If We Were Villains

My first Dark Academia and i'm living for it . What a start to my new era of books and stories.

I'm not particularly interested in Shakespeare and had no idea what i getting myself into. I enjoyed it nonetheless.

What really got me was the text on the Cover "When Friends Become Enemies... There's No Limit To The Damage They Can Do", I very quickly understood what was meant by that.

Oliver and his "Friend-group" are the worst kinda People I've ever encountered in a Book ever.

The dynamic was so weird and Toxic. Oliver was absolutely unlikable, like most of the characters to be honest. I definitely felt like Richard was misunderstood, while he was type casted as the Villain in the plays, it seems like the friends overreacted to his actions. He was just mad and honestly if I kept seeing my girlfriend flirt with other people, I would react the same way. Still I was absolutely shocked to read about the dock scene. The way they talked about him, like he was the most horrible person and abuser. Just letting him die was inhumane. Without knowing, who did it in the end, I thought James slayed that scene. The way he talked to everyone especially Meredith.

"Well, what I remember about last night is your boyfriend calling you a slut in front of everyone and you rushing upstairs to revenge-fuck Oliver. Or have I left something out?"

Like slay!!

And Oliver is probably one of the most annoying characters ever.

"Perhaps I was a better actor than I'd always thought and none of them suspected that there was some sick, silent laughter trapped in my throat"

I was like bro are you good? Your friend is dying.

Oliver had this kinda victim complex about himself and the whole Meredith situation after Richards death was so unnecessary and sick.

"James and Filippa and Alexander and Meredith, they're like family." i'd omitted Richard without meaning to. Like he died a few days ago.

Nothing unites men like a common enemy.

Was Richard our enemy, then? It felt like a gross exaggeration, but what else could we call him?

It definitely felt like he, especially was just searching for a reason to not feel bad about what happened. Richard wasn't that even that bad and if they had just talked about the whole situation, he wouldn't have had to die.

Knowing in the end that James did it in an affect didn't change my mind. I personally felt like they all ganged up on Richard but were to gutless to be upfront with him, which ultimately ended in pent up emotions and Richard's death.

I didn't feel bad for Oliver spending those 10 years in prison for something he didn't do. He chose to go there instead of James, which in the end didn't even help him. The absolute meaningless of it all felt kinda fitting.

Oliver being in prison, waiting to be with the one he really loved and that person unaliving themselves is the perfect ending.

It really sounds likeI hate this book which is the farthest thing from the truth. I absolutely loved it. It wrapped me up in a blanket of uncomfort and shock but I couldn't stop reading and I didn't want to. This was definitely one of my 2023 favorites so far and I'm glad it was my firt dabble into the Dark Academia genre.

RATING

Characters:⭐️⭐️⭐️

Plot:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Writing:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️