If We Were Villains Audiobook By M. L. Rio cover art

If We Were Villains

A Novel

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If We Were Villains

By: M. L. Rio
Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
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Oliver Marks has just served 10 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.

©2017 M. L. Rio (P)2017 Macmillan Audio Literary Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery Suspense Fiction Coming of Age Genre Fiction Exciting

Critic reviews

"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 best-selling author of The Nest)
Intriguing Plot Twists • Shakespearean Integration • Exceptional Voice Acting • Complex Characters • Emotional Depth

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I was so frustrated with this book I almost didn't finish it. It's over 12 hours but there is about 6 hours' worth of novel in it - the rest is filled in with bits of Shakespeare plays. At first I was delighted because I am a Shakespeare buff but it got old that the students were always quoting, even when they were "drunker than I had ever seen him." The premise of the novel is a tease: we know right away a crime has been committed but we don't know what the crime was or when it occurred or "who dunnit." The first "reveal" took WAY too long and so did the second. If this had been a physical book I would have thrown it across the room. I was disappointed in the ending - it didn't seem plausible to me.

This author can really write - the language is beautiful - but IMO the book needs some serious editing.

The narrator was wonderful - his voice sounded just the right age for college students and he varied it nicely among the characters.

Way too long a tease

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The Masterful narration managed to make a full emotional story even more believable. I found myself immersed fully .

Narration OUT of this WORLD

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4.5 stars. This was a compelling story that kept me completely immersed. I highly recommend.

Powerful

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This book isn't bad, but I think what has happened with this book is that it takes the route of a horror franchise that has an amazing original (in this case, The Secret History) but campy sequels with too many characters and not enough wrangling in.

It's not a mystery how much The Secret History influences this book, but unlike Tartt's book, I feel I don't know any of the characters well and Oliver does not change over the course of the book as Richard does. The feeling is just not there. It's not fair of me to compare the two books, and if I had read this first, maybe I would like it more.

I also understand why there are so many Shakespeare lines, but I feel like there are too many. There were some parts that we could have just been told Act 4, Scene Whatever of whatever play is happening rather than getting the long monologues themselves.

However, with all this being said, I really do love the Dark Academia vibes this gives off. I am excited to read more of Rio's work in the Dark Academia anthology. I would like to see what happens with this author when there's a little more separation from The Secret History. Rio's writing itself is excellent and atmospheric. James and Oliver's interactions are AMAZING. I wanted to get to know them better rather than just getting to experience this part of their lives. Right now, it feels like Richard/Francis fanfiction from The Secret History even down to the note left in the epilogue.

I just wish there were fewer, more fleshed out characters. However, I do want to give Rio's other works a try.

Just Read The Secret History

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I was thoroughly emerged in this story. Yes the characters felt pretentious, spoiled, and stupid - but I fell in nonetheless. Great narrator. I enjoyed the parallels between the characters and the parts they played on stage…I loved the Shakespearean tragedy vibe and their dialogue. I’m sure I missed a ton as I only know a select few Shakespeare plays…but enjoyed anyways.

Great Listen

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