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

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Again, a reread. This is my favorite book of all time. I am planning to read this book again in my summer break and analyze the shit out of it, so be prepared for a lengthy review then.

Rep: queer MC, gay character.
January 17th, 2023 - January 25th, 2023

 “For someone who loved words as much as I did, it was amazing how often they failed me.” 

“Were you in love with him?'
'Yes,' I say, simply. James and I put each other through the kind of reckless passions Gwendolyn once talked about, joy and anger and desire and despair. After all that, was it really so strange? I am no longer baffled or amazed or embarrassed by it. 'Yes, I was.' It's not the whole truth. The whole truth is, I'm in love with him still.”

 “One thing I'm sure Colborne will never understand is that I need language to live, like food—lexemes and morphemes and morsels of meaning nourish me with the knowledge that, yes, there is a word for this. Someone else has felt it before.”