The book ‘If We Were Villains’ is about a group of drama students at an elite art college. They study Shakespeare intensively there. One day, they become involved in a murder case. Years later, Oliver, the storyteller, recalls the events that led to the death of a fellow student.
At the centre of the story is the question of who is really responsible for the murder, or whether it was an accident - and what role art, rivalry and obsession played in the tragic incident.

The setting and atmosphere were positive. Having read some of Shakespeare's works myself, I was able to understand and enjoy some of the scenes.
I also liked the author's writing style in some parts, as it fits well with the literary theme and helps to convey the characters' emotions.

Unfortunately, there are also a few negative points:
Sometimes the story seemed unnecessarily complicated. The constant inclusion of Shakespeare quotes, the internal rivalry and the ‘theatre mentality’ of the characters was confusing and distracted too much from the actual crime story.
The resolution of the murder was also somewhat disappointing for me, as it relies too much on melodramatic elements and offers not enough surprises. The tension that was built up throughout the book was somewhat lost at the end.

Overall, it is an interesting and well-written book, but not entirely convincing due to its complexity and melodramatic aspects. It is an exciting read for Shakespeare fans and lovers of literary drama, but it does have some weak aspects.
As this is the author's debut, I still give it half a star more.

4/5 ⭐