What the community thinks
summary of 3400 ratings (see reviews)
Content warnings
Graphic
Death (12 reviewers), Violence (8 reviewers), Blood (8 reviewers), Drug abuse (8 reviewers), Drug use (7 reviewers), Addiction (4 reviewers), Physical abuse (4 reviewers), Murder (4 reviewers), Grief (3 reviewers), Alcoholism (2 reviewers), Vomit (2 reviewers), Cursing (2 reviewers), Gore (2 reviewers), Suicide (2 reviewers), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), Bullying (1 reviewer), Misogyny (1 reviewer), Sexual content (1 reviewer), Eating disorder (1 reviewer), Body shaming (1 reviewer), Confinement (1 reviewer), Mental illness (1 reviewer), Emotional abuse (1 reviewer), and Body horror (1 reviewer)Moderate
Suicide (11 reviewers), Drug use (10 reviewers), Drug abuse (10 reviewers), Death (9 reviewers), Addiction (8 reviewers), Violence (7 reviewers), Grief (6 reviewers), Homophobia (5 reviewers), Toxic relationship (5 reviewers), Bullying (5 reviewers), Physical abuse (4 reviewers), Blood (4 reviewers), Domestic abuse (4 reviewers), Emotional abuse (4 reviewers), Sexual content (3 reviewers), Eating disorder (3 reviewers), Misogyny (2 reviewers), Vomit (2 reviewers), Suicide attempt (2 reviewers), Sexism (2 reviewers), Biphobia (2 reviewers), Gore (2 reviewers), Murder (2 reviewers), Mental illness (2 reviewers), Body horror (2 reviewers), Alcoholism (1 reviewer), Panic attacks/disorders (1 reviewer), Racism (1 reviewer), and Body shaming (1 reviewer)Minor
Eating disorder (13 reviewers), Suicide (6 reviewers), Sexual content (4 reviewers), Homophobia (3 reviewers), Violence (3 reviewers), Blood (3 reviewers), Addiction (2 reviewers), Drug use (2 reviewers), Infidelity (2 reviewers), Vomit (2 reviewers), Suicide attempt (2 reviewers), Alcoholism (1 reviewer), Death (1 reviewer), Domestic abuse (1 reviewer), Drug abuse (1 reviewer), Emotional abuse (1 reviewer), Gore (1 reviewer), Mental illness (1 reviewer), Physical abuse (1 reviewer), Racism (1 reviewer), Suicidal thoughts (1 reviewer), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), Grief (1 reviewer), and Murder (1 reviewer)Moods
mysterious 83%
emotional 59%
tense 57%
sad 32%
reflective 19%
challenging 14%
adventurous 9%
funny 3%
inspiring 3%
hopeful 1%
informative 1%
lighthearted 0%
Pace
fast 18%
slow 17%
Plot- or character-driven?
A mix: 47% | Character: 44% | Plot: 8%Strong character development?
Yes: 49% | It's complicated: 33% | No: 16% | N/A: 0%Loveable characters?
It's complicated: 42% | Yes: 39% | No: 17% | N/A: 0%Diverse cast of characters?
No: 58% | Yes: 20% | It's complicated: 17% | N/A: 4%Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 91% | It's complicated: 5% | No: 2% | N/A: 0%Average rating
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On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. Detective Colborne wants to know the truth, and after ten years, Oliver is finally ready to tell it.
A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. In this secluded world of firelight and leather-bound books, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingénue, extras.
But in their fourth and final year, good-natured rivalries turn ugly, and on opening night real violence invades the students’ world of make-believe. In the morning, the fourth-years find themselves facing their very own tragedy, and their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, each other, and themselves that they are innocent.
Buy If We Were Villains
United States
Bookshop US
Other countries
Bookshop UK
Blackwell's
The StoryGraph is an affiliate of the featured links. We earn commission on any purchases made.
On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. Detective Colborne wants to know the truth, and after ten years, Oliver is finally ready to tell it.
A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. In this secluded world of firelight and leather-bound books, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingénue, extras.
But in their fourth and final year, good-natured rivalries turn ugly, and on opening night real violence invades the students’ world of make-believe. In the morning, the fourth-years find themselves facing their very own tragedy, and their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, each other, and themselves that they are innocent.
What the community thinks
summary of 3400 ratings (see reviews)
Content warnings
Graphic
Death (12 reviewers), Violence (8 reviewers), Blood (8 reviewers), Drug abuse (8 reviewers), Drug use (7 reviewers), Addiction (4 reviewers), Physical abuse (4 reviewers), Murder (4 reviewers), Grief (3 reviewers), Alcoholism (2 reviewers), Vomit (2 reviewers), Cursing (2 reviewers), Gore (2 reviewers), Suicide (2 reviewers), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), Bullying (1 reviewer), Misogyny (1 reviewer), Sexual content (1 reviewer), Eating disorder (1 reviewer), Body shaming (1 reviewer), Confinement (1 reviewer), Mental illness (1 reviewer), Emotional abuse (1 reviewer), and Body horror (1 reviewer)Moderate
Suicide (11 reviewers), Drug use (10 reviewers), Drug abuse (10 reviewers), Death (9 reviewers), Addiction (8 reviewers), Violence (7 reviewers), Grief (6 reviewers), Homophobia (5 reviewers), Toxic relationship (5 reviewers), Bullying (5 reviewers), Physical abuse (4 reviewers), Blood (4 reviewers), Domestic abuse (4 reviewers), Emotional abuse (4 reviewers), Sexual content (3 reviewers), Eating disorder (3 reviewers), Misogyny (2 reviewers), Vomit (2 reviewers), Suicide attempt (2 reviewers), Sexism (2 reviewers), Biphobia (2 reviewers), Gore (2 reviewers), Murder (2 reviewers), Mental illness (2 reviewers), Body horror (2 reviewers), Alcoholism (1 reviewer), Panic attacks/disorders (1 reviewer), Racism (1 reviewer), and Body shaming (1 reviewer)Minor
Eating disorder (13 reviewers), Suicide (6 reviewers), Sexual content (4 reviewers), Homophobia (3 reviewers), Violence (3 reviewers), Blood (3 reviewers), Addiction (2 reviewers), Drug use (2 reviewers), Infidelity (2 reviewers), Vomit (2 reviewers), Suicide attempt (2 reviewers), Alcoholism (1 reviewer), Death (1 reviewer), Domestic abuse (1 reviewer), Drug abuse (1 reviewer), Emotional abuse (1 reviewer), Gore (1 reviewer), Mental illness (1 reviewer), Physical abuse (1 reviewer), Racism (1 reviewer), Suicidal thoughts (1 reviewer), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), Grief (1 reviewer), and Murder (1 reviewer)Moods
mysterious 83%
emotional 59%
tense 57%
sad 32%
reflective 19%
challenging 14%
adventurous 9%
funny 3%
inspiring 3%
hopeful 1%
informative 1%
lighthearted 0%
Pace
fast 18%
slow 17%
Plot- or character-driven?
A mix: 47% | Character: 44% | Plot: 8%Strong character development?
Yes: 49% | It's complicated: 33% | No: 16% | N/A: 0%Loveable characters?
It's complicated: 42% | Yes: 39% | No: 17% | N/A: 0%Diverse cast of characters?
No: 58% | Yes: 20% | It's complicated: 17% | N/A: 4%Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 91% | It's complicated: 5% | No: 2% | N/A: 0%Average rating