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. "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" And that wouldnt have been just an accident. I thought you might finally do it, since a dead man couldnt be convicted anymore. Dont make it about that., Im not making anything into anything. 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. He had gone and given his lungs to the waves, released his pain for someone else to feel. I dont think its a happy ending, but a tragic one. Surfacing for air but finding my lips instead, and perhaps reading my thoughts, James gasped: Oliver, Im yours. Because that was also true. We stayed on the couch for a while longer, doing just that, until we agreed (James was mumbling, inside my mouth, something that sounded like bed) that it had gotten too small for where our intentions were leading us. 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. 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]. In the only way that made sense for a method actor who played his role with such reality, such truth. 4.23. tbh I don't think James is dead. Wren begins to suffer fainting spells, James breaks Oliver's nose during combat practice, and Alex overdoses on drugs but survives. Seven friends - Richard, Oliver, James . Are you telling me you only found out about that after you were released? I told you this, a long time ago. The inseparable duo. Work Search: Watch popular content from the following creators: lena(@krimdhendeshkim), Abi (@offbrandthorin), fear is the mind killer(@houseofhollow), fear is the mind killer(@houseofhollow), Em + V(@emandvernsbookshelf) . What exactly are you referring to? He asked, carefully. I kissed the top of his head. What was your answer? He was so tense, I almost felt my own shoulders hurt in solidarity to his. 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. And you werent yourself., Stop saying that like I dont know it! It was secluded, with the closest nearby town being at least a 15 minute drive away. The New York Times called it "at once good and bad. Then gave him a minute to cool down before I went on, keeping my voice low. To undo the pain, the grief. Instead, it all felt rather anticlimactic, very bland and without flare. The ending of If We Were Villains. We knew how to enunciate, how to use our emotions to the benefit of every single sentence that fell out of our lips. Is James alive or nah? Cmon, Oliver, she wasnt any saint. 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. Its got a gripping plot, and a selection of likeable, even if sometimes slightly stuck up characters. Die TikTok-Sensation auf Deutsch als Taschenbuch Jetzt bei Penguin entdecken und bestellen. James takes Wren to bed with him, his revenge on Oliver. Oliver and his friends play the same roles . Shakespeare is fully immersed in every part of the book. So what do you all think? "If We Were . Rio [EBOOK AND AUDIOBOOK]<br><br>Enter the players. What I did, James tried correcting me, but I wouldnt have it. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. 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. Because, even though I had had my fair share of guilt in it, Ive always hoped I had done more. So, Im sorry, but disappearing was easier than coming back to see you in that place every few months.. James, we would have ended up exactly here. And in all my love for literature, there was only one thing I knew for sure. On the day of Oliver's release from prison in 2008, Filippa, the only member of the group with whom he has maintained steady contact, comes to pick him up. Leave kudos and a comment if you enjoy it!! Really? He cut me off and tried to take his hands away, but I grabbed them, keeping them still between mine. Not now., More like slowly walking across an undefined and dark space to you, It is based off the Pentatonix song because Ive associated that with Jolives. 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. Come find me at @bluejaey10 on insta if y'all Wana talk. Alexander, Filippa, Wren, Meredith; to them, he had been dead for years. Making sure he was there. Oliver is eager to reunite with James, who had eventually stopped visiting, but is informed that he drowned himself four years earlier. And just as my nose had always remained slightly crooked to the side, the loss of James hadnt healed yet. I'm inclined to believe that James is still alive, as it doesn't seem to fit with his character to leave that note for Oliver if he was intending to die. And what will happen to them now?.. I went to jail for you and you faked your death for me. "This is the tragedy, they let you think it will be a happy ending until the very last minute" I paraphrased. plus philipa saying he felt the emotion on four it makes sense that hes dead youre right. They stop and they look. If you liked this review, I post more of them on my socials. Rio; Relationship: James Farrow/Oliver Marks; Characters: . Flatiron Books, 2017. In the morning, the fourth-years find themselves facing their very own tragedy, and their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, each other, and themselves that they are innocent. Alive, breathing, dry and utterly, painfully breathtaking. And we learned she was a holder of James secrets, a protector of the groups heart, and a Shakespearean expert. I wanted to start small, but maybe it was my dramatic head that wanted to jump right to the most painful parts, setting the angsty bits on fire before they could burn me from the inside. Fake, with no truth or depth to it. I was suddenly taken back to the set of Lear, our last play, our last crime. The moment I had a choice, I chose you. If We Were Villains by M.L. To avenge the girl you loved?. Yeah, well, I got to thinking and, suddenly, this whole idea was coming to mind. 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. I can only hope she finds that, someday. If you havent made any enemies in life, youve been living too safely. I don't think it's a happy ending, but a tragic one. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. But only after I thought I couldnt go to you. I corrected. Oliver is freed from a physical cage while James frees himself from an emotional one. Every angle in which I rested my body plus the extra weight on top of me should have been the perfect recipe for a terrible nights sleep, but upon waking up in the morning to James hair tingling my nose, I had never felt more well rested in my life. Macbeth had gone entirely fine, more than fine, if you'd asked him. aka James pov (mostly) behind the original story since the end of the performance of King Lear. No, no. The students are briefly questioned by the police, led by Detective Colborne, and Richard's death is ruled a drunken accident. If We Were Villains - M.L. editing this to add that this is what I clearly and personally WANT to be true, but I'm also not sure it makes complete sense knowing how the guilt would have genuinely eaten up at James etcso either 1) he is alive and kept living to wait for Oliver and Oliver alone, or 2) he's dead, idk why he left that hint, it makes sense that he's dead, my heart is broken obviously, but I still dk why he'd leave that passage. But when the teachers change up the casting, a good-natured . He sat by himself in the farthest corner, loath to look up from his notebook. Alive, breathing, dry and utterly, painfully breathtaking. Said in words others could hear, but only I would listen to. I stood before the rusted door, salt air filling up my lungs as the cold breeze ruffled my hair. I would have never let them take you. Quoted as being the most academic of them all: he knew what he was doing. A kiss that I could tell from the first touch, would take us somewhere. It was about us even when we didnt know there was an us at all. 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. I went to Meredith. And of course there was Colin, standing there, slouching slightly, a look of absolute terror, pure and raw as daylight, adorning his features. In 1997, Oliver is in his fourth and final year at the prestigious Dellecher Classical Conservatory, where he resides with his six classmates in a small dormitory called the Castle. It has always been like that. Now, all he have to do is look for him, even if it means take an airplane and go to the other side of the world.He'll found him but not how he expected to. Rio (118) The Secret History - Donna Tartt (2) Original Work (1) Twelfth Night - Shakespeare (1) In the days of Shakespeare, many of the people were anti-Semitic. Dont say it like that, James, you dont know what she was thinking. I said, maybe sounding more defensive of Meredith than James would have liked me to. It has always been about that, even when we didnt know it was.. He had always been the most serious student . maybe he was saying to find him in the next life? We would figure it all out, eventually. The novel drew mixed reviews. 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. aka James' pov (mostly) behind the original . Do you think it wouldve have been different? You went to Meredith when you got out? He asked, hurt by it. My comments are always open for book-chat. I breathed in three times, before moving closer toward the door. Why did you do it? I blurted out. Wrote your note knowing you would understand it, while no one else would. Dont get me wrong. 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. I could see worry and guilt in his eyes, a line of concern forming between his eyebrows, and I didnt like it. We were blind., Yeah, we were. I dont care how it sounds, not anymore., No, listen to me, James. However, in the coming weeks, Richard grows more violent and begins to attack his fellow students, including his girlfriend Meredith, James, and Oliver, onstage during Caesar. Wren then begged James to go after Richard, fearing he would hurt himself. Of course Richard would be pissy about not playing Macbeth (because God forbid he play anything besides the leading role), but how that involved Alexander (or anyone else, for that matter) in any way was a difficult riddle to solve. These are the most fascinating non-fiction books of 2023. Because there, in that moment, with his skin sweating against mine, I realized I didnt really care what we did next. I dont know what I expected, but I didnt expect you to behere. You know it was about more than that. Create New. That last night, before I went on stage for Lear, she asked me a question. Work Search: 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. With directions of a path no one else would even dream of walking, even if I explained, even if I tried to make them understand. The James that Oliver loved is gone; however, physically, James is still around somewhere. 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. But it was all I could do, and Im sorry, James, but I would do it all again.. Just to stay alive. Just to breathe. While one would expect a book about Shakespearean actors to have lots of Shakespeare references, If We Were Villains goes above and beyond. We were drawn to each other like . Although those relationships are integral and all-consuming through the novel, you would be remiss to ignore the other layered relationships between the characters, which makes If We Were Villains dynamic and addictive. I wasnt sure it ever could. tip: buffy gen teen AND "no archive warnings apply". Meredith was done with Richards shit way before he died, and I think she was genuine with her feelings for him. Rio draws on her training as an actor to create the world of an elite drama school ripped apart by a disaster of Shakespearean proportions. Biiiiiiiiii. 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 . The play performance of this is absolutely incredible, the reader . The previous nights melancholia felt odd in the light of morning, with grief and sorrow lost and gone along with the stars. They became used to playing particular roles, on stage and in daily life, from the hero to his best friend, the tyrant, the temptress, and the ruler. Oliver accepts but requests that Colborne not act upon what Oliver will tell him. Discover short videos related to if we were villains james and oliver on TikTok. - stream 11 if we were villains playlists including iwwv, Chris Cornell, and Lorde music from your desktop or mobile device. Yes, Meredith was scared, and hurt but she was also jealous., Dont do that. Oliver, James, Wren, Filippa, Richard, Meredith, and Alexander are fully fleshed out and vivid characters, both on and offstage. Faking your own death. I wanted to cry. And I dont think he would give Oliver hope just to have it be an empty promise. In the middle of reading if we were villains and James and Oliver CLEARLY had a thing for eachother, you cannot tell me otherwise. And certainly not now. tip: austen words:10000-50000 sort:title. If We Were Villains Quote Sticker. I closed my eyes and felt him shuddering against me, his whole body shaking in growing intensity. Out of everyone in the group, I thought she was the most respectful of and dedicated to her friendships with the others. Suspicious of the official story, Colborne announces his retirement from the police force and asks Oliver to finally tell him the truth. James blinked at me. Honestly when I read about Jameses last visit it already had suicide connotations and his death reveal did not surprise me. While we've done our best to make the core functionality of this site accessible without javascript, it will work better with it enabled. I also really liked that the book was divided into Acts as it . I finished reading If we were villains like four days ago and literally started writing this immediately after, because I was just obsessed and freaking out by the ending. "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. I mean, that the moment I think Im remotely over what happened, you are released. James was dead. These members of the original Villains tribe [] What we were. It didnt matter how ungracefully we fell on the mattress, or how we cracked up laughing at the absurdity of two thirty-something adults acting like teenagers, never able to get enough of each other. I would find a way to apologize to her, but being honest, I suspect she always knew that if James had stayed in the picture, me and her wouldnt stand a chance. The inseparable duo. And, God, Meredith deserves a world of her own, someone who makes her feel the way James makes me feel. Where last nights kiss had been full of sorrow and pain, this one was nothing but fire. Not very platonic of us. IMO, it ties into the bird imagery. I don't believe he would've been cruel enough to give Oliver fruitless hope, because I believe they genuinely loved each other. Just finished reading this and wanted to hear other's opinions on the rather ambiguous ending. A work in the dark academia genre, the campus novel is part murder mystery and part dramatic tragedy. The evening before he is due to be released on parole after serving ten years for an unspecified crime, Oliver Marks is approached by the lead investigator on his case, Detective Colborne. Wren, being the angel she was, was more than willing to listen. Villains: Wren. Oliver Marks ha scontato dieci anni di carcere per l'omicidio di un compagno di college. Dark Helmet - Spaceballs (1987) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. What is it with Oliver and Jameses relationship ambiguity like there's literally a full fledge gay character there why are they all acting like it's uncharted alien territory they are exploring. Let Del Norte be the only place on earth, and the two of us, the only people in it. (LogOut/ Only because that was something I could do now. It's one of the best books I've read so far in . But I am saying you also cant blame her for what she did when she found out. A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. The two tentatively resume their relationship. Oliver's friendship with James for instance was beautifully and subtly written and was one of my favourite parts of the novel. His eyes looked tired, maybe from both life exhaustion and from being awakened in the middle of the night, but they were brighter now than Id ever seen them when he visited me in jail. Each student is mailed an envelope containing their casting assignment and the scenes to prepare, as well as instructions not to share the information with any of their peers. James and Oliver. It's not the whole truth. Having everyone around but being so alone. And then a letter arrived, and as I read Pericless last words, again and again, written in James hasty penmanship, the world flipped again. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago. Whenever I had the slightest chance of having you, that is who I chose., Because you never knew my side of the story. First line: "The time: September 1997, my fourth and final year at Dellecher Classical Conservatory." left kudos on this work! . On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. So, I dont regret protecting you, even if it meant I couldnt have you. Oliver confronts James during the intermission of Lear, and James reluctantly confesses. Now i can finally sleep. 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. It doesnt matter. Oliver, I thought they would tell you right away, I thought they would give you the note right away. Trotzdem ist der junge Schauspieler glcklich am renommierten Dellecher College, einer abgeschiedenen Welt mit flackernden . Its easy. I knew when youd be getting out, and I waited. No more coherent words would be said anytime soon, both of us knew that. And I wouldnt have regretted it.. No, I dont think so. 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