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A review by izzyvb023
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
3.0
"But that is how a tragedy like ours or King Lear breaks your heart—by making you believe that the ending might still be happy, until the very last minute."
Former and current theatre kids will certainly appreciate the references and energy of this novel. Many times i caught myself saying “oh the author was DEFINITELY a theatre kid at some point or another.” I really enjoyed all the Shakespeare quotes intertwined with the dialogue - it was a fun touch that often required me to re read certain pages to see if there could be hidden meaning in the verses.
If you *liked* Donna Tartt’s ‘The Secret History,’ you will like this book. If you *loved* Donna Tartt’s ‘The Secret History,’ you might not like this book. I enjoyed the dark academia, the theatrics, the horror, and the thrill of this novel (things i also enjoyed in TSH). But, this book definitely felt like it wanted desperately to be TSH, but physically forced itself to be different enough so it wasnt reductive. It’s different enough that it has its own voice, but still feels pretty close in content.
Overall, it was a fun read and I especially appreciated the pacing and the development of the characters’ relationships. The typical Shakespearean five act structure was a great touch too. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys theatre/literature/mysteries and needs a quick read.
Former and current theatre kids will certainly appreciate the references and energy of this novel. Many times i caught myself saying “oh the author was DEFINITELY a theatre kid at some point or another.” I really enjoyed all the Shakespeare quotes intertwined with the dialogue - it was a fun touch that often required me to re read certain pages to see if there could be hidden meaning in the verses.
If you *liked* Donna Tartt’s ‘The Secret History,’ you will like this book. If you *loved* Donna Tartt’s ‘The Secret History,’ you might not like this book. I enjoyed the dark academia, the theatrics, the horror, and the thrill of this novel (things i also enjoyed in TSH). But, this book definitely felt like it wanted desperately to be TSH, but physically forced itself to be different enough so it wasnt reductive. It’s different enough that it has its own voice, but still feels pretty close in content.
Overall, it was a fun read and I especially appreciated the pacing and the development of the characters’ relationships. The typical Shakespearean five act structure was a great touch too. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys theatre/literature/mysteries and needs a quick read.