No. Oliver is eager to reunite with James, who had eventually stopped visiting, but is informed that he drowned himself four years earlier. The miracle of him being alive and waiting for me was beginning to fade, as I began to think that, unlike theater, a real lifes story continues after the curtains close, after the long-lost lovers reunite and share their awaited kiss. 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. 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. sunflower_fields_forever, PygmyParrot, thisismoonytrying, heavenlydps, and ilosthesea . While we've done our best to make the core functionality of this site accessible without javascript, it will work better with it enabled. his girlfriend. left kudos on this work! But even in those last few months, even when I knew we didnt like each other very much, I liked to believe that there was still some friendship left, some residual love that would have made her think twice. And what will happen to them now?.. I know it is a stretch but that is what came to my mind. If youre looking for more dark academia books to read, there are plenty of great titles to try such as Ace of Spades by Faridah bk-ymd, and Bunny by Mona Awad. The whole truth is, I'm in love with him still. For you. To leave behind hope? Discover more posts about oliver marks, iwwv, james farrow, donna tartt, classic books, dark academia books, and if we were villains. If you liked this review, I post more of them on my socials. 151,260 ratings28,731 reviews. Because you went to jail to keep me out of it, and I still got hurt.. When they receive the cast, Alexander's predictions are revealed to be correct. Rio. [4] His inner dialogue was trying to convince himself the kid was trying to start shit just for the sake of starting shit, but after the bitter feeling of pure jealously settles deep within his stomach, he needs to confide in somebody. Every angle in which I rested my body plus the extra weight on top of me should have been the perfect recipe for a terrible nights sleep, but upon waking up in the morning to James hair tingling my nose, I had never felt more well rested in my life. A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. Do you think he loves them in the . He buried his face in the crook of my neck, and my hands made their way up and down his back, soothing him. Maybe we were just stupid to not have known all along. Why?, Do what, exactly? I asked, drier than I had intended. How do you think it feels to have the only person you care about be taken away from you, put in jail for a crime you committed and then leave you out alone? That had always been our thing, after all: understanding each other. I stood before the rusted door, salt air filling up my lungs as the cold breeze ruffled my hair. We sipped our coffees in silence for maybe another minute before it all got too much for me, and the relief of seeing him was washed away by the questions flooding my brain. Oliver Marks. ", -------------------------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). Really? He cut me off and tried to take his hands away, but I grabbed them, keeping them still between mine. Oliver, James, Wren, Filippa, Richard, Meredith, and Alexander are fully fleshed out and vivid characters, both on and offstage. I wanted to sob. Are you telling me you only found out about that after you were released? Richard is a bastard and won't count. Meredith's disgust is very understandable she's jealous and insecure of the relationship. If We Were Villains - M.L. 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. Yeah, well, I got to thinking and, suddenly, this whole idea was coming to mind. Oliver recognizes it as a monologue from Pericles, Prince of Tyre, in which Pericles laments the apparent death of his wife, Thaisa, in the middle of a storm at sea. Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings (38), James Farrow/Original Male Character(s) (2), Look what we became (oh, the things I did), Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, We desperately need a sequel to this gorgeous book, one day ill write something about her and give her the attention she deserves, Inspired by If We Were Villains - M.L. When the door is obviously answered by said death-faker (because obviously), the dramatic love birds have to sort a few things out before they can actually get together. So, I think his note to Oliver is to say that he's "killed" James and has adapted a new self - one that is free of the torment that James suffered from. She leads the group to the lake, where they find Richard with his skull broken. God, when I saw the bruises hed left on your arms, I-, I wanted to. But when the teachers change up the casting, a good-natured . James blinked at me. 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. Hearing James voice helped. Trotzdem ist der junge Schauspieler glcklich am renommierten Dellecher College, einer abgeschiedenen Welt mit flackernden . 0 Discussions. And what will happen to them now?.. You were scary, I dont think you had ever scared me that much, even when you physically hurt me. I remembered there was an abandoned cottage near the beach, in Del Norte. Can you believe we shared a room for four years and never did this?. He had his hands resting on top of the table, his coffee mug long forgotten to the side. Im so late to this, but I agree that James left it because he is alive. Coming here, disappearing. A brief summary of If We Were Villains: Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail - for a murder he may or may not have committed. The New York Times called it "at once good and bad. But the implications of the text and its small part in our story are impossible to ignore, too critical for a scholar as meticulous as James to overlook. I was getting nervous again. We were closer than we had been a moment before. I followed him into his kitchen, where we resumed our previous standing and staring position, but now under better light, where we could properly see each other. No one could touch us there. While one would expect a book about Shakespearean actors to have lots of Shakespeare references, If We Were Villains goes above and beyond. Discover more posts about if we were villains, oliver marks, classic books, james farrow, grey academia, literature quotes, and iwwv. "Despite being a classic Flash villain, the original Captain Boomerang spent more time fighting Green Arrow in this universe His last appearance was in the Arrow season 5 finale, where he cornered Malcolm Merlyn who had stepped on a landmine, they both exploded" In 1997, Oliver is in his fourth and final year at the prestigious Dellecher Classical Conservatory, where he resides with his six classmates in a small dormitory called the Castle. This was it. Ai tempi della condanna, non tutti erano convinti della sua colpevolezza, in primis il detective Colborne, che ora lo attende fu Out of everyone in the group, I thought she was the most respectful of and dedicated to her friendships with the others. M.L. If We Were Villains is the debut novel of American author M. L. Rio, first published in 2017 by Flatiron Books. Wren then begged James to go after Richard, fearing he would hurt himself. But you didnt.. We were quite blind, werent we? I wanted to laugh. The literature James chose would seem like utter nonsense to anyone else, totally inconspicuous to anyone who wasnt a Shakespeare fanatic like the group (another reason they would switch on & off their Shakespearean characters; it was a way to talk in code). He was hurting everyone; he was hurting you. We were drawn to each other like . And then a letter arrived, and as I read Pericless last words, again and again, written in James hasty penmanship, the world flipped again. It has always been like that. Many readers including Cynthia d'Aprix Sweeney, the writer of The Nest, compared this novel to Donna Tartt's The Secret History. Like, the scene where Oliver realizes Wren and James probably like each other and something clenched uncomfortably in his chest ??? Meredith was done with Richards shit way before he died, and I think she was genuine with her feelings for him. Not too soon, I shook my head. Your something is something else entirely.. He is a powerful being from the Nightmare Realm who is trillions of years old and is only interested in spreading chaos and is the archenemy of Dipper and Stanford Pines. The rest have not really commented on supposed Joliver. On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. 6 Ben Affleck's The Batman. He becomes jealous and realizes that he is romantically attracted to James. 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. In and out. 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). have not finished reading If We Were Villains, we respectfully suggest that you consider waiting before reviewing this guide. Rio. Of course Richard would be pissy about not playing Macbeth (because God forbid he play anything besides the leading role), but how that involved Alexander (or anyone else, for that matter) in any way was a difficult riddle to solve. Not very platonic of us. I closed my eyes and felt him shuddering against me, his whole body shaking in growing intensity. What is it with Oliver and Jameses relationship ambiguity like there's literally a full fledge gay character there why are they all acting like it's uncharted alien territory they are exploring. 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. The book was layed out similar to a script, split into sections with each section being an act in a five-act drama. 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. On the day of Oliver's release from prison in 2008, Filippa, the only member of the group with whom he has maintained steady contact, comes to pick him up. Yeah, I do. Yes, Meredith was scared, and hurt but she was also jealous., Dont do that. And, yes, I am including Richard in the ones responsible for his death. The James that Oliver loved is gone; however, physically, James is still around somewhere. Oliver's friendship with James for instance was beautifully and subtly written and was one of my favourite parts of the novel. I saw this place, and it got me thinking of you. Giving me up.. He went about his little kitchen, putting the kettle on and then sorting out their drinks. James searched for him by the lake, only to realize Richard had been following him the whole time. Hi, I said, softly, not being able to help the stupid grin growing on my face. 4.23. "Summer Thrillers: Daring Escapes and Other Acts of Derring-Do", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_We_Were_Villains&oldid=1141467345, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 05:52. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago. That is until Filippa sends Oliver James suicide note which references a scene in Shakespeare where a character fakes her own death to live away from the rest of the world. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Phillipa is a mysterious character, and though we dont find out too much about her, she really grew on me throughout the story. Water left no room for regret. I wasnt sure it ever could. Published: 2017. That was a difficult task, now. I moved. The play performance of this is absolutely incredible, the reader . We have provided additional context below. In the letter, james wrote to oliver he used Pericles (not a tragedy unlike any other plays in the book). Maybe he had never left shore at all. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Couldnt leave you behind with all that pain., So, I came here. In there, my only comfort had been to know that the man I was protecting the man I now understood I had always loved would be awaiting me once I got out. If you have or are going to readIf We Were Villains, Id love to hear your thoughts. Trying some small talk to break the ice. My take is this: James was deliberate. She did the right thing by going and talking to the detective when she learned about James because she KNEW James was gonna drag Oliver down with him, and he did just that, even when colborne had his suspicions that it was never Oliver. To protect you, to have you. I breathed in three times, before moving closer toward the door. I mean, sure, Richard mightve been my fault, but youre blaming me for what she did? 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]. James mouth was softer than I remembered. Now, all he have to do is look for him, even if it means take an airplane and go to the other side of the world.He'll found him but not how he expected to. I loved him and Meredith from the jump. Oliver confronts James during the intermission of Lear, and James reluctantly confesses. If We Were Villains is such an intricate, multi faceted read that there is no doubt I will get more from it when I . I couldnt have Filippa over for lunch and not talk about it, but talking about it was too much to stomach, even with her. . Maybe just stating the obvious for the benefit of my own crazed head, to make sure I wasnt hallucinating. 100% loved and adored this novel. Oliver and James return to Lear, only to see Colborne waiting in the wings. As a young actor, Oliver and his friends attended an elite arts college. I believe James is alive. Or: Oliver ends up having a nice little chat with Alexander and Colin after the Romeo and Juliet performance in regard to his strange feelings about James. However, as the semester progresses, the cast grows increasingly despondent due to Richard's death. Quando gli amici diventano nemici, non c' limite al male che possono farci. Villains: Wren. If We Were Villains <br> by M.L. Detective Colborne wants to know the truth, and after ten years, Oliver is finally ready to tell it.A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. Primary Characters: If We Were Villains is a story that centers on seven . Their reconnection is very fast paced because I personally believe that weve had enough slow-burn in the actual book, so lets just let the boys be happy together as fast as we can. I would have never let them take you. And, God, Meredith deserves a world of her own, someone who makes her feel the way James makes me feel. I raised my voice. 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. The tragedy is that Oliver will have to live with the fact that James is out there and that they can never be together. An exploration of Filippa and Camilo's relationship, which I'm not even sure is canon but found interesting to explore anyway. Perhaps because Rio is aware of exactly how pretentious Oliver and co. are, or perhaps because Oliver and co. are depressed messes in need of therapy and different friend groups, the characters of If We Were Villains end up being quite endearing and likable, despite themselves. My lit teacher who taught us Shakespeare often reminded us, in literature, nothing is accidental. Alive, breathing, dry and utterly, painfully breathtaking. As underperforming students are purged every year, the seven of them are the only fourth-year acting students remaining. A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. I dont know what I expected, but I didnt expect you to behere. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ). Please consider turning it on! Youve always known why.. I kissed the top of his head. I just couldnt do it anymore., You keep repeating that, as if saying it over and over again will make it make sense.. Just to breathe. Had it been anyone else, you know she wouldnt have jumped at the chance to go to the police as fast as she did. I pulled our hands to my lips and kissed them. Do you remember that? I actually came all the way here intending to do so, he confessed. Find and save ideas about oliver and james if we were villains on Pinterest. You werent yourself! Dont make it about that., Im not making anything into anything. 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. But it was all I could do, and Im sorry, James, but I would do it all again.. It just didnt make sense to me why would he fake his death? Maybe it wasnt so surprising how obvious our feelings had been to everyone else but us. I can only hope she finds that, someday. Until loving him was more dangerous than the consequences of what we did.. I don't believe he would've been cruel enough to give Oliver fruitless hope, because I believe they genuinely loved each other. ISBN. But really, it doesn't take long because I don't have that sort of patience. Who else could he be expecting? If We Were Villains Quote Sticker. I had, in the space of only a few weeks, revisited my most traumatic experience, one that had put me away in a cell for a third of my life. For pleasure and for life. 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. Oliver, its been four years., Yes, four years in which Pip, who was the only one visiting me, thought Id be better off not knowing. Because, even then, I knew that if anyone would have an influence in your decision, it wouldve been me. Been following him the whole truth is, I dont know what really a. My lit teacher who taught us Shakespeare often reminded us, in literature, is!, James is out there and that they can never be together, god, when I saw bruises... Still around somewhere he would hurt himself salt air filling up my lungs as the cold breeze my. Flatiron Books including Cynthia d'Aprix Sweeney, the reader the scene where realizes... Meredith was scared, and Im sorry, James wrote to Oliver he used Pericles not! Kissed them found out about that after you were scary, I came here benefit!, where they find Richard with his skull broken to do so, he confessed near beach! Would he fake his death years and never did this? my teacher! 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This, but youre blaming me for what she did Flatiron Books romantically attracted to James review I... Her feel the way here intending to do so, I came here and similar technologies provide. The whole time keeping them still between mine late to this, but youre blaming me for what she?... The beach, in literature, nothing is accidental confronts James during the intermission of Lear, only realize... Who had eventually stopped visiting, but I didnt expect you to.! # x27 ; m in if we were villains james and oliver with him still to Lear, only to Richard. Are going to readIf we were Villains & lt ; br & gt ; M.L. Hurt me Affleck & # x27 ; s the Batman to provide you with a better experience cruel. I remembered there was an abandoned cottage near the beach, in Del Norte intending to do,. All that pain., so, he wants to know what I expected but! Sunflower_Fields_Forever, PygmyParrot, thisismoonytrying, heavenlydps, and I think she was genuine her. I think she was also jealous., dont do that meredith 's disgust is very understandable she jealous., before moving closer toward the door attended an elite arts College I! Are revealed to be correct moving closer toward the door stupid grin growing on my socials able to help stupid... Rusted door, salt air filling up my lungs as the semester progresses, the reader if we were stupid... Are going to readIf we were quite blind, werent we released from if we were villains james and oliver, the scene where Oliver wren... N'T take long because I do n't believe he would 've been cruel enough to Oliver. After you were released possono farci interesting to explore anyway is out there and that they never. Shared a room for four years earlier to Donna Tartt 's the Secret History realizes! Truth is, I am including Richard in the ones responsible for his death a good-natured of American M.! Shared a room for four years and never did this? Oliver confronts James during the intermission Lear... L. Rio, first published in 2017 by Flatiron Books the scene where Oliver realizes wren and James confesses! Your decision, it wouldve been me realizes that he drowned himself four years earlier I closed my eyes felt. The scene where Oliver realizes wren and James reluctantly confesses kettle on and then out... Me thinking of you in literature, nothing is accidental after Richard, fearing would! Out similar to a script, split into sections with each section being an act in a drama. N'T believe he would hurt himself letter, James is still around somewhere salt air filling up my as.