If We Were Villains Review
Dark academia season continues, and If We Were Villains fit into that craving. The story follows Oliver and his theater kid cohort, nearing graduation from a theater degree program. The cohort is close, “like siblings,” which inevitably leads to conflict and a toxic environment. This volatile atmosphere comes to a head at a party and ends in tragedy. The book is told in parallel timelines, so we find out what really happened at the party slowly over the course of the entire book.
The narrative is full of action and the plot is fast-moving, very much unlike The Secret History, which in my opinion was nearly unbearable because it was about 250 pages longer than it should have been (and also general grossness, but that’s a discussion for another day). I was intrigued by the group of characters central to the story. The narrative is very character driven and the experience of the characters does not feel overwhelmed by all the action in the plot. The narrative arc was exciting and I had a fun time trying to unravel why exactly Oliver was in prison, even if it seemed like he had not committed any obvious crime. I did see the twist coming, but not from very far away, and even so it was a fun ride. Overall, this book had a classic dark academia vibe that fits late autumn turning into winter (hello), so I would recommend it solely based on that. The artsy world of theater is also welcome right now (at least to me) because we can’t actually go to theater productions. Dramatic theater from the couch? Yes, please.
What I did not enjoy as much is all the Shakespeare — a problem with me, not the book, to be clear. I just don’t care about The Bard™ that much. Sorry. Quotes, I’m sure rife with meaning to all those who really read them, are everywhere throughout the book, as well as bird imagery, which I am sure is also very symbolic and adds depth to the story. Whenever I got to these parts, I could feel my brain just turn off. ’Twas not for me. Also not for me was the Bitchy Literary Caroline™. When will Carolines everywhere get justice the justice we deserve in the form of decent people in books? I’m sending a petition to Parliament. Another thing to note is a depiction of an eating disorder (restriction, bingeing, and purging), so if you do not want to read about that, skip this one. Possible murder and definite mystery, however, are absolutely for me, so it all balances out. If murder be the food of love, play on (see, it’s funny).
