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haleybooks0318'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? No
3.75
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
evecaraa'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Eating disorder
carlab33's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol
wwsimon93's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
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
fkshg8465'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
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, 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
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