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There are currently 25 member reviews
for If We Were Villains
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Joyce W. (Rochester, MN)
Fascinating and Clever
I really liked this book. There were just enough characters to keep it interesting, but not too many to get mixed up. The premise of fourth year theatre school students in a midwestern city made for an intriguing setting. The suspense was very cleverly created by giving the reader major bad news of what was going to happen (although not all) and then telling what led up to the event and outcome. I liked having Shakespeare dialogue inserted, very effective. I liked everything about this book and will watch for her next one. The only thing I would change is the cover of the book showing a skull; I think it turns away possible readers, by inferring horror or something too dark to read. Although, maybe that appeals to younger people since they are into dystopia books.
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Diane S. (Batavia, IL)
If we were villiana
4.5. A small elite school, a theater program that is only about Shakespeare, seven friends, seniors, together from the beginning, strong, intense friendships formed. Oliver, our narrator, one of the seven, just released from spending tempers in prison. How did something so special, so promising, go so wrong?
A novel of love, obsession, friendship passion and betrayal. Spending all their on and off time together, this little theater group becomes more important to each other than their real families, than the real world. Shakespeare takes over their lives, the plays they perform, always having to be on, the intense study, rehearsals, they even speak to each other in Shakespearean quotes. The author, and this her first book, does a fantastic job incorporating these quotes, fitting them into the context of the plot, often providing clues and foreshadowing into what has happened. Their obsessions with each other, and Shakespeare lead to dangerous breaks in reality. The plays begin to mimic life and these young people begin to fall apart, deconstruct with horrifying results. We learn so much about these characters, not only from the roles they play but in how they treat each other, how they behave when their loyalty is tested.
Not you typical thriller, more character studies but suspenseful nonetheless. It is not necessary to have a full understanding of Shakespeare's plays but necessary I think to be willing to read many quotes and speeches. I loved every minute of it, thought it was brilliantly done was thoroughly captivated by the players and curious to how it would end. A very special, well thought out, and executed debut novel.
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Diana C. (Delray Beach, FL)
"Lord, what fools these mortals be..."
Take a bit of Donna Tartt's "The Secret History," plenty of Shakespearean passages, riveting prose and you have "If We Were Villains." I am always awed by authors whose first works are destined to become classics. This book is no exception. The story is part murder mystery, part unrequited love story, and part tale of the consequences of obsession. All the elements one would find in one of the Bard's classics. If I could give this book in excess of 5 stars, I would.
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Susan L. (Alexandria, VA)
Tragically Beautiful
This book is worthy of bardolotry. It is tragically beautiful in both structure and character. The characters borrow lines from Shakespeare as they play out their own villainous roles in a tragedy of their own making. The tension held taut until the final page. Excellent for Shakespeare lovers and fans of gripping tales.
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Chris (California)
Shakespearean Suspense
I liked this book a lot. The seven 4th-year Shakespearean actors and scholars were intriguing and well developed. They are at a small college and had been intensely studying and acting Shakespeare together for their entire college years. I initially worried that keeping seven characters straight was going to be challenging, but the author made them unique individuals fairly quickly. The heavy use of Shakespearean quotes added an interesting dimension to the characters and the book. The true story of what happened to them ten years earlier is gradually revealed, which of course makes it difficult to put the book down (I'll just read one more chapter and then stop) because of the suspense. It is well written and definitely grabbed me from the beginning although the use of parentheses bothered me a little - not sure it was necessary.
This would be a good book for discussion groups and it would not have to be limited to fans of Shakespeare. What could happen to members of any small, closely-connected group of people? What about the effects of secrets and guilt on people and relationships? Could you do what Oliver did? I am still thinking about this book days after finishing it.
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John W. (Saint Louis, MO)
Shakespeare in the Modern Age
If We Were Villains is an incredible read even if you are not a Shakespeare fan. When the novel opens, Oliver Marks, one of seven young actors studying Shakespeare at an elite college in Illinois, finishing up a ten-year sentence in prison for the murder of one of his classmates. After ten years of silence, he decides to finally tell the truth of the events that occurred the night of the murder.
The book is extremely well written with gradual revelation of events from the past with the presence. It's suspenseful and every page you wonder if this is when you'll learn what really happened. Warning if you don't like Shakespeare – lines from his works are heavily quoted in the book. The book is told in five acts and the characters play the roles common in all his works – the hero, villain, tyrant and the femme fatale. The author has made each of the characters genuine, likable, and sympathetic. Highly recommended!
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Judy K. (Conroe, TX)
Gave my brain a workout!
This isn't your ordinary murder mystery. This is so cleverly done, even as you read the last page, you're saying, "Wait! WHAAAAT?" I learned a few things from this book. For instance, I never knew there were college kids who majored in Shakespearean drama and who could carry on entire conversations in Shakespearean English. I never knew kids could become obsessed with Shakespeare at 11 years of age. This book was engaging from the jump and kept you wondering until (and past) the end. I would've given it 5 stars except I'm not sure everyone would enjoy the Shakespearean quotes which are on practically every page. If you're into the Bard, then you've hit the jackpot. If you like a good mystery, a good story, then you, too, will enjoy this book.
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