I knew when youd be getting out, and I waited. And what will happen to them now?.. Biiiiiiiiii. He uses a mash-up of different lines from Lear to try to tell Oliver what he's going through without saying it outright using the Fool's line from Act 1, Scene 4 and then skipping ahead to a scene between Edmund and Edgar. So I still think he's canonically alive but it's not super in character, idk. his girlfriend. 1. It's one of the best books I've read so far in . I loved him and Meredith from the jump. Oliver accepts but requests that Colborne not act upon what Oliver will tell him. If We Were Villains - M.L. The scene was also very quiet, the sound of the waves being the only lullaby to our wavering voices. I blinked away the wetness building in my eyes, and pretended not to feel the crashing weight on my chest. You had no right to take my place., Yes, but what were you protecting me from? Sure, they're utter trainwrecks who would be unendurable in real . Maybe brighter than they had been since the night of Richards death. On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. Wren, being the angel she was, was more than willing to listen. So, of course, I would jump at the slightest chance that he might be alive, waiting for me in a place that would be only ours to find. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading If We Were Villains: The sensational TikTok Book Club pick. However, in the coming weeks, Richard grows more violent and begins to attack his fellow students, including his girlfriend Meredith, James, and Oliver, onstage during Caesar. The book was layed out similar to a script, split into sections with each section being an act in a five-act drama. If We Were Villains is the debut novel of American author M. L. Rio, first published in 2017 by Flatiron Books. James, we would have ended up exactly here. I think youve been mad at me for a long time., Of course Im mad at you. A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. Though that was only a stupid hope I had, I knew there was a chance you wouldnt do it., But then you completed the sentence and was released and, still, you didnt show up. After Oliver visits Meredith over winter break, they grow closer and begin dating and sleeping together more often. They stop and they look. As pretentious and flawed as the core friendship group of the story is, youll be gripped by their tale. IMO: The group of seven spoke in carefully chosen, always intentional Shakespearean quotes. Expertly plotted, beautifully written, 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 "If We Were Villains is a whip-smart, chilling tale of a group of Shakespeare students who are, as the Bard put it, "a little more than kin . Took time, but it kept be busy. He answered, bashfully. Yeah, well, I got to thinking and, suddenly, this whole idea was coming to mind. If we were villains _ M. L. Rio Como um dos sete jovens atores que estudam Shakespeare em uma faculdade de elite, Oliver e seus amigos desempenham os mesmos. And just as my nose had always remained slightly crooked to the side, the loss of James hadnt healed yet. I did consider actually drowning myself, you know? And, yes, I am including Richard in the ones responsible for his death. Yes, that. - stream 11 if we were villains playlists including iwwv, Chris Cornell, and Lorde music from your desktop or mobile device. Richard began to taunt and threaten him, eventually making a homophobic remark in which he accused James and Oliver of being in love with one another and threatening to drown James in the lake. After 10 years of reclusion, even the most dramatic of Shakespearean actors would step back when it came to how much immersion they allow themselves into. I thought you might finally do it, since a dead man couldnt be convicted anymore. But your something is different from Merediths. Truth be told, there was a part of me that refused to hope, and maybe that was what kept me from simply combusting on the spot. Well, Oliver, what in our godforsaken lives has ever made sense? Alexander, Filippa, Wren, Meredith; to them, he had been dead for years. James, I know youre angry and you have a right to be. So what do you all think? I-, James attempted to say something, and his hand seemed to reach up toward me, but both voice and motion halted before they were completed and, maybe thinking better of it, he simply stepped aside, opening the door wider to let me inside. When Oliver returns to Dellecher, he cleans the Castle as part of his new custodial duties, overhearing a visit from Detective Colborne and his partner, during which Colborne admits that, despite the official ruling, he does not believe Richard's death to be an accident. and if we follow Pericles, he was also separated from his family and they thought he was dead before reuniting. M. L. Rio: If we were villains. All I could care about was how my heart raced every time he moved, finding a new spot to lay his kisses, to bruise my skin, making me his. Dont get me wrong. The previous nights melancholia felt odd in the light of morning, with grief and sorrow lost and gone along with the stars. have not finished reading If We Were Villains, we respectfully suggest that you consider waiting before reviewing this guide. The inseparable duo. Just finished reading this and wanted to hear other's opinions on the rather ambiguous ending. You can find me onInstagram,Twitter, andGoodreads. At the cast party, Richard punches a student who had been flirting with Meredith. And then a letter arrived, and as I read Pericless last words, again and again, written in James hasty penmanship, the world flipped again. Intelligent, thrilling, and richly detailed, If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio is a captivating story of the enduring power and passion of words (available April 11, 2017). I also liked the idea of Olivers stupidity brining him more suffering with James not accepting his sacrifice and killing himself but your comment might change how I viewed it, (James : Juliet ) (Oliver : Romeo) (Fillipa : Friar Laurence). This actually shed some light on the ending for me. "It starts like this: whereas everyones eyes skim over Filippa like shes not there, Camilos stop on her. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago. Oliver Marks. When the door came within reaching distance, I knocked, forcefully. If We Were Villains is a great story written by M.L. I finished my mug, but James had been staring into his for a while now, leaving it to get cold. As much as her betrayal hurt me too, I wasnt about to sit there and listen to Jamess rant about her and not say a word. My favourite characters in the book are Phillipa and James, two of the students in Olivers friendship group. IMO, it ties into the bird imagery. James knew Oliver would be free in 4 years. But I think I need to hear you say it. I believe Oliver will know where to look, and I believe they will find each other. This always seemed to be the case for James and me, all those years ago and all these years after. Because, even though I had had my fair share of guilt in it, Ive always hoped I had done more. editing this to add that this is what I clearly and personally WANT to be true, but I'm also not sure it makes complete sense knowing how the guilt would have genuinely eaten up at James etcso either 1) he is alive and kept living to wait for Oliver and Oliver alone, or 2) he's dead, idk why he left that hint, it makes sense that he's dead, my heart is broken obviously, but I still dk why he'd leave that passage. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. My mouth quickly let go of his and found its way onto his neck, and James tipped his head to the side to give me space to work. I was getting nervous again. The glass floor of the stage was no more than an illusion, and while it was beautiful to look at, it was just that: a stage. James was every single constellation that ever was, and having him, touching him. But really, it doesn't take long because I don't have that sort of patience. Alive, breathing, dry and utterly, painfully breathtaking. A work in the dark academia genre, the campus novel is part murder mystery and part dramatic tragedy. I couldnt have Filippa over for lunch and not talk about it, but talking about it was too much to stomach, even with her. Then there was Alexander, who spent the better part of the first few years avoiding everything and everyone, Wren who just flew back to London and never looked back, not that I blame her. As long as I had him, the world could very well burst into flames and disappear, and I wouldnt give a damn. I gave a pause, before looking down and saying: Another quiet wall fell between us. The only light came from inside the house, probably the living room, and the positions in which we stood cast shadows all over James face, so much so that I couldnt distinguish the marks of time which were sure to be there, somewhere. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. You must, since you figured this is where I was.. Not me, though, James death was fresh, new, and painful, as the blood running out of my nose on the day he broke it. Villains: Wren. Her body is cast into the ocean, but unbeknownst to Pericles washes up near the home of a physician who is able to revive her. This year, make If We Were Villains by M.L. In the very first scene, Oliver says, "We did wicked things, but they were necessary, . On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. We knew how to enunciate, how to use our emotions to the benefit of every single sentence that fell out of our lips. ", -------------------------OR-----------------------------------, Oliver knocks on the door of an abandoned cottage where he hopes that the man he went to jail to protect is inside waiting for him after faking his own death (seriously, this is another level of be gay do crime, this is where being a dramatic bitch takes you). If We Were Villains is the debut novel of American author M. L. Rio, first published in 2017 by Flatiron Books. He plots to arrive on Earth and . Oliver's friendship with James for instance was beautifully and subtly written and was one of my favourite parts of the novel. Because I love you. Cmon, Oliver, she wasnt any saint. But only after I thought I couldnt go to you. I corrected. He bent down and kissed my face where it had landed, resting his lips there for a moment. I WANT him to be alive and waiting for Oliver but it makes too little sense and I can't help but think of this one line from one of the previous chapters. In this secluded world of firelight and leather-bound books, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingnue, extras. The following morning, as Oliver cleans their dorm room, he discovers a bloodstained boat hook hidden in James' mattress. I was an actor, a criminal, a friend; I was many, many things but none of those mattered because, first and foremost, I was his. I think he faked his death for Meredith (and maybe Wren) for their closure. Omg this! Truth is, I couldnt say myself, and it was probably the both of you. (LogOut/ . I raised my voice. For courage, in case someone opened. Nothing happened for about five seconds, and I was already raising my hand to try again when a light went on somewhere inside. But even with all the guilt he just had to try to have a chance of real happiness with Oliver. Rio draws on her training as an actor to create the world of an elite drama school ripped apart by a disaster of Shakespearean proportions. Do you wish I had done it? He asked me, flatly. It wasnt long before my own tears were joining the one that James had left on my cheek, and, soon enough, it was undistinguishable where his pain ended and mine began. These members of the original Villains tribe [] But really, it doesn't take long because I don't have that sort of patience. I really wish there was a sequelbut then again the book ended perfectly, Just finished this and had to jump right to Reddit. I think what I couldnt do was pretend anymore. I think James is dead. 4 guests Although those relationships are integral and all-consuming through the novel, you would be remiss to ignore the other layered relationships between the characters, which makes If We Were Villains dynamic and addictive. We were drawn to each other like . It was good that I had taken the time to breathe before setting the scene into motion, because once the door opened, complaining slightly at its hinges, my lungs stopped. Oliver admits that he was in love with James while they were together, but says that he also loved her. His body never located, only his car and the two letters he wrote. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. He is alive, but barely. They were wet; James blinked, and a single drop fell onto my cheek. Meredith also knew about his crimes, she told Colborne. James then grabbed the nearest item the boat hook and hit him with it. It was absurd, really, that it had taken us so long to realize that. As a friend, and something else I cant quite name, I repeated. And in all my love for literature, there was only one thing I knew for sure. When they receive the cast, Alexander's predictions are revealed to be correct. Do you think he loves them in the . My take is this: James was deliberate. Bill Cipher is the main antagonist of the Disney Channel/Disney XD animated series Gravity Falls, serving as the overarching antagonist of season one and the main antagonist of season two. In and out. Out of everyone in the group, I thought she was the most respectful of and dedicated to her friendships with the others. Ten years ago, Marks and his six classmates were . Rio (118) The Secret History - Donna Tartt (2) Original Work (1) Twelfth Night - Shakespeare (1) Oliver is a meek, mild, and quiet young man. I breathed in three times, before moving closer toward the door. If We Were Villians is hard to put down. Really? He cut me off and tried to take his hands away, but I grabbed them, keeping them still between mine. If wed crossed this line before everything happened.. We have provided additional context below. Each begins in the present day with Colborne and Oliver's final interview, and then returns to the bulk of the story, which is Oliver's telling of the events of his fourth year. [1]. Forgive me if it eventually got too much for me to stay. He snapped. What James had done was absolutely insane, and yet, it felt like a plausible line of thought to me. Someone had to carry the guilt, after all, and James lungs were occupied. Something great. I answered and, in the same breath, I allowed the magnets to snap together. At that, James crashed his lips against mine, rearranging himself above me, taking me in, as I allowed him to do whatever he liked. Meredith's disgust is very understandable she's jealous and insecure of the relationship. That was a difficult task, now. Words: Jonathan Wells. Looking in hindsight, it was almost stupid how we hadnt managed to understand our own feelings when we had actually had the chance to act on them. The play performance of this is absolutely incredible, the reader . Phillipa is a mysterious character, and though we dont find out too much about her, she really grew on me throughout the story. 10 years after the events, Oliver is approached by the former police officer who investigated his . You dont know because you got to be punished, and I bet it felt good. I'm inclined to believe that James is still alive, as it doesn't seem to fit with his character to leave that note for Oliver if he was intending to die. Press J to jump to the feed. In September 2022, it was announced that Sex Education producer Eleven Film was co-developing a series adaptation of If We Were Villains with Canadian production company Blink49 Studios.[5]. If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (debut) Publisher: Macmillan Release Date: April 11, 2017 Length: 368 pages Buy on Amazon. 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