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

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Great read, slipped right down the gullet. The characters reminded me a lot of the characters I met during my stint in HS theater. The balance of personalities worked well together and the characters had pretty distinct voices, but as a result of this they sometimes felt like archetypes, especially Richard (the violent man) and Meredith (the promiscuous girl). The tension and confusion was great, and I think Oliver was a good choice for the POV character since he’s famously oblivious and we get to watch the story unravel alongside him (besides the fact that he went down for the crime). I loved the parallels drawn between Meredith and James, it perfectly encapsulates Oliver’s confusion and indecision. And the Shakespeare quotes they all use, go so well with their situations and feelings. God they’re all so dramatic. Real obnoxious theater kids but it’s so believable and fun. I loved their mysterious little productions where the castings were a surprise. It added so much tension to the group as their roles shifted and they all began to lose their minds. The theatercest was also very prominent which was realistic but grossed me out sometimes. There strong queer themes in this. Does it have a happy ending?
Not really. Oliver gets out of prison but by then James has drowned himself from guilt, and the last few lines are about how his body was never found. The other characters seemed to be doing alright though.
Overall beautifully written, tense, emotional, and a bit frustrating at times. 
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