generaljinjur 's review for:

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
3.75
dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
Verrrrrry torn. When it was good, it was exceptionally good (to someone who has enjoyed acting a little and Shakespeare a lot), but when it was bad it was a tough read. I was a bit disappointed in the end, and really had to slog through the middle. The mystery compelled me greatly, but I wasn’t feeling the tension in acts 3-4, which lost me.

I think some of what made me uncomfortable otherwise was intentional, capturing the cultishly intimate and incestuous vibe of the Dellecher program (down to Gwendolyn's overfamiliarity/intensity and the students’ shared lexicon, more interpreted Shakespeare than original speech). Made me  wonder if I had would still enjoy The Secret History if I read it again. Also made me cringe with a fear that I sounded like that at 20. I will be watching the series if it comes to fruition.
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