#25 in Thriller
If We Were Villains
- 368
- Pages
- about 7 h
- Reading time
Affiliate link: buying through it supports BookRank at no extra cost to you.
About the book
If We Were Villains is the debut novel of American author M. L. Rio, first published in 2017 by Flatiron Books. The novel concerns a murder mystery surrounding Oliver Marks, a former actor at the fictional Dellecher Shakespeare conservatory and primarily takes place during his fourth and final year at the conservatory. A series adaptation of the novel is in development.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.8 across 704 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 79% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Thriller average of 7.6. That is how 7.8 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 7.6 | 24 | 3% |
| Hardcover | 7.8 | 680 | 97% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“Oh god this was so pretentious and flat. Maybe it's because I'm a certified Shakespeare hater but this was a drag to get through. The plot was boring and predictable. I hated the casual misogyny and honestly the homophobia in this book. Oliver was so clearly in love with James, yet he never wanted to name his bisexuality for what it was. Also, Alexander is the stereotypical partying gay predator who likes to turn straight guys gay. The mystery aspect was so contrived and information is given so easily to Oliver as he needed it. All of the women were one dimension and flat. It was such a waste …”
“One of the worst books I've ever read. If you're considering reading this, don't waste your time. The characters are two dimensional (the only adjectives the author uses for one of the female characters are "slutty" and "hot") and the prose is worse than a Wattpad BTS fanfiction. The "plot twist" was just stupid and obvious. It's a pretentious mess that only succeeded in making me wish I could give zero stars. Terrible waste of paper.”
“God, where to even begin? I first started reading this book a few years ago and read about halfways before I just stopped, without reason. I am so so glad I picked it up again and finished it. Just an overall good book that had me on the edge of my seat. The smiles, the crying and the chock it left me in from time to time, up until the very end really just showed me that this book is worth the hype. As someone who knows next to nothing about Shakespeare and all his plays I'm not going to lie, all the lines and quotes were a bit confusing but please! do! not! let that stop you from reading t…”
Frequently asked
What is If We Were Villains rated?
7.8 out of 10, from 704 reader ratings across 2 independent sources.
Is If We Were Villains worth reading?
Readers give it 7.8/10 from 704 ratings, which puts it ahead of 88 % of the Thriller shelf.
How long does it take to read If We Were Villains?
About 7 hours at an average reading pace — 368 pages.
Where does If We Were Villains rank?
#25 in Thriller on the current snapshot.
How long is If We Were Villains?
It has 368 pages — shorter than 54% of the ranked books in Thriller.
If you liked this
The same shelf — Thriller — and a score of 7.8, the closest to this book.
