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Readers say *If We Were Villains* is a captivating dark academia novel that vividly immerses readers in the theatrical world of Shakespeare-obsessed s...
7.5. I enjoyed this but I didn’t love it. Seven overly dramatic theater students take Shakespeare too far with tragic results.
Things I liked: a juicy, engaging plot (sex, love, lust, death!), quick pace, generally well written (minus the occasional habit of using overly ornate language - though one could chalk that up to being from Oliver’s POV), for me it was fun to revisit some Shakespeare (though I’ll admit to having to refresh myself on some plots and characters)
Things I didn’t: saw pretty much every plot twist coming a mile away, underdeveloped female characters, while I didn’t mind all the Shakespeare quotes it felt too on the nose at times, framing device fell flat for me
Se siente como leer dos libros diferentes. El libro tiene una primera mitad tensionante que pareciera que volviera a empezar de cero después del gran hecho. Mucho Shakespeare.
Amazing book, my favorite book truly. The characters, the story, the heartbreak and betrayal ugh it’s so good. I love this book too much
written in a unique way. takes you in the story and does not let you stop reading. amazing book where you sympathize a lot.
there is a lot of room for interpretation and your own imagination.
insights on art and history and a lot of deep thoughts are triggered. amayzing for anyone that likes to think and to have discussions
If you liked Donna Tart's Secret History, you'll love this dark academia novel. An elite East coast college, seven characters, a heinous crime, and the niche world of Shakespearean theater. I loved the setting and was immersed in the world. I found the plot engaging and it kept me enthralled until the very end. The author liberally sprinkles quotes from various Shakespeare play throughout the story, the characters sometimes speak to each through dialogues and monologues from the bard's works. This conceit adds another layer to the drama.
My biggest complaint is that the characters are superficially drawn - the frail ingenue, the overbearing villain, a siren, the naive, kind friend, the fool, the hero, and the cypher. Beyond these descriptions it is hard to understand motivations for some of their actions. I would remove three quarters of the Shakespeare quotes and add more insight into the characters. I am a theater person, so I appreciated the milieu, I remember students who had gone to conservatory schools like the one in the novel and were cut after their freshman year for being too fat. So I recognized this world. It was a bit of wish fulfillment for me to read the experience of these seven elite theater students, well except for the part where it all collapsed. I enjoyed reading this book and will definitely reread in the future.
My biggest complaint is that the characters are superficially drawn - the frail ingenue, the overbearing villain, a siren, the naive, kind friend, the fool, the hero, and the cypher. Beyond these descriptions it is hard to understand motivations for some of their actions. I would remove three quarters of the Shakespeare quotes and add more insight into the characters. I am a theater person, so I appreciated the milieu, I remember students who had gone to conservatory schools like the one in the novel and were cut after their freshman year for being too fat. So I recognized this world. It was a bit of wish fulfillment for me to read the experience of these seven elite theater students, well except for the part where it all collapsed. I enjoyed reading this book and will definitely reread in the future.
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