A bully we loved until we couldnt anymore. Dark Helmet - Spaceballs (1987) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. I do love her. As his fingerprints are on both the shirt scrap and the boat hook, he is arrested and put on trial, though Colborne does not believe him to be the real killer. Before it all went to hell, when we were just two stupid boys laying in the sand, dreaming of living away from everything and everyone. And since the subtext is "wait for me or come find me" that does not mean he means it in this life or world. No, I dont think so. Look, I never thought she was my biggest fan, okay? Truth is, maybe my own perception of James had been roughed up by the knowledge of what he had done, but James himself had never been a rough person, so there was no plausible reason why I should think his kissing would be anything but soft and tender. And that wouldnt have been just an accident. For you. 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. Well, Oliver, what in our godforsaken lives has ever made sense? But your something is different from Merediths. The way the book was written it allows for both possibilities. Nothing happened for about five seconds, and I was already raising my hand to try again when a light went on somewhere inside. James and Oliver had a special kind of love unlike ones theyve ever had, why would James want Oliver to never find peace (if he was truly planning on committing suicide)? i agree with you. 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. When the door came within reaching distance, I knocked, forcefully. If We Were Villains is a love letter to Shakespeare and the theater. Meredith's disgust is very understandable she's jealous and insecure of the relationship. Something great. I answered and, in the same breath, I allowed the magnets to snap together. Biiiiiiiiii. I was an actor, a criminal, a friend; I was many, many things but none of those mattered because, first and foremost, I was his. But no concrete evidence was ever found. Not when I found out, not when I stepped up to take the fall for you. You know it was about more than that. Oliver's friendship with James for instance was beautifully and subtly written and was one of my favourite parts of the novel. Then gave him a minute to cool down before I went on, keeping my voice low. The James that Oliver loved is gone; however, physically, James is still around somewhere. Also, english isnt my first language, so Im sorry for any mistakes. I also really liked that the book was divided into Acts as it helped to drive the action and was a lovely nod to the Shakespearean aspects of the novel. We lived our lives in between sonnets, with drama and comedy lost together in a sky of words at our disposal. That had always been our thing, after all: understanding each other. 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. He even mentions to fillipa and Alexander wouldnt you change the end of Romeo and Juliet? The popular book, "If We Were Villains" by M.L Rio, published in 2017, is the story of seven actors-Richard, Wren, James, Alexander, Meredith, Filppa and Oliver-competing their way through an elite college. 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. He wasnt done yet, but his rant grew smaller, sadder. 10 years after the events, Oliver is approached by the former police officer who investigated his . They stop and they look. The other address to Oliver, containing a quote from a Shakespearean play which the character James quoted faked his own death. He is alive, but barely. 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. I did consider actually drowning myself, you know? Not me, though, James death was fresh, new, and painful, as the blood running out of my nose on the day he broke it. Regret it? He asked, in a small voice. So the aforementioned line suggests that this tragedy is no different and we don't get the happy ending we want but we are given false hope. Im only sorry for how it hurt you, for the pain I caused you. Hi, he replied, his voice still slow and rusted from sleep. For strength, in case no one did. He also desperately tried to avoid Meredith, but she snuck her way into his mind and filled it with ugly, hot flashes of guilt. I exhaled, letting the leftover anger that was still inside of me, even all these years later, dissipate. His right hand let go of mine and reached for the back of my head, fingertips traveling through my scalp where my skull met my neck, pulling me into him. Shakespeare is fully immersed in every part of the book. I-, I stopped, guilt climbing up my spine. These are the most fascinating non-fiction books of 2023. Alexander remembers what it felt like - the horror of it all. Macbeth had gone entirely fine, more than fine, if you'd asked him. I think James is dead. Villains: Wren by mlrio. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Because as much as it might hurt you to know, I do love Meredith. Because of all the crimes I have committed, loving you has always been my favorite. I fell silent, not sure I had a good enough argument to fight that. 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]. Out of everyone in the group, I thought she was the most respectful of and dedicated to her friendships with the others. left kudos on this work! If We Were Villains Quote Sticker. As pretentious and flawed as the core friendship group of the story is, youll be gripped by their tale. 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. After Oliver visits Meredith over winter break, they grow closer and begin dating and sleeping together more often. I loved him and Meredith from the jump. 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. I dont think its a happy ending, but a tragic one. We were blind., Yeah, we were. Oliver and his friends play the same roles . To leave behind hope? A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. Meredith also knew about his crimes, she told Colborne. He just left all his trauma behind. Author: M.L. We sat across from each other, maybe only an arms length distance between us, only the two coffee mugs and the plain wooden table as a barrier. Language: English Words: 1,229 Chapters: 1/1 Comments: 2 Kudos: 37 Bookmarks: 5 . Published in 2017, Rio's first book is thrilling, dark and absorbs you immediately into its world. But only after I thought I couldnt go to you. I corrected. We were drawn to each other like . I had already decided it would be easier on everyone if I just disappeared., Yeah, I thought about that, too. 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. Its nice, inside, I commented, offhand. James was every single constellation that ever was, and having him, touching him. If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (debut) Publisher: Macmillan Release Date: April 11, 2017 Length: 368 pages Buy on Amazon. Instead, it all felt rather anticlimactic, very bland and without flare. Oliver is finally being released. Making sure he was there. Change). Hearing James voice helped. Come find me at @bluejaey10 on insta if y'all Wana talk. The ending of If We Were Villains. Not very platonic of us. That was an easy one to answer. Press J to jump to the feed. It would have only tortured Oliver with false hope, and . . In the middle of reading if we were villains and James and Oliver CLEARLY had a thing for eachother, you cannot tell me otherwise. She would not have given Oliver the letter if it ensued any sort of false hope for him. If We Were Villains is the debut novel of American author M. L. Rio first published in 2017. Said in words others could hear, but only I would listen to. If thou remember'st not the slightest follyThat ever love did make thee run into,Thou hast not loved. Oliver returns home for Thanksgiving and learns his parents will not be paying for his final semester, though the school agrees to let him work part-time as a custodian to alleviate his tuition expenses. As a young actor, Oliver and his friends attended an elite arts college. Rio. I literally just finished the book, and I believe that James wouldnt have left that particular note to Oliver without it having some kind of meaning. 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. Why did you do it? I blurted out. (If We Were Villains Quote) Sticker. All seven of us. I, too, dont believe in coincidences (especially in literature) and James is alive. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 100% loved and adored this novel. So, there I was, standing in front of said cottage, on the beach where he had, allegedly, drowned to death. I was starting to give up., I-, I wanted to go to you. Hi, I said, that being the only coherent thought I could seem to form. Discover short videos related to if we were villains james and oliver on TikTok. Oliver's friendship with James for instance was beautifully and subtly written and was one of my favourite parts of the novel. In this secluded world of firelight and leather-bound books, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingnue, extras. I think coffee would be great, thank you.. Richard is a bastard and won't count. (LogOut/ [1]. And then a letter arrived, and as I read Pericless last words, again and again, written in James hasty penmanship, the world flipped again. 4.23. I kissed the top of his head. 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. We scrambled to our feet, never completely letting go, and I let James lead us to his bedroom. Wren then begged James to go after Richard, fearing he would hurt himself. 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. You had no right to take my place., Yes, but what were you protecting me from? Why?, Do what, exactly? I asked, drier than I had intended. Afterwards, Oliver seeks out Meredith to comfort her, and the two end up having sex. Because maybe we didnt understand ourselves, yet, but we sure as hell understood each other.. And he wouldve trusted Oliver to understand it as well. If We Were Villains was named one of Bustle's Best Thriller Novels of the Year, and Mystery Scene says, A well-written and gripping ode to the stage . Oliver and James have entire conversations using lines memorized from the countless plays they have . Oliver's narrative voice is self-deprecatory, revealing that he thinks of himself as a side character in his own story. I only nodded, embarrassed by how right he was. Plus, Filippa gave him the letter. Do you think he loves them in the . Do you remember that? On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. Waiting. It sure as hell felt as such. It sounds like he drown himself off the San Juan islands in Washington (where I live), in the winter time the water is cold and rough and deep, no matter how much dragging they did, its still the ocean, not a lake. I got up, never letting go, and moved to the chair next to him, so we could be closer. It means silent acknowledgement: no cards or cakes with candles, no scrutinised gift openings in the middle of a crowded room. He had gone and given his lungs to the waves, released his pain for someone else to feel. It's not the whole truth. I believe Oliver will know where to look, and I believe they will find each other. If you liked this review, I post more of them on my socials. . I like to think that the uncertainty of it all makes it better, that not even Rio knows if he lived. That explains His eyes flashed around the room in despair. But really, it doesn't take long because I don't have that sort of patience. But in their fourth and final year, good-natured rivalries turn ugly, and on opening night real violence invades the students' world of make-believe. 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. I am once again returning to the land of dark academia for a (spoiler) review of If We Were Villains by M.L. His eyes, still cloudy with sleep, widened as he took in the sight of me, standing at his doorstep. Oliver is assigned the part of Banquo and is surprised to see James, rather than Richard, appear as Macbeth on Halloween night. 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. I could see worry and guilt in his eyes, a line of concern forming between his eyebrows, and I didnt like it. 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. However why should he fake his own death? Thank you for reading my rant. Suppressing the dire need to protect him, though, was something he couldn't control. . Primary Characters: If We Were Villains is a story that centers on seven . But dont you dare put it all on me, how everything unfolded. It was absurd, really, that it had taken us so long to realize that. Seven friends - Richard, Oliver, James . This actually shed some light on the ending for me. . All I could care about was how my heart raced every time he moved, finding a new spot to lay his kisses, to bruise my skin, making me his. Someone had to carry the guilt, after all, and James lungs were occupied. I saw this place, and it got me thinking of you. And I dont think he would give Oliver hope just to have it be an empty promise. Oliver writes a letter to James after James' death. I went to jail for you and you faked your death for me. Because we belonged, me to him and him to me, and nothing could ever change that. Forgive me if it eventually got too much for me to stay. He snapped. I came here and starting rebuilding this house from the inside, leaving everything behind in the hopes that, eventually, youd show up.. It is very hard to put this novel down, because the framing hints at what is to come . Ten years ago, Marks and his six classmates were . Rio; Relationship: James Farrow/Oliver Marks; Characters: . The descriptions throughout this book are captivating. Bill Cipher is the main antagonist of the Disney Channel/Disney XD animated series Gravity Falls, serving as the overarching antagonist of season one and the main antagonist of season two. I blinked away the wetness building in my eyes, and pretended not to feel the crashing weight on my chest. If James Farrow was what it felt like to get lost in between the stars, then I didnt ever want to be found. Retiring Detective Colborne has always had his doubts about Olivers guilt, and hes finally going to find out if he was right. So how is fake dying going to help with his guilt, if anything that makes his life harder with all the new hiding and secrecy and isolation which is a perfect habitat to stir negative soul consuming emotions. No. From $1.46. 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. Before Colborne can make an arrest, Oliver confesses to Richard's murder, using a slightly tweaked version of James' story. He didnt look much older than when I last saw him, four years prior. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ). What James had done was absolutely insane, and yet, it felt like a plausible line of thought to me. And maybe for just a split second, I, too, knew what drowning felt like.James Farrow stood before me. Thunderbolts cast. The bathroom scene when Oliver tells James it wasnt a one-night stand with Meredith bc shes not just some girl and . Genre: mystery/thriller. James, we would have ended up exactly here. Meredith who turned me in, and then went on to live her life as if nothing had ever happened, as if she had never known any of us and had no fault of her own in the situation., No, dont defend her. And yet Joliver be calling themselves 'brothers'? You know she wouldve at least talked to the others, at least considered it might have been an accident., James, I dont think you remember how you were that night. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, and my hands made their way up and down his back, soothing him. It wasnt long before my own tears were joining the one that James had left on my cheek, and, soon enough, it was undistinguishable where his pain ended and mine began. God, James, no! I don't believe he would've been cruel enough to give Oliver fruitless hope, because I believe they genuinely loved each other. You werent yourself! Please consider turning it on! 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. 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