One-sentence summary: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio is a dark, thrilling exploration of friendship, obsession, and betrayal set against a Shakespearean backdrop at an elite arts college, where a group of students’ lives spiral into tragedy and murder.
Book Information:
Title: If We Were Villains
Author: M.L. Rio
ISBN: 978-1-78416-199-1
Genre: Dark Academia, Mystery, Thriller, Literary Fiction
Published Year: 2017
Detailed Summary
Introduction to the Plot and Setting
If We Were Villains takes readers into the cloistered world of Dellecher Classical Conservatory, an elite arts college where seven students in the exclusive Shakespeare program—Oliver, Richard, James, Alexander, Wren, Filippa, and Meredith—are devoted to the stage and to each other. These young actors live, breathe, and speak in Shakespeare’s words, their identities tangled in the Bard’s works. However, the lines between performance and reality blur as rivalry, jealousy, and unspoken secrets begin to consume them.
The story is framed by Oliver Marks’s narration, which he recounts after spending ten years in prison. As the story unfolds in a dual narrative—both in the past, revealing the events that led to the tragedy, and in the present, as Oliver reflects on his choices—the reader is pulled into a world where art and life collide, leading to a deadly unraveling of friendship.
The Cast of Characters
The seven main characters function as a close-knit “ensemble,” each occupying a unique role within the group’s Shakespearean “cast”:
- Oliver Marks: The protagonist and narrator, often cast in supporting roles, is both an observer and a participant in the unfolding tragedy. Oliver’s journey is as much about self-discovery as it is about navigating the loyalties and betrayals that divide the group.
- Richard Stirling: The aggressive, larger-than-life presence in the group. Often cast as the hero or king, Richard has an undeniable dominance over his friends. He embodies both power and menace, a force that drives the group to its breaking point.
- James Farrow: Quiet, introspective, and thoughtful, James frequently plays the roles of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes. His bond with Oliver is deep, yet complex, filled with unspoken emotions and tensions.
- Meredith Dardenne: Glamorous and seductive, Meredith is typically cast as the temptress or the leading lady. Her relationships within the group are fraught with complications, particularly her romance with Richard and her entangled feelings toward Oliver.
- Wren Stirling: Richard’s cousin, gentle and fragile, Wren plays innocent roles. She represents purity, but her inner struggles reflect the fragility within the group.
- Alexander Vass: The sardonic and rebellious member, cast in villainous or comedic roles, Alexander is a deeply flawed character whose cynicism often highlights the group’s moral decay.
- Filippa Kosta: Level-headed, aloof, and gender-nonconforming, Filippa remains an outsider in many ways, the group’s moral compass, and the most grounded character.
Each character’s identity is mirrored by the Shakespearean roles they are assigned, creating a world where life seems to imitate art, and vice versa. This casting dynamic plays a significant role in the book, as the students begin to lose the ability to distinguish between the characters they portray and their own identities.
The Prelude to Tragedy
The tension within the group reaches a breaking point during their fourth year at Dellecher, where they are performing a series of Shakespeare’s most intense plays, such as Macbeth and King Lear. The students’ interactions mirror the themes of jealousy, ambition, and betrayal depicted in these works. At the center of this tension is Richard, whose domineering personality becomes increasingly intolerable to his friends.
One night, after a performance, a violent confrontation occurs between Richard and the others, leading to an escalation that none of them can control. Their simmering hostilities reach a boiling point, setting in motion a series of events that will end in death.
Quote: “It’s one thing to live and die by the words you speak, another thing entirely to see what happens when those words take on a life of their own.”
This foreshadowing suggests the darkness to come, as each character’s hidden motives and deep-seated resentments are forced into the open.
The Fateful Night and the Death of Richard
The central tragedy of If We Were Villains revolves around the violent death of Richard. After an alcohol-fueled evening, Richard’s aggression toward his friends escalates, resulting in a deadly struggle by the lake. Though the specifics are initially hazy, Oliver implies that Richard’s death is both an accident and a consequence of his relentless hostility.
The remaining six members are left in shock and fear, aware that their lives are forever changed. They choose to cover up the incident, staging the death as an unfortunate accident. However, the weight of their guilt and the threat of exposure gnaw at them, fracturing their friendships and their psyches. Each member’s involvement in the cover-up and their individual moral crises deepen as the story progresses.
Investigation and Consequences
Richard’s death sparks a police investigation that quickly circles around the group, specifically targeting Oliver. The detective in charge, Colborne, is suspicious of Oliver’s reticence and strange behavior. Though the friends vow to protect each other, their solidarity begins to unravel under the pressure. The tension mounts as they struggle to maintain their story, and Oliver finds himself bearing the brunt of suspicion.
Quote: “The rest is silence.”
This Shakespearean phrase, uttered by Hamlet, echoes the silence that falls over the group after Richard’s death, symbolizing both the secrecy they must uphold and the emotional silence that isolates them from each other.
Oliver, caught in a web of loyalty and guilt, eventually takes the fall for Richard’s death. He confesses to the crime, sacrificing his future to protect his friends, and is subsequently imprisoned. This self-sacrifice is an ambiguous act: Is Oliver seeking redemption, or is he perpetuating the performative loyalty that the group demanded?
The Duality of Art and Reality
A central theme in If We Were Villains is the fine line between art and reality. The group’s immersion in Shakespeare’s works influences their behavior, their language, and their perception of each other. They often quote Shakespearean lines in moments of crisis, blurring the boundary between their identities and their roles. This Shakespearean lens distorts their friendships, relationships, and moral boundaries, leading them to adopt the tragic tropes they have studied and performed.
The use of Shakespearean language becomes a mode of both communication and manipulation, as they mask their true intentions behind the Bard’s words. When the group stages their performances, they transform into the characters they play, allowing their suppressed emotions to surface. This catharsis, however, becomes destructive, revealing the characters’ darkest impulses and desires.
Quote: “For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”
This line from Hamlet encapsulates the novel’s ambiguity, as the characters’ actions are neither entirely innocent nor entirely evil. Instead, they are products of their circumstances, their aspirations, and their insecurities.
Life in Prison and Reflections on Friendship
The novel’s narrative shifts between Oliver’s recollection of the past and his present-day conversations with Detective Colborne. After ten years in prison, Oliver reflects on the events that led to his incarceration and the friendships that once defined his life. The detective, now retired, wants to know the truth behind Richard’s death, offering Oliver a chance at catharsis by recounting the story.
Through these reflections, Oliver reveals the complexity of his relationship with James. Their bond was one of deep affection, mutual understanding, and perhaps something more profound. James represents the tragic hero, a character who, like Shakespeare’s protagonists, is marked by a fatal flaw. His struggle with guilt and loyalty mirrors Oliver’s own inner turmoil.
Oliver’s introspection reveals a deep sense of loss for the friendships that were shattered by betrayal and secrecy. In prison, he grapples with the consequences of his choices, the weight of his confession, and the meaning of loyalty. Colborne’s presence offers him a chance to come to terms with his actions, though Oliver remains haunted by the knowledge that, in the end, they were all complicit.
Key Themes and Symbolism
The Influence of Shakespearean Tragedy
If We Were Villains is steeped in Shakespearean themes of ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and fate. Each character’s role in the tragedy parallels Shakespeare’s archetypes, allowing the reader to view them as both individuals and symbolic figures in a larger moral play.Morality and Consequence
The novel questions whether morality is absolute or relative, as each character’s actions stem from both loyalty and self-interest. The weight of guilt and the pursuit of redemption permeate Oliver’s narrative, highlighting the personal cost of moral compromise.Identity and Performance
The characters’ identities become intertwined with their Shakespearean roles, complicating their sense of self. The novel explores how we perform different versions of ourselves, and how easily these roles can become indistinguishable from reality.Friendship and Betrayal
The group’s friendships are intense and codependent, yet fragile. The tragedy of their story lies in the betrayal that destroys these bonds, questioning whether true loyalty can survive in the face of personal ambition.
Conclusion
If We Were Villains is a haunting, introspective novel that invites readers to ponder the nature of friendship, loyalty, and self-identity. M.L. Rio’s prose captures the intensity of youthful ambition and the destructive power of obsession, all under the influence of Shakespeare’s timeless works. By merging literary drama with psychological depth, Rio creates a story that is as tragic as it is beautiful, leaving readers with an unsettling reflection on the cost of loyalty and the darkness within human nature.
Through its layered narrative and richly developed characters, If We Were Villains examines the lengths to which people will go to protect their illusions and the inevitable tragedy that unfolds when those illusions shatter. The story lingers as a testament to the complexity of human relationships and the profound influence of art on life.