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zappapow's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Overall, if you like dark academia and mystery, you'll probably enjoy this book. I didn't like it very much, I found the characters annoying and the plot to be somewhat predicatable and very slow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicide
keeganrb's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use and Homophobia
greendog95's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Eating disorder
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, and Injury/Injury detail
elliehoeb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Call this book but love and I'll be new baptized
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
v_____'s review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I sit with my wrists cuffed to the table and I think, but then I forbid to tell the secrets of my prison house, I could a tale unfold whose lightest word would harrow up thy soul...
- If We Were Villains, 1%
🎧 listened to the audiobook
Review in one word:
Meh
Short review:
I do get the hype... Somehow...
But there are definitely some weak spots in this story!
Long review:
As somebody who doesn't really care about Shakespeare at all (yes I said it!) and never read any of his work, neither in English, nor in German, I'm not that impressed with everybody quoting him all the time. Actually I find it annoying, pretentious and boasting rank and status. Simply too much.
I guess this book hits different, when you are into Shakespeare - I'm not, and that is totally on me.
Or maybe it's not, because if I wanted to read that much Shakespeare in a book, I would actually pick up one of his works 🤷♀️
Much like in The Secret History, to which this is often compared, I didn't like or dislike any of the characters.
I feel indifferent about them. I don't care about them. They are quite flat and superficial...
For example Richard:
Or Meredith,
Oliver:
The rest of the thespians:
I don't see, why people are obsessing about the characters so much.
In my opinion they aren't really as close or as much the found family as Oliver (the narrator) claims them to be...
I feel like this book could have been shorter, because at around 60% the suspense really dies down and I found it became quite a drag. That was surprising to me, because at the beginning I was so invested, I couldn't stop listening and it was definitely a candidate for a 5 star read. I think the reason, why it felt like a drag was because there was no more mystery all of a sudden. Just the characters trying to move on and yet another play and endless quotes, that was painfully long executed. At that point, I probably would have liked it better, if there were some character building instead of more Shakespeare quotes.
I found some parts very unrelatable. For example
Also: why do these people life in a castle?
Some storylines didn't make sense and were killed off like two seconds after they were introduced:
Example:
And: why did Oliver cover up for James? Makes no sense at all!
I found some things to be quite confusing too, like:
By the way, while we are on the topic: why is this labeled LGBTQ? This is such a tiny part of the story.
I absolutely don't get the point of the ending:
Seems like the author desperately tried to go out with a bang here...
I did enjoy it somehow but I do have mixed feelings about this. For this to be a great read for me, something was missing...
Conclusion:
I enjoyed The Secret History way more and I find this to be rip-off with boring and annoying theatre students instead of Ancient Greek lessons...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
ketsia_1412's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicide, and Vomit
aksmith92's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
The Setup: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio is a masterful blend of dark academia and psychological thriller that captivates readers with its intricate plot and rich Shakespearean elements. Set in the fictional but elite Dellecher Classical Conservatory, the novel follows a group of seven acting students whose lives start to mirror the tragedies they perform on stage.
The book is organized in Acts, and each prologue, the story is framed by Oliver Marks' release from prison after ten years. On the day of his release, he recounts the events leading up to a classmate's death to Detective Colborne, the retiring investigator who never quite believed the official story. Each proceeding Scene then details the fateful year where the classmates and friends fall apart. As the students' final year progresses, their tight-knit group fractures under the weight of secrets and the pressures of the roles they play. The death, *cough cough*, murder of their classmate becomes the catalyst for the unraveling of their lives.
What I Loved: The writing was absolutely beautiful - truly. I was not only immersed but awed. M.L. Rio clearly knew what she was doing. Her portrayal of the Dellecher Conservatory was absorbing, capturing the intensity and passion of young actors devoted to their craft. The characters, each representing a Shakespearean archetype, were vividly drawn and complex. Additionally, the novel's exploration of themes such as ambition, jealousy, loyalty, and artistry's cost was thought-provoking and emotionally resonant.
I think what I loved most was M.L. Rio's ability to make almost unlikeable characters real. What do I mean? She made unlikeable characters that you didn't necessarily and automatically like by the end, but unlikeable characters that you still want to read about. It was gripping and interesting; you were curious about what came next, what they would do, and how they would break. I was captured! It takes well-done artistry to make me love a book with characters I wasn't fond of. I've heard that some folks find the pacing of this book slow, but I didn't, and I was enamored the whole way, particularly at the end when we learn the entire truth about the events that occurred at Dellecher.
Why Not 5 Stars? For one, I completely guessed the events that occurred to that fateful classmate. I had thought it the moment his classmates and friends found his body. Therefore, it wasn't as mysterious and surprising ("thriller-like") as I had imagined. However, I didn't mind too much because I still enjoyed reading.
Additionally, Rio's use of Shakespearean dialogue and references no doubt enriched the story - the characters frequently quoted and drew parallels from Shakespeare's plays, adding depth to their interactions and the unfolding drama. It was a precise literary device to enhance the novel, making it atmospheric and underscoring the themes explored's timeless nature. I wholeheartedly understood the point, but here's the thing: I struggle with Shakespeare so much. I knew that going into this book, I didn't like reading Shakespeare, and I didn't like the language and prose. My brain breaks. So, I braced myself. I did a pretty good job for someone who doesn't love Shakespeare, but it still meant I struggled along the way.
With all that said, this novel was clearly compelling and beautifully written, offering a fresh take on the dark academia genre. I know this book will linger in my mind, including that interesting and obscure ending.
The book is organized in Acts, and each prologue, the story is framed by Oliver Marks' release from prison after ten years. On the day of his release, he recounts the events leading up to a classmate's death to Detective Colborne, the retiring investigator who never quite believed the official story. Each proceeding Scene then details the fateful year where the classmates and friends fall apart. As the students' final year progresses, their tight-knit group fractures under the weight of secrets and the pressures of the roles they play. The death, *cough cough*, murder of their classmate becomes the catalyst for the unraveling of their lives.
What I Loved: The writing was absolutely beautiful - truly. I was not only immersed but awed. M.L. Rio clearly knew what she was doing. Her portrayal of the Dellecher Conservatory was absorbing, capturing the intensity and passion of young actors devoted to their craft. The characters, each representing a Shakespearean archetype, were vividly drawn and complex. Additionally, the novel's exploration of themes such as ambition, jealousy, loyalty, and artistry's cost was thought-provoking and emotionally resonant.
I think what I loved most was M.L. Rio's ability to make almost unlikeable characters real. What do I mean? She made unlikeable characters that you didn't necessarily and automatically like by the end, but unlikeable characters that you still want to read about. It was gripping and interesting; you were curious about what came next, what they would do, and how they would break. I was captured! It takes well-done artistry to make me love a book with characters I wasn't fond of. I've heard that some folks find the pacing of this book slow, but I didn't, and I was enamored the whole way, particularly at the end when we learn the entire truth about the events that occurred at Dellecher.
Why Not 5 Stars? For one, I completely guessed the events that occurred to that fateful classmate. I had thought it the moment his classmates and friends found his body. Therefore, it wasn't as mysterious and surprising ("thriller-like") as I had imagined. However, I didn't mind too much because I still enjoyed reading.
Additionally, Rio's use of Shakespearean dialogue and references no doubt enriched the story - the characters frequently quoted and drew parallels from Shakespeare's plays, adding depth to their interactions and the unfolding drama. It was a precise literary device to enhance the novel, making it atmospheric and underscoring the themes explored's timeless nature. I wholeheartedly understood the point, but here's the thing: I struggle with Shakespeare so much. I knew that going into this book, I didn't like reading Shakespeare, and I didn't like the language and prose. My brain breaks. So, I braced myself. I did a pretty good job for someone who doesn't love Shakespeare, but it still meant I struggled along the way.
With all that said, this novel was clearly compelling and beautifully written, offering a fresh take on the dark academia genre. I know this book will linger in my mind, including that interesting and obscure ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Body shaming and Sexual violence
madalina0_0's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
kend7aaa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Outing, and Toxic friendship
brotestantethic's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- 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
This was a total let-down. The plot is alright, but the writing is dreadful. Rio lets Shakespeare do all the heavy lifting; there are pages full of nothing but quotes from his plays. These set the stage for the characters’ descents into madness, but this falls flat as half the characters are poorly fleshed out. James, Oliver (narrator), and Meredith are the only characters with any substance. Alexander’s only personality trait is that he is an addict. Filippa and especially Wren are nonexistent. As a result, stakes are low, and you’re not rooting for anyone or hoping for the mildly interesting plot to move forward at all.
Honestly, just read The Secret History.
Honestly, just read The Secret History.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: Eating disorder