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challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Sexism
Minor: Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Blood
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
I loved this book, I found the parts written like a script particularly interesting. It was the perfect blend for my theatre/literature kid soul. The queer characters and exploration of the closet was also something I adored. The character writing was lovely and it's character driven in such a primal way...found family + angst <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I didn’t expect it to be such a huge discovery for me. I read it in a day, almost furiously. I couldn’t let the book down, i was too scared, i wanted it to consume me so entirely it was painful. It would have been a 5 stars if it weren’t for this last sentence about James.
As a theater kid, i was really really scared it would denature the whole essence of theater. But it didn’t. The quotes, the verbs, the prose, all were used beautifully. The murder thing is the plot, but wasn’t entirely, and that’s what made the book memorable to me. The clichés were good used, and i found myself turning pages fanatically, to see where it would all ends. Oliver, James, you both have my heart entirely, until the end.
And as we all say, especially after studying him and playing his pieces, yes, i blame Shakespeare for all of it.
What i would give to read this book for the first time again.
As a theater kid, i was really really scared it would denature the whole essence of theater. But it didn’t. The quotes, the verbs, the prose, all were used beautifully. The murder thing is the plot, but wasn’t entirely, and that’s what made the book memorable to me. The clichés were good used, and i found myself turning pages fanatically, to see where it would all ends. Oliver, James, you both have my heart entirely, until the end.
And as we all say, especially after studying him and playing his pieces, yes, i blame Shakespeare for all of it.
What i would give to read this book for the first time again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Murder
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Domestic abuse
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i agree with most of the criticisms towards this book but despite everything i kinda loved it?? i’m a sucker towards campus settings so this book already had me by the neck and just kept dragging and dragging me in. when is it my turn to be pretentious and part of a group of morally ambiguous shakespeare theatre kids???
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Alcohol
Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Blood, Alcohol
Moderate: Gore, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, Suicide
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Screaming. Crying. Throwing up.
My little Shakespeare nerd heart is so full (and completely broken at the same time). This book was a slow descent into madness and I loved every second. I really wish I'd read a physical copy of this book, because I would have annotated the hell out of it.
I can see why someone who doesn't enjoy Shakespeare wouldn't be a fan of this (she is dense), but as someone who spends her free time at a community theatre, this was perfection. I'm obsessed with Rio's blending of Shakespeare with the real problems and emotions the characters were dealing with. I had to take a couple pauses to do some Googling and get all the layers (a Julius Caesar fan I am not), but it was worth it to understand all that M.L. Rio was trying to get across.
The main seven are all so type-cast within the program that they practically become whatever part they're cast in. Those parts change as the book goes on and I loved seeing the main cast transform into these new versions of themselves. Also, all of the characters have this "free-love but make it super pretentious" energy that is almost uncomfortably accurate. Granted, my theatre experience has not been nearly so dramatic, but I was definitely getting flashbacks.
I was suspicious of James pretty early on, but I quickly moved on to Alexander as my main suspect. Oliver loved James so much it was hard to be suspicious of him at all. Would I have made the same choice as Oliver? Heck no! But I can respect it and the end ripped my heart out.
Final though on the ending:I am choosing to believe that James is not dead, and is just chilling on the beach somewhere, waiting for Oliver. Pericles has a happy ending, so it feels like they should too.</
My little Shakespeare nerd heart is so full (and completely broken at the same time). This book was a slow descent into madness and I loved every second. I really wish I'd read a physical copy of this book, because I would have annotated the hell out of it.
I can see why someone who doesn't enjoy Shakespeare wouldn't be a fan of this (she is dense), but as someone who spends her free time at a community theatre, this was perfection. I'm obsessed with Rio's blending of Shakespeare with the real problems and emotions the characters were dealing with. I had to take a couple pauses to do some Googling and get all the layers (a Julius Caesar fan I am not), but it was worth it to understand all that M.L. Rio was trying to get across.
The main seven are all so type-cast within the program that they practically become whatever part they're cast in. Those parts change as the book goes on and I loved seeing the main cast transform into these new versions of themselves. Also, all of the characters have this "free-love but make it super pretentious" energy that is almost uncomfortably accurate. Granted, my theatre experience has not been nearly so dramatic, but I was definitely getting flashbacks.
Final though on the ending:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Before reading If We Were Villains, I read The Secret History by Donna Tartt which I adored.
However, at first I was seeing to many similarities between both books : a group of young people studying in a secluded elitist school driven by their love for a subject (here Shakespeare) and then a student tragically disappears.
It took me some time (almost 300 pages in) to overcome this feeling of reading a rewriting of TSH and finally enjoy the book at its true value !
However, at first I was seeing to many similarities between both books : a group of young people studying in a secluded elitist school driven by their love for a subject (here Shakespeare) and then a student tragically disappears.
It took me some time (almost 300 pages in) to overcome this feeling of reading a rewriting of TSH and finally enjoy the book at its true value !
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Omg… I have no words… the ending absolutely SHATTERED me… this book is messy in the best way and the author explains emotions and feelings so well.
I also love how it’s structured like a play, with characters quoting lines and chapters are called “Scene #” and sections called “Act #” and even the dialogue is structured like a script sometimes (for example it’ll be like Oliver: “___” Meredith: ”___”).
This book was beautifully heart wrenching and it’s so hard to review it without spoilers. If you love analyzing characters and lit fic with messy romance, gossip, and even murder in a gothic setting, this is for you (yes very specific). Absolutely a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me
I also love how it’s structured like a play, with characters quoting lines and chapters are called “Scene #” and sections called “Act #” and even the dialogue is structured like a script sometimes (for example it’ll be like Oliver: “___” Meredith: ”___”).
This book was beautifully heart wrenching and it’s so hard to review it without spoilers. If you love analyzing characters and lit fic with messy romance, gossip, and even murder in a gothic setting, this is for you (yes very specific). Absolutely a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Violence, Alcohol
Moderate: Body horror, Drug abuse, Gore, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship