Reviews tagging 'Violence'

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

752 reviews

weirdassfanta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Ouch.




Ok, so I know people say this is a rip off the secret history, but I don’t care at this point. I’m also glad I read this before the secret history, so I can appreciate this book for what it is. I’ve been an emotional wreck every time I chose to pick up this book, and I fear I will be every time I think of it as well. I don’t think I can stand to hear criticism on this book and I wish I could rate it more than 5 stars. From the first page, I could tell it was going to be a book I devoured, and I ranted about it to my mom every time I put the book down. The tension between the characters had me in a choke hold, and I didn’t see the end coming.

James is alive and they lived happily ever after guys, they have to or else I will continue crying for days.

I am ready to show up at the author’s house and demand even just one more page after that cliffhanger? kind of?? This book is one of my favorites and I will cherish it deeply. If you want to read this, I suggest reading this before the secret history if you want to enjoy it for what it is by itself. It hurt but that’s how you seem to know it’s a good book. I suggest you read it if you’re looking for some mentally ill young adults in school trying to choose if they want to kill or kiss each other.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Eating disorder

viceloki's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

It wasn’t overtly intellectual, like it might be expected to be, but it doesn’t matter because it’s fun. and I like gay people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail

jndcv's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, and War

Minor: Eating disorder, Suicide, Vomit, and Car accident

teamoneil's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Sexism

Minor: Suicide

boliv3's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

The epilogue felt like a harried explanation, but otherwise the book had me in a chokehold and gave me characters I probably won’t forget.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Suicide attempt

witchvial's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Realistically this is more of a 4-star read for me, but I loved the character of James Farrow so much that I’m giving it a 4.75.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use

Minor: Eating disorder and Suicide

leonietis's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

1.0

 If I wanted to read Shakespeare, I would read Shakespeare. 

In the very beginning, the characters had to share their insecurities. Merediths insecurity was that she didn't want to only be seen as sexy. But the poor girl can never be mentioned without her "alluring" nature being brought up. In fact, a few pages later it's said that all the characters have called her a whore in some shape before.

Don't even get me started on the "party animal, substance abuser, makes straight men question their sexuality" gay stereotype. The only purpose of Alexanders character is to provide drugs to others and be a poor attempt at comic relief.

The entire story felt very queerbait-y. As soon as Oliver starts thinking about his feelings towards James, he immediately looks for Meredith to have sex with.

 

 This author didn't bother to write a good book, so don't be bothered to read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, and Alcohol

Minor: Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Suicide

andrewhatesham's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.5

Despite being predictable, this was very engaging and entertaining. Reading along with a book club was fun! You don't need to be very familiar with Shakespeare to follow the plot, I've never read anything by Shakespeare and was not confused at all. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Medical trauma

ashcook's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Outing

readinabyss's review against another edition

mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

edit

upgrading the rating to 4 stars after sitting with the book for 1 day

I don't think the mystery is the central or main point of this book, it is the tragedy of it all, best described by this quote

“But that is how a tragedy like ours or King Lear breaks your heart—by making you believe that the ending might still be happy, until the very last minute.”

I liked this book, it has the same beats as the secret history while being a very different book.
I think this is for people who know Shakespeare very well, to understand references and quotes and the way the story flows with the different plays as they are enacted by the characters and how the line between their own personalities and that of the characters they play, blur. As for me I know some of the plays, so when they were referenced, I was able to get more from the story than the other times when I did not know a play well or did not remember the quotes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Eating disorder and Toxic friendship

Minor: Alcohol