A review by archer3
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

"Nothing is so exhausting as anguish." 

This book...I don't even have words. I have never become so emotionally invested in and attached to characters so quickly, nor on such a level as I did with these characters (I will never stop thinking about James and Oliver). 

This story was painful, heart-wrenching, and made me feel so many emotions. I can't imagine the amount of work that went into it, given the vast amount of Shakespearean literature and references. I've never read a debut novel so profound as this one. 

I do wish Wren and Alexander had the same depth that was given to the other characters; I didn't really remember much of them after I put the book down (it felt like they were whittled down to "unstable emotional wreck" and "unstable gay drug addict"). Aside from that, I wholeheartedly loved this story and am satisfied that the author tied up the loose ends while still leaving the ending up to the reader's imagination.