If We Were Villains

I just reread it after 3 years and I still love it! At first it's maybe a bit hard to get a good feeling for the characters, but it's just so fun to read throughout the whole book, I was genuinely never bored. I just love everything about it, definitely give it a try if you want a compelling story about friendships, passion, theatre, high stakes, moral conflicts and some dark academia vibes

OMG, this book left me speechless. It was one of the best books I have ever read. Honestly, I feel a bit like Alexander, because this book is like a drug for my brain. I desperatly want to read along, but I know it'll destroy me. A friend borrowed it to me and I only started reading because I wanted to talk with her about it once I've finished. At first, I was a bit sceptical because I usually read a lot of romance and romantasy books. But this feeling quickly vanished and turned into obsession. The characters are brilliantly written and you either love them with your whole heart or hate them like nothing else in the world (I only hated Richard). It might be a bit challenging to read, because of the mass of Shakespeare quotes. But that also made it interesting, as it's so different from what I usually read. During the time I read it, my mind was in a constant state of nostalgic melancholy and yearning. The friendship (and more) of the main characters is just everything!! About the ending: it shattered me in ways I didn't know were possible. And it's not just the story, it's also the meaning behind it. So, what are you waiting for? Buy that book and start reading! You won't regret it. <3

Yes. The first 100 pages are a hard read because everything is a mystery and Rio keeps throwing Shakespear qoutes at us but once you're in the story, you're in! I normally do not re-read books but I've re-read this one about five times. Rio truely is a genius when it comes to writing morally grey characters, especially if you take the time to research the Shakespear references.

M.L. Rio does an incredible job of bringing the characters to life, capturing their complex personalities and their deep, often turbulent friendships, all while immersing us in the world of Shakespearean theater. After seeing so many recommendations on tiktok I just had to get my hands on it and I’m so glad I did because it quickly became my favorite dark academia book!

Me, at the beginning of this book: "They're just college students devoted to shakespeare - how self-destructive could this really get?" This book: "Y E S." As someone who rarely reads crime fiction and actually has little knowledge of shakespeare, I can say that I've probably never turned pages so quickly. I don't know what M. L. Rio puts into this book, but it captivated me! From the gritty setting to the multi-layered characters and the hidden, well-positioned foreshadowing - it really has it all. || • dark academia • friends group of seven students/actors with a passion for shakespeare • murder mystery with theatrical structure • dark secret