A review by spacetravels
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

dark emotional sad 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

I really quite liked this one. It’s deeply sad and yet comforting all the while, and the backdrop of Shakespeare’s great tragedies hung heavy over every moment. I’m a fan of Shakespeare and find his tragedies my favorites, and I think that’s where a lot of my enjoyment comes from, how seamlessly blended into the story were Shakespeare’s lines and plots, suffocating and inescapable. The theatrics were delightful, the tension of running through scenes of Caesar, Macbeth, R&J, King Lear were alive and thoughtful. 
The mystery itself was predictable, sure, but it was less about the predictability of the conclusion and moreso the journey through tragedy and the haunting of their personal ghost that was the impactful punch of it all. Each character and their relationship to each other was felt so strongly, especially of Oliver and James. I loved them dearly. 
And it was so genuinely kind, I feel, that this tragedy was unlike Shakespeare by ending in some sort of hope.