emmas_shelf 's review for:

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I freaking loved this so much more than I thought I would. My recommendation - read the authors note at the end, first. It explains their love for Shakespeare and puts so much of why it’s in there in perspective for me. I think knowing that nothing was unintentional means - read with google/ willingness to try study and understand the plays, the scenes, the quotes being used bc they genuinely added so much to my reading experience. I loved this so much more than I thought I would. Everything from the structure of the novel into scenes and Acts like a play, the group dynamic. The “typecasting” and Oliver as a POV was such an interesting take. I was a hater of this book too for the first 50 pages or so but then, I was really immersed and I’m still thinking about that ending.