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

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

Finally a dark academia novel that holds its own next to The Secret History. This book emotionally destroyed me in the best way. I found that I quickly cared about the characters and they became very real. The setting and descriptive writing were gritty and felt so real, and all the lines of Shakespeare's words that the main characters used in their everyday language let us have glimpses of the depth of their range of emotions.
as we fell into act five and everyone really started to come apart it was so terribly sad, although I had guessed who had killed Richard from the beginning the entire truth of it was devastating. And I feel that it presented some difficult and deeply sad circumstances that really people could find themselves in. And watching the growing attachment between James and Oliver was gorgeous
  I'll absolutely read this book again, and although it was very sad, the themes of passion in art and the strong bonds of found family really made a lasting impact on me. 
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