate Johanna. She meets several other denizens of the school, including class clown Rowan and teaching assistant Portia.
During botany class, Rowan reveals that he is a deathworker when he kills plants with a touch. During the commotion, Alessa tries to escape. She is caught by the headmistress and returned to campus.
Alessa agrees to distract the Librarian while Rowan retrieves a book from the library. The Librarian, an immortal humanoid centipede, longs for death. It attempts to eat Rowan, hoping that his deathworker magic will kill it. Alessa and Rowan escape the library with the aid of other students.
On the night before graduation, Johanna tells Alessa that she is cursed. She is being hunted by a creature called the Skinless Wolf, which plans to feed on her and use her body to perpetuate its own power. Johanna asks Alessa to kill her instead. Alessa eviscerates Johanna, granting her a painless death. Rowan and Stefania arrive, accusing Alessa of murder. They are interrupted by the headmistress, who calls them to graduation.
At the graduation ceremony, the school's faculty combines into a gelatinous monstrosity and begins eating students. The survivors barricade themselves in the school library. Including Alessa, there are eight survivors. These include Portia, who can shift into a spider; Adam, a son of Satan; Rowan, the deathworker; Eoan, who has a portal inside him; Minji, a girl possessed by a hive mind; Ford, who can read his own entrails; and Gracelynn, whose voice can control others.
The headmistress slides a note under the library door. The note claims that the remaining students must fight to the death; the last surviving student will be allowed to leave Hellebore. Ford prophesies that “half live if Rowan dies”.
Portia transforms into a spider. Together, she and Adam kill Eoan. The Librarian begins to hunt the students. Gracelynn is taken by the Librarian, buying time for Alessa and Rowan to escape. Minji vivisects Ford before leaving to join the faculty.
Adam attacks Rowan and severely injures him. Alessa kisses Rowan, becoming infected by his death magic. The Librarian, longing for death, eats Rowan and then begins to die. Adam kills Gracelynn and Portia. Alessa kisses Adam, infecting him with the death curse as well.
As Adam and Alessa both begin dying, she opens the doors to the library and drags him to face the faculty. The faculty begins to eat Alessa, and also dies as a result of the death magic. A dying, dreaming Alessa contemplates revenge and the meaning of the lessons she learned at Hellebore.