If We Were Villains: The Sensational TikTok Book Club pick: M.L. Rio

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Richard Stirling, a talented actor who also hides an abusive dark side. He is a second generation actor. Plays The Tyrant. If anyone quoted more than five lines of Shakespeare to my face in every single conversation they've had with me.....you can bet it can definitely end in tragedy!!!! Surprising. After all, Shakespeare is poetry—most of it, anyway— and there’s a certain mathematical pattern to poetry, isn’t there?"

If We Were Villains: The Sensational TikTok Book Club pick: M

please don’t be afraid to hate this book. disliking this book is not a reflection of your intelligence or ability as a reader. this book is not for everyone Then, almost inevitably: a murder. Now, ten years later, detective Colborne feels every choice he’d made, every action he took that fatal night, as a weight he carries with him. There are so many versions of the story, so many neat distillations of what had happened. Only one person can say which one was true.

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This story follows seven very pretentious theater students, going to a very prestigious and private college. They moved to Ohio to go to the university from all over the world, but they really made a found family with each other, while all living in what they call the Castle on campus. But one night their life completely changes when they all come together on a decision that alters their fate. The question is so unlikely, so nonsensical coming from such a sensible man, that I can’t suppress a smile. “I blame him for all of it,” I say.

If We Were Villains: Full Book Analysis | SparkNotes If We Were Villains: Full Book Analysis | SparkNotes

The next morning, Oliver and Meredith are awoken by Filippa. She leads the group to the lake, where they find Richard with his skull broken. He is alive, but barely. James tries to help him, but is stopped by Alexander, who suggests they should let him die and thus end his reign of terror. The group agrees to wait for Richard to die, then call the police and pretend he was already dead when they came upon him. There was much more of a mystery aspect than I was expecting. I would not go so far as to call it a thriller, but there was a definite eerie, who-done-it vibe. I was thoroughly invested in the story and all of the characters the entire time. And the ending.It broke my heart but in a good way and it probably boosted this book another star for me I mean, how couldn’t I? I am a natural-born drama queen, I feed on theatrical stuff like this, do you expect me not to fell in love with a bunch of college kids aspiring to become actors? This was literally: The Secret History VS If We Were Villains, and obviously for me, the former wins with a BIG SLAP across the face against IWWV. I think on its bare bones, there wasn't much substance following the fact after we learn who was killed...which was pretty predictable in every sense. And murderer(s)? Equally pinned down. Call me a wizardry thriller enthusiast, I don't know but the fact that this was basically a lighter thriller and even more less mysterious counterpart than that of its successor before it- The Secret History....kind of ruined it for me I suppose. Oliver’s best friend and roommate. James is the most handsome and studious of the fourth-year acting students. He is often cast as the hero but wants more diverse acting roles. Hounded by Richard, James becomes increasingly distraught as the novel progresses. James is sometimes portrayed as jealous of Meredith and Oliver’s relationship.A few hours later, Filippa summons Meredith and Oliver to the lake. There Oliver and Meredith discover a battered, broken and seemingly deceased Richard floating in the water. Richard emits a gurgling sound indicating he’s still alive. Frightened and exhausted of Richard’s abuse, the six collectively decide to let him die in the water, assuming that he injured himself while intoxicated. They craft a narrative of likely events for school administration and the police and feel relief when everyone seems to accept their version of events. But guilt erodes their relations with each other and impacts their behavior. Meredith and Oliver continue dating but struggle to be comfortable together under the watchful eye of Richard’s specter. Alexander indulges even more freely in drugs and alcohol. Wren withdraws into herself while James’s behavior becomes erratic. The only character who seems able to hold things together is Filippa. The Thanksgiving holiday offers little respite from their stress. When Oliver’s holiday plans to visit Meredith in New York are derailed by an unexpected visit from James, Meredith is upset that Oliver chooses James over her, a frequent point of contention. You might think that the coolest things you can be might include traditional things, like "in possession of a motorcycle" or "a New York-based artist with family money" or "on some sort of high school athletic team / squad designated to cheer on said team." If We Were Villains is part of this dark academia aesthetics that has a soothing place in my heart. So, of course, I fell in love with it. Oliver confronts James during the intermission of Lear, and James reluctantly confesses. As Richard stormed out of the Caesar cast party, he assaulted Wren, who was trying to calm him. Wren then begged James to go after Richard, fearing he would hurt himself. James searched for him by the lake, only to realize Richard had been following him the whole time. Richard began to taunt and threaten him, eventually making a homophobic remark in which he accused James and Oliver of being in love with one another and threatening to drown James in the lake. James then grabbed the nearest item — the boat hook — and hit him with it. James also admits that Filippa knew about the murder, and it was she who burned his bloody shirt in the fireplace. I honestly can feel the pertinence of this group. They really look like real-life people whom you might get acquainted with at some point in life. I love their dynamics as a group, but I have different feelings for each of them.

If We Were Villains: The Sensational TikTok Book - AbeBooks If We Were Villains: The Sensational TikTok Book - AbeBooks

Anyways, I just really loved this book so much. A true treat and delight for those of us who love Shakespeare and art and love to Feel Emotions but like, can't handle it. Also, I was living for the m/m romance-ish kinda thing happening, and I would literally die for Oliver and his happiness. Anyways, if you like atmospheric books, angst, the secret history, shakespeare, shaky friendships, and drama, you should read this book. However, as the story went on I found it to become quite predictable, and many of the elements from the beginning started to wear on me as a reader. The characters stayed pretty one note throughout. Everything was a bit redundant including the decision by the author to include so much of Shakespeare's text (literally whole passages were copied from his work and it became a drag to read, even when the texts were reflective of the characters' internal monologues—clever at first but the effect wears off). And by 50% of the way through the story I figured out the 'plot twist' which made reading the last half less exciting. Oliver - The main character. He's the 'good guy', generally nice, just wants everyone to be friends and keep the peace. He is a bit naive, a little bit unsure of himself, but as likeable as these characters can be.The detective assigned to the murder investigation. Colborne visits Oliver regularly in prison because he does not believe he is responsible for Richard’s death. He quits the police force before the start of the novel and uses this information to convince Oliver to tell him the truth about what happened. And you know what, this book would have been a five no matter how it ended, but the ending made me screech out loud. So there’s that.

If We Were Villains - 5th anniversary signed - Waterstones If We Were Villains - 5th anniversary signed - Waterstones

We felt all the passions of the characters we played as if they were our own. But a character’s emotions don’t cancel out the actor’s – instead you feel both at once.”Wren is such a weird character, it was a bit hard for me to love her; I liked her enough but there was something unpleasant about her that I just couldn’t place and so I have no developed opinion about her; she seems, somehow, too unstable, fragile; the ingénue of the group maybe; Alexander - The funny friend. He's gay and latinx. Known for partying/drinking/drugs. He was one of my favouries because he was so funny. Usually gets the funny side character parts. Meredith’s older brother and the only family member she sees when she visits New York for holidays. Approaching his 30s, Caleb likes to party.