This might be my new favourite novel...
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio now sits comfortably in my top three novels. Dark academia meets the murder mystery in a celebration of Shakespeare and the theatre. Wow.
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This was the book that got me into Shakespeare and basically actually started to read books lol. While I was reading this book, I knew it would be so much better if a had more of a appreciation for Shakespeare but after watching this video, I would definitely want to read more Shakespeare then reread this book. But either way it’s one of my favorite books and you described it perfectly.
The way you talk about books is so captivating. Best booktuber ever
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I just finished it- it’s been in my shelf for two years. I’m absolutely in love. Everything you said is spot on ❤
Just finished reading this book like 10 minutes ago and I loved it and of course I’m now going to make it my whole personality until I finish whatever I read next
Great review! Looking forward to watching more of your videos
I love your reviews. It’s always a pleasure seeing your page come up when I search for a review.
Aw thank you!
I absolutely love hearing you talk about books. I am slowly making my way through your recommendations. Thank you again and again ❤
You’re so incredibly welcome 💜
this was such a great review! I just finished this book and was looking for people talking about just so I could be in the story for a bit longer, and what a joy to have found your channel. I've never read anything from Shakespeare, but this book has just made me want to ready every possible work of his. thank you for talking and expressing so well and eloquently what I've been thinking nonstop since I put the book down, loved it!
Just finished this one, and it was brilliant. I loved every moment of the Shakespeare-like structure and Christie-meets-Tartt style. Thanks as always for the great recommendations!
I love how you compared Secret History and If we were villains and you literally expressed exactly what I was thinking but couldn’t put into words💗
I’m also a theatre student. And this book from the first act made me so captivated I couldn’t sit straight
I love this book so much it makes me so happy to hear other people talk about it with love. It really is so incredibly beautiful, the description of the Macbeth performance is engraved in my mind forever! I've chosen it as my modern lit novel to compare with The Great Gatsby... bit of a risk but I've actually found an incredible amount of connections it's crazy!
I've been ambivalent about reading this, because high school and college kind of turned me off from Shakespeare's plays, mainly Romeo and Juliet and Taming of the Shrew. But now thanks to your review I'll give it a chance sometime next year. Although I do currently have a library copy of The Secret History, which I'll be starting soon! :)
I’m sorry that school ruined your potential love for Shakespeare. It does that for so many of us. The education system in both our countries is often dreadful 🙄
my fav book lady and my fav book? what a way to end the year 🥰
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I love hearing you talk about this book! I finished it last night and I feel like I can't quite let it go yet? So videos like these help me to sort of process it all. If we were villains actually kept me up 'till 1 am and I cried over the last few pages, which has barely happened since childhood. Thank you so much for your review, I absolutely agree that this book is one of my favourites
So excited to see this video! I loved this book! Was just completely obsessed with it, totally immersed in all things Shakespeare while I read it (I mean these guys talk to each other in Shakespeare lines, I mean what?), could not put it down, amazing read!
We’re honestly IN SYNC! I just started this book yesterday! 😂 So glad that you love it! It’s always a good sign ☺️
I absolutely adore this book and is no doubt in my top 3. This was a beautiful analysis! So unbelievably well put and poetic. Really captured the novel:)
Thank you for the review. I can't wait to start this book.
Some of my favourite books of the year, including this one, have come from the recommendations on your lovely channel. Thank you for being awesome beautiful Willow x
You’re so very kind, thank you 💜
I need this. I need candlelight. I need honey Jack Daniels. That is all… sold! 😂
A brilliant way to read this!
You put the thoughts I had about this book in words in such a good, beautiful and concise way. Thank you!
So glad you loved this one and that you were able to finally have a Top 3! I read it at the end of last year and it became my favorite book of all-time!
Yesssssss share the love!
I totally agree with everything you said. I read it recently and I can't stop thinking about it since then
This is my favorite book!! So glad you enjoyed it
I love your passion. I love your channel.
My channel loves you too 💜
I’m reading this right now. It’s available through KindleUnlimited at the moment. I’m already looking for a hardcover to buy. Loving it!
Thanks for the spoiler-free review. I can always count on you.
Happy 2023!🎉
I think this got me back into reading… finished it in 3 days
Reading it right now!!! ❤
i'm so happy! i've been looking forward to this video since you started to read this book bc, even though i am looking forward to all your videos, i've fallen for this book last year so badly that i was even more excited for this vid. I thought my friends would maybe less related to the book than me bc i'm more into shakespeare than i am but not all! they're obsessed with this book too. And i agree about the differences between the secret history (which side note, sadly, wasn't my cup of tea but that shows also that whether we liked it or not, we can enjoy iwwv in its own entity) and iwwv. They're often compared but i agree in what you pointed out about their differences. that's exactly it! i'm glad you enjoy iwwv and i hope many more ppl will want to read it bc that was an *experience*
Am I understanding it correctly that people on GoodReads are complaining about "too many Shakespeare quotes" while Shakespeare is the centre of this book in a way? (They are the reason i'm putting this book off...should i just read it?)
I don’t know. I haven’t checked the Goodreads. I read it because it’s a good book
@@WillowTalksBooks I need to stop checking it. So far, we had the same opinions about books and this one sounds amazing so i'll give it a go. Also, thank you for your whole channel. I could listen to you for hours which i already do sometimes haha
This one has been on my reading list for quite a while. Your review makes me so excited about it - though I have around 100 unread books at home 🤣🤣🤣 Priorities...
I love this book📚☕️🥰🙏🍁✨️🍂
It's my favorite book so far.. I'm in love with Alexander lol
Still not over the cliffhanger
Willow, this is a reminder to me on why I follow your channel & am part of your community! Once again, your recommendation sounds so very delightful! I have promptly ordered this selection from my favorite independent book store & it goes into the top of my rotation, as soon as it arrives. I always look forward to your videos. Thank You.
I'll definitely check this out. Thanks for highlighting it. I'm deep down the Dark Academia rabbit hole, having recently read Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou and All's Well by Mona Awad, both of which I think you might appreciate.
been hearing about this book for a while! but as someone who hasn't tackled into shakespeare yet i feel like this won't be as apreciated as if i'd read all the work that's being referenced beforehand idk
it's really tempting tho since watching the white lotus and glass onion almost back to back really put me in the murder mistery mood 🥴😂
p.s that's a beautiful cover 😩
Just putting it out there that you can totally appreciate it even if you’re not into Shakespeare! When I read it I tended to skim through all the Shakespeare lines and I still ended up loving it. It adds to the drama as all
This sounds not at all like my kind of book, but it sounds really good!!
I just finished this book and I'm shattered.
Aarrgghh I'm trying to find this book here in NZ but no luck yet! 😲
On another note, now that you've mentioned honkaku murder mysteries (my first time hearing of these and I too am a Christie fan), please recommend some for us. 🎤
I love this person 💕
I have a friend who talks about books like you. Now I need to buy “If we were villains”.
I've currently got about a half dozen books on my wishlist/TBR because of you, and now not only am I going to have to add this one, I might have to bump it up the queue. Have you no respect for people's lazing around time?
I really enjoyed this book. I need to reread it at some point. Unrelated but have you read Build your house around my body by Violet Kupersmith? i think you would like it.
I didn't dislike it, but it's basically Secret history with different characters.
Dunno how to feel about that.
Any "new" victorian/19th century creepy books? I love the movie you made last year about it.
Youp, SOLD 😁
Yoko Ogawa too!
She’s also a great writer, yep
❤
What are you?
Everything a skidmark like you could never be 💜
Ah Willow we are so similar in terms of book tastes but I honestly thought this was abysmal. It’s the most blatant Secret History rip-off with absolutely nothing to add. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo at least added some new elements to the Secret History/Donna Tartt/Dark Academia formula. This just came across as a shoddy cash grab and a horrendous act of borderline plagiarism. The best thing this book did for me was to make me read The Goldfinch. Have a great new year and I look forward to all your 2023 recs even if we agree to disagree on this one!