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. Even in the throws of desperation, James wouldve understood the context behind his chosen text. If We Were Villains - M.L. When they receive the cast, Alexander's predictions are revealed to be correct. So, there I was, standing in front of said cottage, on the beach where he had, allegedly, drowned to death. But your something is different from Merediths. Youre blaming me? Because as much as it might hurt you to know, I do love Meredith. 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. I never have. Truth isn't stranger than fiction despite Mark Twain's best efforts to convince you. 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. Maybe it wasnt so surprising how obvious our feelings had been to everyone else but us. If We Were Villains - M.L. I exhaled, letting the leftover anger that was still inside of me, even all these years later, dissipate. James is alive, and Oliver should think of their trip to Del Norte to find him. A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. It was literally the first thing I wanted to do when I got out. And he wouldve trusted Oliver to understand it as well. Just to stay alive. M.L. Oliver had almost no recollection of the rest of the Christmas masque, slipping in and out of awareness just long enough to get his hands on a drink or to engage in brief pleasantries with onlookers hoping to congratulate him on his performance. And she didnt speak to me for a decade because of that, not until I got out and knocked at her door.. Perhaps they were just the same, after all this time. They never found a body. I think coffee would be great, thank you.. The Merchant of Venice is a very racially controversial play. Detective Colborne wants to . Rio. We would figure it all out, eventually. Not very platonic of us. 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. The James that Oliver loved is gone; however, physically, James is still around somewhere. 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. If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio. 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. Maybe just stating the obvious for the benefit of my own crazed head, to make sure I wasnt hallucinating. Detective Colborne wants to know the truth, and after 10 years, Oliver is finally ready to tell it. Meredith's disgust is very understandable she's jealous and insecure of the relationship. It was absurd, really, that it had taken us so long to realize that. " ?". If We Were Villains is the debut novel of American author M. L. Rio, first published in 2017 by Flatiron Books. I saw this place, and it got me thinking of you. Im not proud of how I acted that last night, and I dont particularly like remembering it. Because I love you. And what will happen to them now?.. And I would go down for it; I did go down for it. Work Search: But no concrete evidence was ever found. Come find me at @bluejaey10 on insta if y'all Wana talk. Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail - for a murder he may or may not have committed. But I think I need to hear you say it. Thats not why Richard is dead. I whispered. 0 Discussions. I told you this, a long time ago. And maybe for just a split second, I, too, knew what drowning felt like.James Farrow stood before me. It would have only tortured Oliver with false hope, and . That was the story I had spent the better part of a month swimming in, myself. James poured us two mugs and gestured for me to sit at the small kitchen table. These are the most fascinating non-fiction books of 2023. But even with all the guilt he just had to try to have a chance of real happiness with Oliver. Let Del Norte be the only place on earth, and the two of us, the only people in it. Its easy. The Jews were just starting to migrate to England and the racism towards them was motivated by their . The two tentatively resume their relationship. It was made pretty clear a few times in the book that James was very good at immersing himself into roles and losing himself in them back in their first class with Gwendolyn and again at the ill-fated Lear rehearsal. Because of all the crimes I have committed, loving you has always been my favorite. "If We Were . Really? He cut me off and tried to take his hands away, but I grabbed them, keeping them still between mine. Surfacing for air but finding my lips instead, and perhaps reading my thoughts, James gasped: Oliver, Im yours. Because that was also true. I think youve been mad at me for a long time., Of course Im mad at you. Rating: 2.5/5. She would not have given Oliver the letter if it ensued any sort of false hope for him. And maybe Im even crazier for loving you so much.. Sure, they're utter trainwrecks who would be unendurable in real . I saw the bruises all over her body, both faded and fresh new. James, I know youre angry and you have a right to be. Whether it's a meditation on time-keeping, a maritime true-life tale or an investigation into waste, these are the titles to add to your reading list this year. Trying to balance my newfound comfort within Merediths presence and the feeling of chocking that grasped my lungs every time I attempted to breath. Said in words others could hear, but only I would listen to. A fleeting thought of Meredith ran through my head, but only for a second. Why?, Do what, exactly? I asked, drier than I had intended. You must, since you figured this is where I was.. 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. For courage, in case someone opened. 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 you spend most of your life in theater, lost in the words of a man who felt and wrote so deeply at every turn of a page, and you go through the sort of experiences that I had gone through, you come out the other side expecting a moment like this to be held with fireworks playing in the background, lullabied by a classic orchestra, and the perfect game of lights to shine on every feature, every blink of the eye. My smile must have faltered at that because James face fell slightly as he apologized. James Farrow Needs A Hug; James and Oliver Deserved Better; Bittersweet; We desperately need a sequel to this gorgeous book; James and Oliver are so in love I can't; Summary. I let go of my own and bent forward, placing my own hand on top of his, squeezing it and tangling our fingers together. Forgive me if it eventually got too much for me to stay. He snapped. 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. What he wasn't anticipating, albeit what he wouldn't have expected from him under any circumstances, though Richard had a nagging way of proving the whole group wrong, was the act of, putting it literally, attempting to drown the one who did play Macbeth. 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. To protect you, to have you. tip: buffy gen teen AND "no archive warnings apply", "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. "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" "Are we Richard tonight or are we Dick?" "Ignore him, Oliver," James said. Its not that, its just it makes me sad., Yeah. Oliver and James. Youve always known why.. Oliver, Alexander, and James decide to fight back during Caesar's death scene, which quickly spirals out of control. As if sensing my brain fume with concerns for the uncertain future, James began to shift on top of me, his head slowly rolling sideways on my chest to look up at me. I think he faked his death for Meredith (and maybe Wren) for their closure. In and out. 151,260 ratings28,731 reviews. 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. I raised my voice. Published: 2017. I pulled our hands to my lips and kissed them. Retiring Detective Colborne has always had his doubts about Olivers guilt, and hes finally going to find out if he was right. As a friend, and something else I cant quite name, I repeated. Rio, inspired by the secret history by donna tartt, I love you so much it scares me half to death (The other half I guess Im giving to you), Alexanders confused but he has the spirit, And Richards still dead (small victories), The Course Of True Love Never Did Run Smooth, Alexander is really not ok guys he needs help, I didn't like the way Oliver handled the situation in the library, No beta we die likemy sleep schedule apparently, but i found it cute and interesting to explore, this is my first time writing a straight couple, I have no clue when the other parts will come out, the sexual content isn't bad it's super brief, you got a nine to five (so i'll take the night shift), I'm not saying that you love me (I'm not saying anything). 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. By clockwork art. James then grabbed the nearest item the boat hook and hit him with it. Someone had to carry the guilt, after all, and James lungs were occupied. sunflower_fields_forever, PygmyParrot, thisismoonytrying, heavenlydps, and ilosthesea Coming here, disappearing. We were blind., Yeah, we were. He had always been the most serious student . Rio 354 pages. He just left all his trauma behind. Discover more posts about oliver marks, iwwv, james farrow, donna tartt, classic books, dark academia books, and if we were villains. Before Colborne can make an arrest, Oliver confesses to Richard's murder, using a slightly tweaked version of James' story. Since I was released, my world had been flipped upside down more times than I cared to admit, and the dizziness of it all left me senseless to what might await me on the other side of that door. If We Were Villains by M.L. He is alive, but barely. What you did was selfish, and you cant fucking deny it! Wrote your note knowing you would understand it, while no one else would. Because you went to jail to keep me out of it, and I still got hurt.. So that was it, for a while. The novel concerns a murder mystery surrounding Oliver Marks, a former actor at the fictional Dellecher Shakespeare conservatory and most of the novel takes place during his 4th and final year at the conservatory. Oliver, I thought they would tell you right away, I thought they would give you the note right away. It has always been like that. If wed crossed this line before everything happened.. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. In the letter, james wrote to oliver he used Pericles (not a tragedy unlike any other plays in the book). If We Were Villains, written by M. L. Rio and published in 2013, 2017, tells the story of Oliver Marks, a former Shakespearian actor at the Dellecher conservatory, and the murder mystery that surrounds his 4th and final year at the conservatory. i agree with you. I think James loved Oliver dearly, but he also is definitely dead in my opinion. Faking your own death. Rio, was published in 2017. A work in the dark academia genre, the campus novel is part murder mystery and part dramatic tragedy. Wren, being the angel she was, was more than willing to listen. Since I couldnt count on the others to help me, I went by myself. I see. He looked down at our tangled hands, and I could see it in his eyes trying to make sense of my feelings. Spice Girls, unite! We were closer than we had been a moment before. Maybe some things would have been different in the overall plot, but I dont think it would have changed the ending. Really say it, he looked up at me again, expectation in his eyes, and maybe something else. The tragedy is that Oliver will have to live with the fact that James is out there and that they can never be together. And just as my nose had always remained slightly crooked to the side, the loss of James hadnt healed yet. Soon enough, the kitchen was smelling nice, the aroma filling my chest and giving me a newfound strength. Even if she eventually went through with it, and confessed it all the same, even if everything ended just as it did; I had hoped she would at least hesitate before giving us all up. 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. Dark Helmet isn't a parody of Darth Vader as much as it is a showcase for Rick . And I dont think he would give Oliver hope just to have it be an empty promise. I was getting nervous again. "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. Giving me up.. And then a letter arrived, and as I read Pericless last words, again and again, written in James hasty penmanship, the world flipped again. What I did, James tried correcting me, but I wouldnt have it. I do love Meredith and maybe a part of me always has. And I wouldnt have regretted it.. After the show, the students throw a party during which a drunk and jealous Richard ends up attacking James, nearly drowning him in the lake where the play was staged. Now i can finally sleep. The first-person narrator of the novel, in the present Oliver has just finished a 10-year prison sentence for the murder of his classmate Richard Stirling. Alexander remembers what it felt like - the horror of it all. 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. 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. 13 characters in If We Were Villains are available for you to type their personalities: James Farrow, Meredith Dardenne, Oliver Marks. James was dead. Oliver's narrative voice is self-deprecatory, revealing that he thinks of himself as a side character in his own story. One being a plain, short, and general farewell. However, Ive been asking myself why fake his death, then? But I really like this idea. As a young actor studying Shakespeare at an elite arts conservatory, Oliver noticed that his talented classmates seem to play the same roles onstage and off - villain, hero, tyrant, temptress - though Oliver felt doomed to always be a secondary character in someone else's story. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago. This always seemed to be the case for James and me, all those years ago and all these years after. If We Were Villains: The sensational TikTok Book Club pick - Kindle edition by Rio, M. L.. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. The play performance of this is absolutely incredible, the reader . 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. Just to breathe. Oliver meets up with Meredith, moves in with her and slowly finds his way back to a somewhat normal everyday. I think the ending is supposed to give us false hope that hes alive but I saw his death coming, and I choose to believe that Oliver got therapy and lived his days with Meredith. As a young actor, Oliver and his friends attended an elite arts college. So what do you all think? IMO: The group of seven spoke in carefully chosen, always intentional Shakespearean quotes. . Meredith also knew about his crimes, she told Colborne. So, I dont regret protecting you, even if it meant I couldnt have you. Yeah, I remember that. I smiled, sadly. 1. As underperforming students are purged every year, the seven of them are the only fourth-year acting students remaining. oliver finds james and they get their happy gay ending<3. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago. 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. Whatd changed, mostly, was his hair, but the grey, almost in smoking tones, looked good on him. Youre insane. James let out, barely even a whisper, as if all the air had been knocked out of him. I allowed his words to ring in the air and settle in. Im not going to deny that I love her-,. Only he and filippa besides Oliver know of his crimes. Fake, with no truth or depth to it. James I wasnt joking when I said that if you hadnt killed him, I would. On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. The descriptions throughout this book are captivating. Plus, Filippa gave him the letter. They were wet; James blinked, and a single drop fell onto my cheek. 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. To undo the pain, the grief. The next morning, Oliver and Meredith are awoken by Filippa. In and out. "It starts like this: whereas everyones eyes skim over Filippa like shes not there, Camilos stop on her. These members of the original Villains tribe [] I had asked her to never kiss you again the way you two had done in Gwendolyns class, and she asked me who it was I was jealous of.. Rio. his girlfriend. When the teachers mix up the roles it puts a strain on the friendship of Oliver's group, and things begin to go downhill fast. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. james is alive IMO somewhere in del norte and oliver is the only one who could and should find him. Ugh thank you for this, I didnt see that connection til now, I have to say I liked this ending better than The Secret Histories ending. However, as the semester progresses, the cast grows increasingly despondent due to Richard's death. The unsaid, unwritten, unspoken; but spoken to me, in a language only we spoke, written to me in invisible letters only I could see. Novel is part murder mystery and part dramatic tragedy you went to jail to keep me out it... 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