Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
New York : Flatiron Books, [2017]
Description
Fiction. Literature. Suspense. Thriller. HTML: "Much like Donna Tartt's The Secret History, M. L. Rio's sparkling debut is a richly layered story of love, friendship, and obsession...If We Were Villains will keep you riveted through its final, electrifying moments." �??Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author of The Nest Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail �?? for a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago. As one of seven young actors studying Shakespeare at an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress. But when the casting changes, and the secondary characters usurp the stars, the plays spill dangerously over into life, and one of them is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless. Intelligent, thrilling, and richly detailed, If We Were Villains is a captivating story of the enduring power and passion of words… (more)
Media reviews
In this strong and assured first novel, Rio crafts an intricate story about friendship, love, and betrayal. Recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction by authors such as Tartt or Emily St. John Mandel.
This novel about obsession at the conservatory will thoroughly obsess you.
User reviews
LibraryThing member KLmesoftly
This book fails against essentially any rubric I can set it -
The characters are bad and all of the dynamics and relationships are forced - tons of segments I wanted to pencil "show, don't tell" into the margins. Richard is their friend and we are meant to believe this because it's what we're told,
The storytelling is bad, too. The plot manages to be both predictable (the murder victim is obvious well before anybody dies just because he's the only character with no sympathetic qualities at all, and the first half of the book is spent having him make dick move after dick move; the murderer is obvious quickly as well) and also hilariously full of holes at the same time (how is Oliver convicted if they have someone else's bloody clothes? If even Meredith notices this evidence and there's also a cop who disbelieves Oliver's story enough to visit him for a decade, why do neither of them check it out?). The pacing is horrible - sections slow to a crawl because Rio's unwilling co-author Shakespeare is inserting his full scripts between every 20 pages of new content, so readers have to sit and reread Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth instead of the book they actually bought. In other places reveals get crammed after reversals fast enough to induce emotionally manipulative whiplash - surprise, this character is conveniently dead, mourn while you can because in 5 pages you'll discover the death was faked!
Even the writing itself is bad! I was reading this with a friend and we got into the habit of texting each other horrible similes and metaphors when we'd stumble across them. A few favorites:
"we squinted in the sunlight like tiny newborn babies"
"sleep rolled over the top of me like an affectionate furry pet"
"she laughed like a tigerlily bursting open"
"his cheeks were flushed as if he'd had his face rouged by a little girl who had no idea it was too much"
Nothing else I can say will make my point as well as those quotes (all spoken by a grizzled excon who's just finished a ten year prison term), so I'll just leave it at that. Bad book, don't read. Especially don't read while in withdrawal after a Tartt novel.
The characters are bad and all of the dynamics and relationships are forced - tons of segments I wanted to pencil "show, don't tell" into the margins. Richard is their friend and we are meant to believe this because it's what we're told,
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even though we literally never see him do anything that could be considered friend behavior, he acts like more of an enemy really, to the point that it makes no sense for the characters to resist reporting him to teachers or even police. Meredith is a promiscuous attention seeker we're told, despite the fact that the only encounters she has within the novel are with guys she lives with and has literally known for years. Oliver (the narrator, let me remind you) and James have what is depicted and described as a platonic friendship until midway through the book when we're abruptly told that actually they've been in a deep romantic relationship since before the book even began, and every other character knows and even comments on it...The storytelling is bad, too. The plot manages to be both predictable (the murder victim is obvious well before anybody dies just because he's the only character with no sympathetic qualities at all, and the first half of the book is spent having him make dick move after dick move; the murderer is obvious quickly as well) and also hilariously full of holes at the same time (how is Oliver convicted if they have someone else's bloody clothes? If even Meredith notices this evidence and there's also a cop who disbelieves Oliver's story enough to visit him for a decade, why do neither of them check it out?). The pacing is horrible - sections slow to a crawl because Rio's unwilling co-author Shakespeare is inserting his full scripts between every 20 pages of new content, so readers have to sit and reread Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth instead of the book they actually bought. In other places reveals get crammed after reversals fast enough to induce emotionally manipulative whiplash - surprise, this character is conveniently dead, mourn while you can because in 5 pages you'll discover the death was faked!
Even the writing itself is bad! I was reading this with a friend and we got into the habit of texting each other horrible similes and metaphors when we'd stumble across them. A few favorites:
"we squinted in the sunlight like tiny newborn babies"
"sleep rolled over the top of me like an affectionate furry pet"
"she laughed like a tigerlily bursting open"
"his cheeks were flushed as if he'd had his face rouged by a little girl who had no idea it was too much"
Nothing else I can say will make my point as well as those quotes (all spoken by a grizzled excon who's just finished a ten year prison term), so I'll just leave it at that. Bad book, don't read. Especially don't read while in withdrawal after a Tartt novel.
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LibraryThing member ablachly
Murdery mystery + theater students who are both pretentious and undeniably human + so much Shakespeare. Glorious.
LibraryThing member Susan.Macura
In this novel, life imitates art. This is the tale of seven talented students who studied Shakespearean theater at a prestigious private school. It is told through the memories of one of the students, Oliver, who has just been released from prison. He describes their history, how it all went wrong,
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and how everyone played a part in the ultimate tragedy. This is one of the most beautifully written books I have read lately. Making it even more interesting is the ability of all of the students to quote Shakespeare throughout the story. This is a wonderful summer read for every English teacher or fans of the Bard. Show Less
LibraryThing member JBD1
This one reminded me very much (and in a good way) of Donna Tartt's The Secret History. I had a terrible time putting it down, and enjoyed it thoroughly, even if I did find most of the characters entirely unlikeable. A great read.
LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
I remember being stunned some twenty years ago by Donna Tartt’s startling debut novel The Secret History. It defied ready classification within existing genres, and launched a slew of imitators, though very few came close to matching it.
The publisher’s plaudits strewn over the cover of M L
Having been cast together in powerful plays over the last four years the group has become very close, and as with the protagonists in The Secret History, they have come to be viewed by other students as an exclusive and potentially sinister clique. Each semester there are a range of theatrical extravaganzas in which they all participate, which provoke short term rivalries both beyond and within the group. The dominant figure is Richard, a fine actor though hampered by a fragile personality that leaves him incapable of enduring criticism, or of being cast in anything but the leading role in any production. His beautiful girlfriend Meredith is equally accomplished, and while she does not display Richard’s egotistical traits, she does have her own demons to contend with. The rest of the group have their own quirks and idiosyncrasies, all perfectly plausible, and captured by M L Rio with great clarity.
The novel is narrated by Oliver, the youngest (and perhaps the most ‘normal’) member of the group, who is looking back at the events of the story from a remove of ten years, during which time he has been in prison. His recollections are detailed, and balanced, and it is easy to believe that he has been reliving these events over the years.
The prose is marvellous, scattered with quotations from Shakespeare’s works. This could easily fall flat, and come across simply as a means of showing how clever and well educated the writer is, but the author manages it marvellously. The quotations are always apposite, and serve to illuminate the characters’ prevailing neuroses.
The comparisons with The Secret History are deserved but should not obscure the fact that this is a compelling and thrilling novel in its own right.
The publisher’s plaudits strewn over the cover of M L
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Rio’s debut, If We Were Villains, compare it to The Secret History, and for once the allusion is justified. The basic scenario is certainly very similar: a group of seven students at a private college in America become obsessed with their studies, and it all ends badly. Instead of the classics, however, the students in this book are all aspiring and highly talented actors and have survived through to the final year of an intensely competitive drama course that focuses exclusively on the works of Shakespeare.Having been cast together in powerful plays over the last four years the group has become very close, and as with the protagonists in The Secret History, they have come to be viewed by other students as an exclusive and potentially sinister clique. Each semester there are a range of theatrical extravaganzas in which they all participate, which provoke short term rivalries both beyond and within the group. The dominant figure is Richard, a fine actor though hampered by a fragile personality that leaves him incapable of enduring criticism, or of being cast in anything but the leading role in any production. His beautiful girlfriend Meredith is equally accomplished, and while she does not display Richard’s egotistical traits, she does have her own demons to contend with. The rest of the group have their own quirks and idiosyncrasies, all perfectly plausible, and captured by M L Rio with great clarity.
The novel is narrated by Oliver, the youngest (and perhaps the most ‘normal’) member of the group, who is looking back at the events of the story from a remove of ten years, during which time he has been in prison. His recollections are detailed, and balanced, and it is easy to believe that he has been reliving these events over the years.
The prose is marvellous, scattered with quotations from Shakespeare’s works. This could easily fall flat, and come across simply as a means of showing how clever and well educated the writer is, but the author manages it marvellously. The quotations are always apposite, and serve to illuminate the characters’ prevailing neuroses.
The comparisons with The Secret History are deserved but should not obscure the fact that this is a compelling and thrilling novel in its own right.
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LibraryThing member norabelle414
Alexander, Filippa, James, Meredith, Oliver, Richard, and Wren are fourth-year theater students at a prestigious arts conservatory. Here, they breathe, eat, drink, live, and die Shakespeare, non-stop. Living together and acting against each other for so long, they know every inch of each other's
This utterly devastating novel is an amalgamation of pretty much every bit of Shakespeare's tragedies. It's filled with love and betrayal and madness and murder and guilt and ghosts and spots that won't come out. The several plays that the students put on throughout the year merge with reality so you sometimes can't tell what's real and what's not.... and neither can the characters. If you love Shakespeare this is really and truly perfect.
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soul. But they're also professional liars, so when Richard, the boisterous, violent, bully of the group, is found dead in the lake, they know not whodunit. This utterly devastating novel is an amalgamation of pretty much every bit of Shakespeare's tragedies. It's filled with love and betrayal and madness and murder and guilt and ghosts and spots that won't come out. The several plays that the students put on throughout the year merge with reality so you sometimes can't tell what's real and what's not.... and neither can the characters. If you love Shakespeare this is really and truly perfect.
Show Less
LibraryThing member gpangel
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio is a 2017 Flatiron Books publication.
This is a psychological thriller for deep thinkers. There is crime and there is punishment. There is mystery, suspense. There are intense characters, shallow ones too, those who are fatalistic and those who are tragic… just
Ten years ago, Oliver Marks was one of seven Shakespearean actors at the prestigious Dellecher Classical Conservatory. Today he is about to walk out of a prison cell for the first time in a decade. How did he end up behind bars?
That’s something Detective Colbourne would also like to know. He may have put Oliver in prison, but he knows there is more to the story than he's been told.
He can’t rest until he coaxes the entire story out of Oliver once and for all. With Colbourne retired, and with nothing else to lose, Oliver grants Colbourne his wish.
‘But that I am forbid/ To tell the secrets of my prison -house,/ I could a tale unfold whose lightest word/ Would horrow up thy soul.’
The story then flashes back ten years as Oliver walks us through the events that left him holding the bag for crimes he may or may not have been solely responsible for.
When one of the seven elite actors’ dies, the remaining six thespians are the very picture of innocence. It was an accident after all… wasn’t it? But, Detective Colbourne’s senses they know more than they are telling. Are they as innocent as they appear or are they harboring a dark secret- one that is eating away at them more and more with each passing day?
I tend to gravitate towards these types of stories, which are too few and far between, but I suppose that only makes me appreciate them even more when I stumble across one.
The Shakespearean allegory is well done, as the stage is set for the ultimate tragedy. Our little acting coalition is as thick as thieves, too close, too driven, too immersed within their own little thespian world to cope with reality as most of us know it, which leads to grave consequences, when they begin to become the roles they often play on stage. Jealousy, competition, unrequited love, anger and resentment stir the bubbling pot until ‘exuent omnes’.
I was so engrossed in Oliver’s tale, so mortified, so mesmerized and tantalized, and despite knowing most of the details of the crime in question, and that Oliver has obviously paid his debt, the suspense is still nearly unbearable, because I still didn't know WHY- or HOW things turned out this way. I was filled with such dread, I almost felt like I was back in Vermont at Hamden College listening to Richard Papen unfold a similarly horrifying tale of obsession.
But, as morally questionable as those standing center stage may be, as superficial and self-absorbed, or in some cases, as honorable, or heroic- the classic “Villains VS Heroes”, if you will, the story is haunting and left a painful ache in my heart.
“But that is how a tragedy like ours or King Lear breaks your heart- by making you believe that the ending might still be happy, until the very last minute.”
The author did an amazing job with presentation and ‘staging’, as such, and created a vivid atmosphere, perfect for settling in for a modern Shakespearean tragedy. If you are a fan of the Bard, you will really appreciate the way the dialogue mirrors the events as they unfold and of course the bittersweet irony.
This is not just a psychological thriller, it’s a literary novel filled with obsessions and angst, with beauty and horror, and a near pitch perfect delivery!
This is a debut novel, incredibly, and I for one am pretty much blown away!
Pulling out all the stars for this one!
This is a psychological thriller for deep thinkers. There is crime and there is punishment. There is mystery, suspense. There are intense characters, shallow ones too, those who are fatalistic and those who are tragic… just
Show More
like a Shakespearean play.Ten years ago, Oliver Marks was one of seven Shakespearean actors at the prestigious Dellecher Classical Conservatory. Today he is about to walk out of a prison cell for the first time in a decade. How did he end up behind bars?
That’s something Detective Colbourne would also like to know. He may have put Oliver in prison, but he knows there is more to the story than he's been told.
He can’t rest until he coaxes the entire story out of Oliver once and for all. With Colbourne retired, and with nothing else to lose, Oliver grants Colbourne his wish.
‘But that I am forbid/ To tell the secrets of my prison -house,/ I could a tale unfold whose lightest word/ Would horrow up thy soul.’
The story then flashes back ten years as Oliver walks us through the events that left him holding the bag for crimes he may or may not have been solely responsible for.
When one of the seven elite actors’ dies, the remaining six thespians are the very picture of innocence. It was an accident after all… wasn’t it? But, Detective Colbourne’s senses they know more than they are telling. Are they as innocent as they appear or are they harboring a dark secret- one that is eating away at them more and more with each passing day?
I tend to gravitate towards these types of stories, which are too few and far between, but I suppose that only makes me appreciate them even more when I stumble across one.
The Shakespearean allegory is well done, as the stage is set for the ultimate tragedy. Our little acting coalition is as thick as thieves, too close, too driven, too immersed within their own little thespian world to cope with reality as most of us know it, which leads to grave consequences, when they begin to become the roles they often play on stage. Jealousy, competition, unrequited love, anger and resentment stir the bubbling pot until ‘exuent omnes’.
I was so engrossed in Oliver’s tale, so mortified, so mesmerized and tantalized, and despite knowing most of the details of the crime in question, and that Oliver has obviously paid his debt, the suspense is still nearly unbearable, because I still didn't know WHY- or HOW things turned out this way. I was filled with such dread, I almost felt like I was back in Vermont at Hamden College listening to Richard Papen unfold a similarly horrifying tale of obsession.
But, as morally questionable as those standing center stage may be, as superficial and self-absorbed, or in some cases, as honorable, or heroic- the classic “Villains VS Heroes”, if you will, the story is haunting and left a painful ache in my heart.
“But that is how a tragedy like ours or King Lear breaks your heart- by making you believe that the ending might still be happy, until the very last minute.”
The author did an amazing job with presentation and ‘staging’, as such, and created a vivid atmosphere, perfect for settling in for a modern Shakespearean tragedy. If you are a fan of the Bard, you will really appreciate the way the dialogue mirrors the events as they unfold and of course the bittersweet irony.
This is not just a psychological thriller, it’s a literary novel filled with obsessions and angst, with beauty and horror, and a near pitch perfect delivery!
This is a debut novel, incredibly, and I for one am pretty much blown away!
Pulling out all the stars for this one!
Show Less
LibraryThing member Romonko
Think Mystic River with a Shakespearean literary twist, and that somewhat explains this book. Having said that, there are mamy differences to this book as well. The story is about seven friends in their final year of drama school at an elite artistic conservatory of learning. The book is set up
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like a play with five acts and many scenes in each act. The seven students are totally immersed in Shakespearean theatre, and not only do they act in Shakespeare's plays, but they live and breathe Shakespeare all day long. Like any other college, their social life includes a local pub, many parties and cast get togethers. And also like any other college, there are many different personalities, even within their closed group of seven. A violent accident happens after one of their cast parties, and it forever changes the group dynamics, and these men and women are never the same again. As I was reading, I felt that i was a part of their closed little community in the tower building. This is not your ordinary thriller, but it is a thriller that is unique and spellbinding. And the ending will shock you to the core. Recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member MickyFine
After serving a ten year sentence, Oliver Marks is confronted by the lead detective for the case asking that Oliver finally tell him the truth of what happened a decade earlier. As a drama student in his final year at a small private arts college whose program specializes in Shakespearean drama,
A dark, heavily Shakespearean mystery that builds so slowly and inevitably the reader spends the novel living with a level of dread that comes with knowing just what Othello will do to Desdemona. Filled with fascinating and complex characters who aren't always sympathetic but are always compelling to follow, I moved through the novel far quicker than I expected. Rio also excels at building a world for these characters to play in with setting descriptions so rich I felt fully immersed in this world. Recommended for readers of mysteries and thrillers who have a great love for Shakespeare.
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Oliver was part of a tight-knit group of seven students. But over the course of the term fractures begin to appear leading to an event none of them anticipated. A dark, heavily Shakespearean mystery that builds so slowly and inevitably the reader spends the novel living with a level of dread that comes with knowing just what Othello will do to Desdemona. Filled with fascinating and complex characters who aren't always sympathetic but are always compelling to follow, I moved through the novel far quicker than I expected. Rio also excels at building a world for these characters to play in with setting descriptions so rich I felt fully immersed in this world. Recommended for readers of mysteries and thrillers who have a great love for Shakespeare.
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LibraryThing member AmaliaGavea
‘’’Tis now dead midnight.’’
Measure for Measure, Act 4, Scene 2
Why midnight?Midnight stands between light and darkness. The day that has been completed and the new one that slowly attempts to rise. During midnight, two key events take place in this glorious book, and like this haunting
This book is so exquisite,so darkly beautiful that I didn’t want it to end. What fascinated me more was the fact that it is not only an ode to the immortal genius that is Shakespeare, but a hymn to the significance and immense value of the Villain. Well-written villains are the crown jewels in Literature and a large majority of readers find them absolutely fascinating as they have shaped -and continue shaping- Literature and Theatre. Shakespeare’s villains, in particular, are the core of his greatest plays. Is Macbeth a villain? Or Shylock? What about Brutus or Edmund? Or Iago who seems to have absolutely no redeeming qualities?
In M.L.Rio’s novel, we have seven four-year students that are about to graduate and become actors in the real world. A tragic event following a short period of intense feelings causes their world to tumble down. Passions and hidden animosity come forward and the villains become victims and the victims are turned to villains on their own freewill.
‘’By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.’’
Macbeth, Act 4 , Scene 1
M.L. Rio manages to use and refer to every play by the Bard and some of his sonnets, but there are four plays which shape the narrative.Macbeth, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet. Each one serves a different purpose and Rio works them in the story masterfully. Wicked deeds are set in motion when a member of this fellowship loses the sense of right and wrong, and as in Julius Caesar, the battle between friends and the acts that can be considered treasonous consist the essence of the entire story. The theme of problematic friendship is present in Macbeth as well, where Macbeth turns against his loyal friend, Banquo, guided by ambition and a misleading wish for power. Perhaps, Macbeth is the play most presented and quoted in the novel, something that contributes to its foreboding beauty. There is a sequence of a production of the Scottish Play, set during the night of Halloween, in the darkness, outdoors. It is among the most beautiful and most powerful depictions I've ever read or watched. Theatre directors should definitely consult Rio before they attempt to deal with Macbeth. I’d dare to say that the Bard himself would certainly embrace it. It is an eerie, haunting scene, an exaltation of Will’s masterpiece.
‘’Believe none of us.’’
Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1
Yes, the seven friends are among the most interesting characters you’ll come across. They are not to be trusted, or believed, but you must care for them. Richard is wild, possessive, the male star of the company.Wren is delicate and shy, the Ophelia of the group. Alexander doesn't really know what to do with his life, James knows what to do but is too afraid to do it. The three most interesting characters are Oliver, Meredith and Filipa.Meredith is my spirit animal. Fierce, demanding, questioning everything, but sensitive and always uncertain of herself and her abilities. I love her! Filipa is a beautiful soul, loyal, tender, the rock that keeps everyone solid, struggling for them to retain their sanity. Oliver is the heat of the story, he is kindness and innocence and the proof that there is still some good in this world that cannot be destroyed. Poor Oliver…
The writing is exceptional! Oliver’s speech on the essence of Shakespeare is the best I’ve ever read. The whole spirit of the Bard enclosed in a short paragraph, better than any collection of academic essays. Modern language interacts with Shakespeare’s immortal lines in a brilliant flow of speech.
There are so many incredible twists, so much insight into the human soul. What about lies? Lies that are used to protect loved ones? Lies that we have taken for granted for all our lives? Who is the villain?Shakespeare knew human nature better than any psychologist. He knew that there is no clear line between a villain and victim. Just as it often happens in real life. And this is so beautifully transferred in Rio’s marvelous novel that makes one wonder whether we actually know where our ‘’good’’ self end and the ‘’bad’’ begins. This duality is a never-ending battle…
This is a beautiful, moving book, created with darkness, strife and sensitivity. Read it and see for yourselves…
''When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?''
''When the hurlyburly’s done. When the battle’s lost and won.''
Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 1
Measure for Measure, Act 4, Scene 2
Why midnight?Midnight stands between light and darkness. The day that has been completed and the new one that slowly attempts to rise. During midnight, two key events take place in this glorious book, and like this haunting
Show More
time of day, our characters are walking the thin line between good and evil. And for this, they make the best ‘’villains’’.This book is so exquisite,so darkly beautiful that I didn’t want it to end. What fascinated me more was the fact that it is not only an ode to the immortal genius that is Shakespeare, but a hymn to the significance and immense value of the Villain. Well-written villains are the crown jewels in Literature and a large majority of readers find them absolutely fascinating as they have shaped -and continue shaping- Literature and Theatre. Shakespeare’s villains, in particular, are the core of his greatest plays. Is Macbeth a villain? Or Shylock? What about Brutus or Edmund? Or Iago who seems to have absolutely no redeeming qualities?
In M.L.Rio’s novel, we have seven four-year students that are about to graduate and become actors in the real world. A tragic event following a short period of intense feelings causes their world to tumble down. Passions and hidden animosity come forward and the villains become victims and the victims are turned to villains on their own freewill.
‘’By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.’’
Macbeth, Act 4 , Scene 1
M.L. Rio manages to use and refer to every play by the Bard and some of his sonnets, but there are four plays which shape the narrative.Macbeth, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet. Each one serves a different purpose and Rio works them in the story masterfully. Wicked deeds are set in motion when a member of this fellowship loses the sense of right and wrong, and as in Julius Caesar, the battle between friends and the acts that can be considered treasonous consist the essence of the entire story. The theme of problematic friendship is present in Macbeth as well, where Macbeth turns against his loyal friend, Banquo, guided by ambition and a misleading wish for power. Perhaps, Macbeth is the play most presented and quoted in the novel, something that contributes to its foreboding beauty. There is a sequence of a production of the Scottish Play, set during the night of Halloween, in the darkness, outdoors. It is among the most beautiful and most powerful depictions I've ever read or watched. Theatre directors should definitely consult Rio before they attempt to deal with Macbeth. I’d dare to say that the Bard himself would certainly embrace it. It is an eerie, haunting scene, an exaltation of Will’s masterpiece.
‘’Believe none of us.’’
Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1
Yes, the seven friends are among the most interesting characters you’ll come across. They are not to be trusted, or believed, but you must care for them. Richard is wild, possessive, the male star of the company.Wren is delicate and shy, the Ophelia of the group. Alexander doesn't really know what to do with his life, James knows what to do but is too afraid to do it. The three most interesting characters are Oliver, Meredith and Filipa.Meredith is my spirit animal. Fierce, demanding, questioning everything, but sensitive and always uncertain of herself and her abilities. I love her! Filipa is a beautiful soul, loyal, tender, the rock that keeps everyone solid, struggling for them to retain their sanity. Oliver is the heat of the story, he is kindness and innocence and the proof that there is still some good in this world that cannot be destroyed. Poor Oliver…
The writing is exceptional! Oliver’s speech on the essence of Shakespeare is the best I’ve ever read. The whole spirit of the Bard enclosed in a short paragraph, better than any collection of academic essays. Modern language interacts with Shakespeare’s immortal lines in a brilliant flow of speech.
There are so many incredible twists, so much insight into the human soul. What about lies? Lies that are used to protect loved ones? Lies that we have taken for granted for all our lives? Who is the villain?Shakespeare knew human nature better than any psychologist. He knew that there is no clear line between a villain and victim. Just as it often happens in real life. And this is so beautifully transferred in Rio’s marvelous novel that makes one wonder whether we actually know where our ‘’good’’ self end and the ‘’bad’’ begins. This duality is a never-ending battle…
This is a beautiful, moving book, created with darkness, strife and sensitivity. Read it and see for yourselves…
''When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?''
''When the hurlyburly’s done. When the battle’s lost and won.''
Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 1
Show Less
LibraryThing member AmaliaGavea
‘’’Tis now dead midnight.’’
Measure for Measure, Act 4, Scene 2
Why midnight?Midnight stands between light and darkness. The day that has been completed and the new one that slowly attempts to rise. During midnight, two key events take place in this glorious book, and like this haunting
This book is so exquisite,so darkly beautiful that I didn’t want it to end. What fascinated me more was the fact that it is not only an ode to the immortal genius that is Shakespeare, but a hymn to the significance and immense value of the Villain. Well-written villains are the crown jewels in Literature and a large majority of readers find them absolutely fascinating as they have shaped -and continue shaping- Literature and Theatre. Shakespeare’s villains, in particular, are the core of his greatest plays. Is Macbeth a villain? Or Shylock? What about Brutus or Edmund? Or Iago who seems to have absolutely no redeeming qualities?
In M.L.Rio’s novel, we have seven four-year students that are about to graduate and become actors in the real world. A tragic event following a short period of intense feelings causes their world to tumble down. Passions and hidden animosity come forward and the villains become victims and the victims are turned to villains on their own freewill.
‘’By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.’’
Macbeth, Act 4 , Scene 1
M.L. Rio manages to use and refer to every play by the Bard and some of his sonnets, but there are four plays which shape the narrative.Macbeth, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet. Each one serves a different purpose and Rio works them in the story masterfully. Wicked deeds are set in motion when a member of this fellowship loses the sense of right and wrong, and as in Julius Caesar, the battle between friends and the acts that can be considered treasonous consist the essence of the entire story. The theme of problematic friendship is present in Macbeth as well, where Macbeth turns against his loyal friend, Banquo, guided by ambition and a misleading wish for power. Perhaps, Macbeth is the play most presented and quoted in the novel, something that contributes to its foreboding beauty. There is a sequence of a production of the Scottish Play, set during the night of Halloween, in the darkness, outdoors. It is among the most beautiful and most powerful depictions I've ever read or watched. Theatre directors should definitely consult Rio before they attempt to deal with Macbeth. I’d dare to say that the Bard himself would certainly embrace it. It is an eerie, haunting scene, an exaltation of Will’s masterpiece.
‘’Believe none of us.’’
Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1
Yes, the seven friends are among the most interesting characters you’ll come across. They are not to be trusted, or believed, but you must care for them. Richard is wild, possessive, the male star of the company.Wren is delicate and shy, the Ophelia of the group. Alexander doesn't really know what to do with his life, James knows what to do but is too afraid to do it. The three most interesting characters are Oliver, Meredith and Filipa.Meredith is my spirit animal. Fierce, demanding, questioning everything, but sensitive and always uncertain of herself and her abilities. I love her! Filipa is a beautiful soul, loyal, tender, the rock that keeps everyone solid, struggling for them to retain their sanity. Oliver is the heat of the story, he is kindness and innocence and the proof that there is still some good in this world that cannot be destroyed. Poor Oliver…
The writing is exceptional! Oliver’s speech on the essence of Shakespeare is the best I’ve ever read. The whole spirit of the Bard enclosed in a short paragraph, better than any collection of academic essays. Modern language interacts with Shakespeare’s immortal lines in a brilliant flow of speech.
There are so many incredible twists, so much insight into the human soul. What about lies? Lies that are used to protect loved ones? Lies that we have taken for granted for all our lives? Who is the villain?Shakespeare knew human nature better than any psychologist. He knew that there is no clear line between a villain and victim. Just as it often happens in real life. And this is so beautifully transferred in Rio’s marvelous novel that makes one wonder whether we actually know where our ‘’good’’ self end and the ‘’bad’’ begins. This duality is a never-ending battle…
This is a beautiful, moving book, created with darkness, strife and sensitivity. Read it and see for yourselves…
''When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?''
''When the hurlyburly’s done. When the battle’s lost and won.''
Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 1
Measure for Measure, Act 4, Scene 2
Why midnight?Midnight stands between light and darkness. The day that has been completed and the new one that slowly attempts to rise. During midnight, two key events take place in this glorious book, and like this haunting
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time of day, our characters are walking the thin line between good and evil. And for this, they make the best ‘’villains’’.This book is so exquisite,so darkly beautiful that I didn’t want it to end. What fascinated me more was the fact that it is not only an ode to the immortal genius that is Shakespeare, but a hymn to the significance and immense value of the Villain. Well-written villains are the crown jewels in Literature and a large majority of readers find them absolutely fascinating as they have shaped -and continue shaping- Literature and Theatre. Shakespeare’s villains, in particular, are the core of his greatest plays. Is Macbeth a villain? Or Shylock? What about Brutus or Edmund? Or Iago who seems to have absolutely no redeeming qualities?
In M.L.Rio’s novel, we have seven four-year students that are about to graduate and become actors in the real world. A tragic event following a short period of intense feelings causes their world to tumble down. Passions and hidden animosity come forward and the villains become victims and the victims are turned to villains on their own freewill.
‘’By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.’’
Macbeth, Act 4 , Scene 1
M.L. Rio manages to use and refer to every play by the Bard and some of his sonnets, but there are four plays which shape the narrative.Macbeth, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet. Each one serves a different purpose and Rio works them in the story masterfully. Wicked deeds are set in motion when a member of this fellowship loses the sense of right and wrong, and as in Julius Caesar, the battle between friends and the acts that can be considered treasonous consist the essence of the entire story. The theme of problematic friendship is present in Macbeth as well, where Macbeth turns against his loyal friend, Banquo, guided by ambition and a misleading wish for power. Perhaps, Macbeth is the play most presented and quoted in the novel, something that contributes to its foreboding beauty. There is a sequence of a production of the Scottish Play, set during the night of Halloween, in the darkness, outdoors. It is among the most beautiful and most powerful depictions I've ever read or watched. Theatre directors should definitely consult Rio before they attempt to deal with Macbeth. I’d dare to say that the Bard himself would certainly embrace it. It is an eerie, haunting scene, an exaltation of Will’s masterpiece.
‘’Believe none of us.’’
Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1
Yes, the seven friends are among the most interesting characters you’ll come across. They are not to be trusted, or believed, but you must care for them. Richard is wild, possessive, the male star of the company.Wren is delicate and shy, the Ophelia of the group. Alexander doesn't really know what to do with his life, James knows what to do but is too afraid to do it. The three most interesting characters are Oliver, Meredith and Filipa.Meredith is my spirit animal. Fierce, demanding, questioning everything, but sensitive and always uncertain of herself and her abilities. I love her! Filipa is a beautiful soul, loyal, tender, the rock that keeps everyone solid, struggling for them to retain their sanity. Oliver is the heat of the story, he is kindness and innocence and the proof that there is still some good in this world that cannot be destroyed. Poor Oliver…
The writing is exceptional! Oliver’s speech on the essence of Shakespeare is the best I’ve ever read. The whole spirit of the Bard enclosed in a short paragraph, better than any collection of academic essays. Modern language interacts with Shakespeare’s immortal lines in a brilliant flow of speech.
There are so many incredible twists, so much insight into the human soul. What about lies? Lies that are used to protect loved ones? Lies that we have taken for granted for all our lives? Who is the villain?Shakespeare knew human nature better than any psychologist. He knew that there is no clear line between a villain and victim. Just as it often happens in real life. And this is so beautifully transferred in Rio’s marvelous novel that makes one wonder whether we actually know where our ‘’good’’ self end and the ‘’bad’’ begins. This duality is a never-ending battle…
This is a beautiful, moving book, created with darkness, strife and sensitivity. Read it and see for yourselves…
''When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?''
''When the hurlyburly’s done. When the battle’s lost and won.''
Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 1
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LibraryThing member ireneattolia
low key was disappointed that this didn't quite fill the secret history sized hole in my heart but ya know, it was still pretty goddamn fantastic
LibraryThing member thebacklistbook
This one fair blew my socks off. Well, it would have but I tend to avoid wearing them whenever possible.
The flow and pacing were perfection! I had to avoid reading it after bedtime or I was liable to read several hundred pages in one shot. Which is only a bad thing because I need sleep. Writing
You will not see anything coming with this book. you will be totally thrown by this modern take on the whodunit novel.
The flow and pacing were perfection! I had to avoid reading it after bedtime or I was liable to read several hundred pages in one shot. Which is only a bad thing because I need sleep. Writing
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style was so on point I didn't even mind the characters speaking in verse. My favorite character is probably Filippa. Go read it and it will be blatantly obvious why.You will not see anything coming with this book. you will be totally thrown by this modern take on the whodunit novel.
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LibraryThing member seasonsoflove
This book was incredible! I read it in one sitting, in less than 5 hours, because I could not put it down. The main character has been in prison for 10 years for a crime we don't originally know the details of. Now that he is out, and the detective who pursued the case is retiring, he is finally
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ready to tell the truth of what happened. The characters are so complex, the solution is so twisty and suspenseful, and the end made me gasp out loud. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
If one were to take a boarding school story, throw in a mysterious death, add to it the psychology of guilt, and top it off with a lot of Shakespeare, you get something like If We Were Villains. The story starts at the end, upon the main character’s release from prison, where he spent the last
While it is a decent murder mystery, If We Were Villains is almost better as an homage to Shakespeare. Ms. Rio structures the book as one of Shakespeare’s plays, the characters are deep into their final year of performing nothing but his plays, and they speak to each other using Shakespeare’s dialogue as their own. Everything Oliver and his friends do and say oozes Shakespeare. While one does not technically need to be a Shakespearean expert to enjoy the novel, any prior knowledge about his plays and their general structure will improve one’s enjoyment of the novel. Along the same lines, while understanding the quotes is not necessary to understand the story, being familiar with the dialogue and being able to interpret it will improve one’s understanding of key scenes. Ms. Rio often uses the context of the plays as enacted by the characters to build the emotional context of her story. The text is too closely intertwined with Shakespeare to be able to ignore those sections completely.
When I first started writing this review, I kept thinking of the introduction for the 1990s MTV show The Real World: “This is the true story, of seven strangers, picked to live in a house, work together, and have their lives taped. Find out what happens, when people stop being polite, and start getting real.” If We Were Villains is The Real World but when these strangers live and work together for four years rather than a few months. Just like in the TV show, tensions rise, sides are chosen, people take on various roles as required by any group of people. However, to discount the strain of acting upon the seven is to ignore a key stressor in their lives. Because they are together all the time, they forget where their emotions end and the emotions of their characters begin. The lines between the real world and the acting world blur and therein lies the conflict.
In a novel full of pretension and superiority complexes, it would be easy to dismiss Oliver and his friends as nothing more than spoiled college kids who have no understanding of the real world. In some ways, this is very true. They are complete in their isolation. The town in which the college resides is small, and the college itself accepts a small number of students. In addition, there is little interaction among the various arts disciplines outside of meal times and parties. Then, for Oliver and his friends, they are staying in a residence hall that is well-removed from the rest of the campus and surrounded by woods. They have almost no contact with the outside world and even find themselves removed from their fellow classmates. Yet it would be difficult to say that they have no understanding of the real world. Their obsession with the Bard affords them a better understanding of the human mind than most of their contemporaries. Through rigorous tutelage of Shakespeare, his words and the emotions they evoke, the historical context, and the like, they understand better than other college students and most adults man’s capacity for drama and man’s ability to be swept up by emotions. This should make them less susceptible to falling prey to those same emotions. However, emotions rule all Shakespeare plays, and in this way, If We Were Villains mirrors Shakespeare.
If We Were Villains is so much more than a murder mystery. It explores human nature and the fine lines that separate all emotions. It is reality television for the literary mind, with its closed set and closed cast. Moreover, it is a love note to Shakespeare and his co-authors, for the plays that capture the essence of human emotion and the words which do more to express that emotion more than anything written to date. While not for everyone, it is a worthy story that is immensely readable and exciting.
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ten years for a murder charge. However, who the victim was and the motivation for the crime remain a mystery. The rest of the story, minus introductory sections between each act, is one big flashback, as Oliver reflects on his senior year at the college, his friends and rivals, and the events that brought him to prison.While it is a decent murder mystery, If We Were Villains is almost better as an homage to Shakespeare. Ms. Rio structures the book as one of Shakespeare’s plays, the characters are deep into their final year of performing nothing but his plays, and they speak to each other using Shakespeare’s dialogue as their own. Everything Oliver and his friends do and say oozes Shakespeare. While one does not technically need to be a Shakespearean expert to enjoy the novel, any prior knowledge about his plays and their general structure will improve one’s enjoyment of the novel. Along the same lines, while understanding the quotes is not necessary to understand the story, being familiar with the dialogue and being able to interpret it will improve one’s understanding of key scenes. Ms. Rio often uses the context of the plays as enacted by the characters to build the emotional context of her story. The text is too closely intertwined with Shakespeare to be able to ignore those sections completely.
When I first started writing this review, I kept thinking of the introduction for the 1990s MTV show The Real World: “This is the true story, of seven strangers, picked to live in a house, work together, and have their lives taped. Find out what happens, when people stop being polite, and start getting real.” If We Were Villains is The Real World but when these strangers live and work together for four years rather than a few months. Just like in the TV show, tensions rise, sides are chosen, people take on various roles as required by any group of people. However, to discount the strain of acting upon the seven is to ignore a key stressor in their lives. Because they are together all the time, they forget where their emotions end and the emotions of their characters begin. The lines between the real world and the acting world blur and therein lies the conflict.
In a novel full of pretension and superiority complexes, it would be easy to dismiss Oliver and his friends as nothing more than spoiled college kids who have no understanding of the real world. In some ways, this is very true. They are complete in their isolation. The town in which the college resides is small, and the college itself accepts a small number of students. In addition, there is little interaction among the various arts disciplines outside of meal times and parties. Then, for Oliver and his friends, they are staying in a residence hall that is well-removed from the rest of the campus and surrounded by woods. They have almost no contact with the outside world and even find themselves removed from their fellow classmates. Yet it would be difficult to say that they have no understanding of the real world. Their obsession with the Bard affords them a better understanding of the human mind than most of their contemporaries. Through rigorous tutelage of Shakespeare, his words and the emotions they evoke, the historical context, and the like, they understand better than other college students and most adults man’s capacity for drama and man’s ability to be swept up by emotions. This should make them less susceptible to falling prey to those same emotions. However, emotions rule all Shakespeare plays, and in this way, If We Were Villains mirrors Shakespeare.
If We Were Villains is so much more than a murder mystery. It explores human nature and the fine lines that separate all emotions. It is reality television for the literary mind, with its closed set and closed cast. Moreover, it is a love note to Shakespeare and his co-authors, for the plays that capture the essence of human emotion and the words which do more to express that emotion more than anything written to date. While not for everyone, it is a worthy story that is immensely readable and exciting.
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LibraryThing member AmalieTurner
4.5 Stars. This book so good. The characters are so unique and it really feels like we are getting a glimpse into a real friend group with flaws and rivalries and sexual tension. I flew through this book in two days. I could see how this book could feel a bit slow if you weren't reading the whole
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thing in a short period of time. I was hoping for a big twist ending but really this book is a thriller with a slow burn mystery. It explores friendships and rivalries and really digs into the psyche of actors and their craft. I can't believe this was a debut novel. This book is going to be one of those that stay with me for a long time. I haven't read anything like this in the past. It was dark and felt very real. I think this story is going to haunt me for a long time to come. Show Less
LibraryThing member LDVoorberg
A great mystery-thriller kond of book that is not really of either genre. Seven 4th year acting students study nothing but Shakespeare and quote him relentlessly (and wonderfully) and eventually their lives take on their own tragedy. Shakespeare's plays/scenes are crafted into the text to add depth
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to both the plays and the novel. The mood is dark and stormy and makes for a great read! Show Less
LibraryThing member DGRachel
This was a well-written, captivating debut novel. A quick read, full of interesting characters, with a nicely done ending. An appreciation of The Bard is helpful, but definitely not a prerequisite. I look forward to more from M. L. Rio. A solid 3.5 star read.
LibraryThing member swedishreader
The premise of this book was amazing: with Shakespeare, friend groups, obsession etc! Though it could have had a bit more development in both characters and story. I couldn't get into the characters as much as i wanted, and it felt a bit fast paced in certain places.
LibraryThing member Moshepit20
"You can justify anything if you can do it poetically enough."
Okay so this book reminded me why I never read thrillers or mysteries. The MCs always come off as assholes who think they're better than everyone else and it's just boring to read things from their perspective. I'm giving it 1.5 stars
Okay so this book reminded me why I never read thrillers or mysteries. The MCs always come off as assholes who think they're better than everyone else and it's just boring to read things from their perspective. I'm giving it 1.5 stars
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because the Shakespeare focus was cleve Show Less
LibraryThing member sbenne3
This was a good read that really came together at the end (perhaps a bit to long into the book). The story itself was a very interesting premise, but the book would have been much better with a bit more character development. It was difficult to keep track of the themes because the characters were
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a bit hard to get to know. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sheila1957
Oliver is being released from prison after serving his sentence for murder. The detective who sent him there has also visited him through the years. Joe is no longer a cop. He wants to know the truth of what happened 10 years ago. Oliver agrees to tell him once he is out of prison. They meet at the
I loved this book. Oliver and his friends are drama students at Dellecher Classical Conservatory. They are now in their fourth year. Things are changing between them and not necessarily for the better. Richard has always gotten the leads in the Shakespearean plays they do. Meredith is his girlfriend and usually has the female lead. Oliver's roommate is James. They get the sidekick roles usually while Alexander gets the villain roles. Wren, Richard's cousin, and Filippa get the remaining female roles or cross-dress for the male roles. They have been accustomed to these roles although some would like to expand their repertoire. One night a party goes wrong and Richard is found in the lake bleeding. The remaining six make a decision. Is it the right one?
So much happens. I liked how the book is written in an almost play format as Oliver tells the story.
I did finally figure out who did it. I know why Oliver made his decisions. I could not say why the others made their decisions. Their last play together, King Lear, was explosive. I liked how the play ended.
I cannot say I agree with Oliver's decision, but I understand it. I liked Filippa a lot. She is true blue. Meredith was a mean girl. I do not know what Oliver saw in her. I liked James. I wish a few things about him had been clearer throughout the story. Richard was a bully. Alexander was troubled. Wren was there but not always noticeable.
This is one of the best books I've read this year. I was hooked from the first page.
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school where it all happened and Oliver tells the tale. I loved this book. Oliver and his friends are drama students at Dellecher Classical Conservatory. They are now in their fourth year. Things are changing between them and not necessarily for the better. Richard has always gotten the leads in the Shakespearean plays they do. Meredith is his girlfriend and usually has the female lead. Oliver's roommate is James. They get the sidekick roles usually while Alexander gets the villain roles. Wren, Richard's cousin, and Filippa get the remaining female roles or cross-dress for the male roles. They have been accustomed to these roles although some would like to expand their repertoire. One night a party goes wrong and Richard is found in the lake bleeding. The remaining six make a decision. Is it the right one?
So much happens. I liked how the book is written in an almost play format as Oliver tells the story.
I did finally figure out who did it. I know why Oliver made his decisions. I could not say why the others made their decisions. Their last play together, King Lear, was explosive. I liked how the play ended.
I cannot say I agree with Oliver's decision, but I understand it. I liked Filippa a lot. She is true blue. Meredith was a mean girl. I do not know what Oliver saw in her. I liked James. I wish a few things about him had been clearer throughout the story. Richard was a bully. Alexander was troubled. Wren was there but not always noticeable.
This is one of the best books I've read this year. I was hooked from the first page.
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LibraryThing member thebacklistbook
This one fair blew my socks off. Well, it would have but I tend to avoid wearing them whenever possible.
The flow and pacing were perfection! I had to avoid reading it after bedtime or I was liable to read several hundred pages in one shot. Which is only a bad thing because I need sleep. Writing
You will not see anything coming with this book. you will be totally thrown by this modern take on the whodunit novel.
The flow and pacing were perfection! I had to avoid reading it after bedtime or I was liable to read several hundred pages in one shot. Which is only a bad thing because I need sleep. Writing
Show More
style was so on point I didn't even mind the characters speaking in verse. My favorite character is probably Filippa. Go read it and it will be blatantly obvious why.You will not see anything coming with this book. you will be totally thrown by this modern take on the whodunit novel.
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LibraryThing member TheEllieMo
Not really much of a murder mystery. Bunch of Shakespeare-quoting, rather annoying, drama students get wound up, the most obnoxious one ends up dead, anyone with half a brain can work out what happened from halfway through.
LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
As a theatre major in late 90s/early 00s, I absolutely loved this book, but it definitely is not for everyone.
Language
Original publication date
2017
Physical description
358 p.; 21 cm
ISBN
9781250095299