Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

16 reviews

emjen16's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I honestly don't know how to rate this book. I liked the theatrical structure/nature and all the Shakespearean nods. I had a really hard time liking the characters, and at the same time, I had a hard time disliking them. Half the plot felt extraneous, but I couldn't tell you what to take out. In other words, I'm a bit perplexed after reading this...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Suicide

Minor: Eating disorder and Fire/Fire injury

iane_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, and Medical content

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Transphobia, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

aksmith92's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Setup: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio is a masterful blend of dark academia and psychological thriller that captivates readers with its intricate plot and rich Shakespearean elements. Set in the fictional but elite Dellecher Classical Conservatory, the novel follows a group of seven acting students whose lives start to mirror the tragedies they perform on stage.

The book is organized in Acts, and each prologue, the story is framed by Oliver Marks' release from prison after ten years. On the day of his release, he recounts the events leading up to a classmate's death to Detective Colborne, the retiring investigator who never quite believed the official story. Each proceeding Scene then details the fateful year where the classmates and friends fall apart.  As the students' final year progresses, their tight-knit group fractures under the weight of secrets and the pressures of the roles they play. The death, *cough cough*, murder of their classmate becomes the catalyst for the unraveling of their lives. 

What I Loved: The writing was absolutely beautiful - truly. I was not only immersed but awed. M.L. Rio clearly knew what she was doing. Her portrayal of the Dellecher Conservatory was absorbing, capturing the intensity and passion of young actors devoted to their craft. The characters, each representing a Shakespearean archetype, were vividly drawn and complex. Additionally, the novel's exploration of themes such as ambition, jealousy, loyalty, and artistry's cost was thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. 

I think what I loved most was M.L. Rio's ability to make almost unlikeable characters real. What do I mean? She made unlikeable characters that you didn't necessarily and automatically like by the end, but unlikeable characters that you still want to read about. It was gripping and interesting; you were curious about what came next, what they would do, and how they would break. I was captured! It takes well-done artistry to make me love a book with characters I wasn't fond of. I've heard that some folks find the pacing of this book slow, but I didn't, and I was enamored the whole way, particularly at the end when we learn the entire truth about the events that occurred at Dellecher.

Why Not 5 Stars? For one, I completely guessed the events that occurred to that fateful classmate. I had thought it the moment his classmates and friends found his body. Therefore, it wasn't as mysterious and surprising ("thriller-like") as I had imagined. However, I didn't mind too much because I still enjoyed reading. 

Additionally, Rio's use of Shakespearean dialogue and references no doubt enriched the story - the characters frequently quoted and drew parallels from Shakespeare's plays, adding depth to their interactions and the unfolding drama. It was a precise literary device to enhance the novel, making it atmospheric and underscoring the themes explored's timeless nature. I wholeheartedly understood the point, but here's the thing: I struggle with Shakespeare so much. I knew that going into this book, I didn't like reading Shakespeare, and I didn't like the language and prose. My brain breaks. So, I braced myself. I did a pretty good job for someone who doesn't love Shakespeare, but it still meant I struggled along the way.

With all that said, this novel was clearly compelling and beautifully written, offering a fresh take on the dark academia genre. I know this book will linger in my mind, including that interesting and obscure ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Body shaming and Sexual violence

phantompansy's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Suicide, Violence, Grief, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug abuse and Mental illness

Minor: Gore and Fire/Fire injury

jelliestars's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

helenadominick's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Holy… haven’t loved a book like this since The Secret History

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Homophobia

bergha1998's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It is Oliver’s fourth and final year at Dellecher, a Shakespearean focused Art School. Only 7 theater majors remain for this final year, at this point they are more like family than friends. Except as the year progresses tensions start to rise. 

Murder Mystery/Thriller, Dark Academia, LGBTQIA+, Duo Timeline, 1 🔥

“I need language to live, like food—lexemes and morphemes and morsels of meaning nourish me with the knowledge that, yes, there is a word for this. Someone else has felt it before.”

“Anything can feel like punishment if it’s taught poorly.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

thefigtree's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Suicide

Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

redheadorganist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Homophobia and Fire/Fire injury

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cancer, Incest, Transphobia, and Fire/Fire injury

Further warning for a student/teacher relationship - never framed as a bad thing as far as I can tell.