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vvayl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
barbaricyawp89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i’ve seen people say that this book is basically The Secret History and, while i see the similarities, it’s obviously quite different. i really liked the Shakepeare aspects of this book, and honestly i found the characters generally likable (unlike in The Secret History, where we’re kind of meant to dislike the characters). i find it hard to finish books quickly but this one took me only around a month, meaning i really enjoyed it.
i can’t believe this is the author’s debut novel. i’m definitely going to keep an eye out for any future work of theirs because WOW. that’s all i can really say, is just wow.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia and Vomit
zeitfensterr's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder
mehooleygan's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
readingsitaaras's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book truly had a hook in me, I could not stop reading at any point. Gasps were gasped and questions were had. The tragic and gothic setting of the book is perfect for the story and I loved how elements of Shakespeare's texts were woven into the plot. Was the constant quoting of his plays a little annoying after a certain point? Yes. But it had its uses and reading between the lines quoted was an additional intrigue.
Importantly, this is a character-focused book that really tries to examine each member of the cast. We see their struggles and what leads to the tragic downfall of each and every one of them. The characters are what carry this book when the plot weakens here and there. That being said, I do think that Wren, and maybe even Richard, could have used more development. For much of the time, Wren is kind of just there. Grieving and guilty, but not entirely involved. Maybe I'm underestimating her, but on a first read that's simply how she came off. Richard was a fairly substantial character but I would've liked just a little bit more exploration in why he is the way he is in their fourth year. Maybe there was some foreshadowing I missed but it felt really sudden to me.
The frame narrative of the story being told through Oliver and Detective Colborne's conversation was interesting and the ending itself, though devastating, was well done. I swear
Overall, I think if you enjoyed the tone and mystery of The Secret History, you might like If We Were Villains. It has a sufficiently dramatic and tense mood that fully envelops you into this little secluded world of a small group of characters. Finishing the book is like coming up for water when you didn't even realize you were underwater to begin with. Definitely a book that I'll come back to for a re-read.
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Addiction and Death
jaimc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Forced institutionalization
iane_reads's review against another edition
- 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
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
lefthandlou's review against another edition
- 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
Also, even though the author is a woman, the depiction of Meredith in particular felt extremely misogynistic to me. All the women characters felt underdeveloped compared to the men, and the women only really exist to bolster the male drama. They rarely interact with each other, and when they do they treat each other badly. They are just unfleshed out tropes. And maybe that’s the point somehow, they each fill a typical Shakespearean female archetype, but if so it was very badly done. Wouldn’t pass the bechdel test, that’s for sure.
Station Eleven did what this was trying to do with Shakespeare much, much better.
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
monkitty's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Solo estábamos nosotros: nosotros siete y los árboles y el lago y la luna y, por supuesto, Shakespeare. Él vivía con nosotros como un octavo compañero de piso, un amigo más viejo y sabio, perpetuamente fuera de vista, pero siempre presente en nuestra mente, como si acabara de salir de la habitación. «Poderosa es la fuerza de la poesía celestial».
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Eating disorder
augustrogue's review against another edition
- 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
1.0
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.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic friendship