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

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This dark academic thriller is reminiscent of Donna Tartt's The Secret History, though I loved if We Were Villains even more! It was extremely thoughtful in its construction, skillfully replicating the structure of a Shakespearean tragedy (while subtly teaching the reader that's what's happening), to great dramatic effect. The peak of the entire story is communicated through the script of King Lear, a particular favorite of mine. The tragic heroes and villains and bystanders of our story are the speakers of ancient and well-known words on stage as their story comes a close, demonstrating close-up the real feelings and motivations behind their speeches, movements, gestures. It's beautiful and I can't do it justice, but I highly recommend reading it! It's delightfully queer too. Doesn't assume everyone is straight, or gay for that matter.
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