Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - If We Were Villains

I was so hyped for this book and truly wanted to love it - unfortunately, while it had a few fleeting moments of some very lovely prose, it ended up feeling like a bit of a pretentious mess. Multiple, long scenes that were basically play-by-plays of Shakespearean stage productions. Inexplicable switches into script-style dialogue that disrupts the flow terribly: (not from the book, just an example)

Meredith: "Where did Alexander go?"
Me: "I don’t know."
Wren: "I'm worried about him."

...and then switches back just as abruptly, like it forgot it wasn't a screenplay for a second. Scenes that end abruptly for poetic/dramatic effect and then don't adequately explain what happened next. And I wanted a lot *more* of a relationship dynamic that was only lightly explored in the last 10% or so of the book.

The thing is, I actually *like* Shakespeare, quite a bit. The course I took on his plays was one of my favorites in university, and I still have a Complete Works anthology on my bookshelf. But I don't know, this book just made me roll my eyes a lot. At least the author acknowledges that the characters talking to each other in rapid-fire Shakespeare quotes about mundane things like they're ye olde Gilmore Girls (my own analogy, not hers) *is* super pretentious, in her ending notes. This book is for someone, maybe, but for the most part, it's not for me.

Content Warnings

sealbrecht's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional 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

2.5

Content Warnings

mikathereviewer's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

First of all we have plays, mention of poetry and of course acting.
Personally, the touch of a play while reading was really cool. We get dialogue only, acts and more. The last play I read was really fun so seeing one now again makes me remember that I didn't read them in a while.
The acting was relatable as I am or rather was an actor myself. That's also the reason I wanted to read this book. Not 'cause of the Shakespeare and other historical stuff but the acting.

Some parts were actually crazy/interesting to read about as the book didn't really had the 'it was boring/too slow' problem.
Some examples:
Scene I Act IX was so crazy. Like it felt like real betrayal but also not. And what did James even imagine? What was that aaaah.
The II. Act was so sad. Especially scene II, I feel so bad for James.

I also think that Oliver has some character depth (Especially in the III. Act as we get to know his family)

The whole drama was the only reason I was still indulged into reading this. It kept me reading.

Since I didn't read the book for the historical stuff I got a bit irriated by the fact that Shakespeare got mentioned often. And with often I mean very often. I get it that's the theme/topic for Year 4 and our protagonists also play historical figures, but honestly it could have been mentioned a bit less and more story instead. It got too much that I, at some point, skipped the Shakespeare parts.
Also the book isn't very original if over 50% of it is just Shakespeare.

Never have I ever as an actor reinterpreted/recited my lines as first of all no one would understand, except me and secondly that's usually a thing poets do and not actors. The kids in this story did this and it made me feel weird. Just use your official lines and learn them properly.

The characters were so weird sometimes and before someone tells me: Some theatre kids are actually weird. Yes SOME and that's no excuse to include only weird characters.

We never got an explanation why Richard was so mad at some point. Never. Why was he? That apparently didn't happen the years before so that must have triggered something, but we never get any explanation. The other character also have no depth and they all fell flat (except Oliver, as mentioned above)

Meredith was such a useless character who was only depictured as a wh0re the whole time.

They did use for real, without jokes, as sexual orientation 'sexually amphibious'

The ending was so predictable. It was right the person you would feel suspicious at first. The ending is nothing shocking.

31. July 2024

Content Warnings

boaabie's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I haven’t had a book make me emotional in a long time, the ending ripped out my heart and gave me hope, stomped on the hope and breathed new life into it all at once.
The writing is beautiful, I can only hope to have a small amount of skill this author has to create such beautifully tragic scenes they have

Content Warnings

hdkroon's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

ketsia_1412's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

aksmith92's review against another edition

Go to review page

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.

Content Warnings

111222333's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

More...