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

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

Honestly one of the most gripping books I’ve read in a while, this was so fascinating that I finished it all in two sittings. The characters are artfully developed, and the plot twists kept me captivated, up to the last line. The tension between Oliver and James kept me frustrated the whole book, why was there so much hinting towards their love for one another with nothing coming of it? But with the end, it all comes together as a tragic love story, with a dash of internalized homophobia and the lingering question of “what if?”.
I will say that I did have a few minor problems with the book, though nothing that kept me from enjoying it wholeheartedly. Though Richard was over and over again, described as a person who everyone either loved or hated, there didn’t seem to be much pulling the reader to love him. From the start, he frustrated me, and in the sections leading up to his death, he only became more insufferable. The dynamic of his death and it’s affect on the readers was difficult to grasp, as I was honestly just happy he was dead. Additionally, the implementation of Oliver’s sister’s eating disorder seemed unfounded and unnecessary. It is hardly focused upon, and Oliver himself seems to brush it off as unimportant, though not even because of his character. If it was meant to show his lack of belief in mental illness or something of the like, that would be one thing. But, to the best of my knowledge, it was not.
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