A review by ms_sarah621
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

If you love Shakespeare and poetic writing, then this will be perfect for you. I cannot believe how beautifully written this book is. The language and word choice alone is five stars. Also, references to pop culture and the “real world” is so difficult to do well in books. All of the Shakespeare, the plays themselves, the way the group talks to each other, and how lines from the plays are used like casual speech is so incredibly well done. It flows so well and creates this deeply poetic story and complex relationships. Another point, how well these characters are fleshed out and their relationships with each other. Everything is so complex and even vague at times. However, you care so much for these characters and what is happening to them. You want to know everything about them and what they mean to each other, no matter how messy things get between them. The only thing that brought my rating down slightly was that this is a slow paced character driven book. So, at times, I struggled to pick it up. Yet, the story is so incredibly written and poetic that you want to keep reading and be emerged in the tragic world that was created. A must read. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings