Book Review: "If We Were Villains" - Drama Both On Stage & Within the Pages

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Rating: 4/5

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult, Suspense, Coming of Age

Synopsis: In M.L. Rio's debut novel, Oliver has just been released from prison after serving a ten-year sentence for a murder he may or may not have committed. Told through a frame narrative structure, we learn the truth about what really happened during the last year of Oliver's collegiate career and how it tore a close-knit group of seven thespians apart.

Review: Wow. Just wow. If this is Rio’s debut novel, then I am excited to read more by her! I’ll start with the plot. Carefully woven and yet still intriguing and keeping you turning every single page. There were times when it slowed down, yes, but that was necessary for giving readers a second to breathe and soak in what they just read. Rio does a great job at, overall, keeping a consistent pace while also managing to continue amping it up in every “Act.”

One thing that stood out to me with this book was the structure. The novel is divided into five “Acts” with each act starting with a “Prologue” that is set in present-day. And then every chapter is a “scene” within the “Act.” It’s simple, but I thought it was a very inventive way to organize a book that is set around a fine arts/acting college. It made the experience feel even more immersive, like I was apart of the actual drama itself and not just reading about it from my couch. Further, throughout the book, Rio shifts from prose writing to script-writing, especially where dialogue is concerned and when there is a shift in a scene’s tone or vibe. Again, it was something so simple, but it was a detail that sucked me further into the story.

One of the most impressive things to me about this book was the character work and the individual character development. Aside from the side characters, who Rio also handles well and gives life to, she succeeds in having all seven of her main characters come to life. It’s not easy to juggle several main characters and make them all memorable, but Rio succeeds with flying colors. Each of the seven young thespians is unique and has their own personality and development throughout the book. There are times when you love some of them, hate some of them, are confused by them, are unsure of what to think of them, are sad for them, and more. But that’s the beauty of it and that’s where Rio succeeds so well, which further adds a level to the already twisting plot.

Overall, a great mystery read and an author that I will be keeping an eye on in the future.

Read more book views on Instagram @bundlesofbookshop!

This Book Review was originally posted on Instagram on July 24, 2022.