Reviews tagging 'Death'

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

942 reviews

chinomi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Suicide

sas_lk's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Wait For Me, a piano piece by Luca D'Alberto. While I was reading this piece started playing, and it truly encompasses the emotion and the tragedy and the love in this book. Even the title relates to the story, if you've read it, you'll understand.
This book was like this piano piece, about so much love between a group of people, about love that doesn't need to be defined or restricted. About a love that has no boundaries. The friendship between these characters felt so real to me, and I just fell in love with all of them myself. At times, I felt like a member of their group. I just wanted to hug, kiss, and embrace all of them. And even though they went through a lot of terrible things, they made me want to escape into their world, a world where when everything went crashing down, they still had each other as safe spaces.
If I could give this 6 stars, I would.


Only complaint is that I felt that Meredith was not fleshed out enough. Because she was only ever described superficially, she felt a bit superficial, but then again, I also get why she was described the way she was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Grief, and Alcohol

thebruce's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Homophobia

goldaerin's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

2.0

Terminabile ma manca l'anima dei personaggi. Molto (troppo) derivativo 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, and Drug use

Moderate: Eating disorder

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

alliott's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Dark academia book that made me think I knew what was coming next, only to be fooled. Slow paced and I will say some things felt like they had too many details where other things felt underdeveloped. Utterly hooked by the end. I listened to the audiobook which I think helped with some of the Shakespeare dialogue, but I do wonder how it would have been reading. 

More plot holes through book club analysis.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

klong17's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I LOVED it! Borrowed it from the Library but went out and bought a copy for my shelf before I’d even finished it 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Biphobia, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

1 abusive character for first 100 pages Murder/Injuries are described but kind of artistically They are hedonistic with alcohol, drugs, and sex.

enidcoleslawww's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

Fine but not a masterpiece. I expected so much more, due to how often this book is referenced in relation to Donna Tartt's magnificent book, The Secret History. That's a problem people... :) It is amazing how rich and passionate the writing is when the author actually knows what they're talking about. I'm not a Shakespeare enthusiast but surprisingly those elements of the book really won me over and the author is clearly well-versed in the art of theatre. I just wish that precise authority was true and present throughout. I liked setting and the world building but in every other way, i.e. character archetypes and development - it reeked of YA-esque fan fiction. This really cheapened its value within the genre. I found the seriousness of this elite school and how all-consuming their acting requirements were to be quite laughable. I just wasn't buying the prolific and historical academic institution. The characters are painfully obnoxious and I'm specifically referring to the way they were written, the prose is just not to be measured against works of a higher intellectual caliber. If you're looking for The Secret History 2.0, look elsewhere and stop saying this book's name in the same sentence. Don't do this writer a disservice. If you want to read about some troubled, theatrical young people clashing while in a competitive, toxic academic setting, it's not a bad read at all! P.s. If you do want to purchase the book, the illustrated 5th anniversary hardcover copy is absolutely stunning and a real treat to open.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

whoisskadii's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Suicide

osmosess_'s review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

3.5

I was frustrated after the final chapter was spoiled for me on this app however i still kept reading and was glad i did. the first half of the booked dragged (it was previously a dnf) but the second half really picked up in its pace and i kept being drawn back to it. the characters drew me in and i was on an emotional rollercoaster through the second half.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Blood

lauramcc7's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol