If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Published 2017 · 107,766 words · about 10 hours at an average pace

How hard is If We Were Villains to read?

If We Were Villains scores 65 out of 100 for difficulty on ReadingRate, making it quite demanding. The score is a weighted composite of nine measures: four of how hard the prose is to parse, five of how hard the meaning is to extract.

Vocabulary: 55 out of 100
The vocabulary is literary and theatrical, drawing heavily from Shakespearean language and terminology. While not overly obscure, the frequent allusions and quotations require some familiarity with classical literature. This places it slightly above The Great Gatsby in terms of vocabulary demands.
Sentence structure: 58 out of 100
The sentences are generally well-structured and readable, but there are instances of longer, more complex sentences, particularly in descriptive passages and character dialogue. The narrative voice is relatively straightforward, but the use of theatrical language and occasional asides adds a layer of complexity. This is comparable to the sentence structure in The Great Gatsby.
Abstraction: 62 out of 100
The narrative balances concrete descriptions of events and settings with explorations of themes like ambition, betrayal, and the nature of performance. Characters frequently engage in philosophical discussions about art and life, raising the abstraction level above purely plot-driven narratives. This is similar to the level of abstraction found in 2666.
Information density: 60 out of 100
The book presents a moderate amount of information per page, balancing plot development with character development and thematic exploration. There are multiple character relationships and a complex backstory that the reader must keep track of. This is similar to the information density in Lolita, where the narrative is rich but flows smoothly.
Narrative indirection: 68 out of 100
The story is told from the first-person perspective of Oliver, who is recounting events from the past. This creates a layer of narrative indirection as the reader must consider Oliver's biases and motivations when interpreting the events. The reader must infer some of the underlying tensions and secrets among the characters, similar to The Great Gatsby.
Symbolic density: 70 out of 100
The book is rich in symbolism, drawing heavily from Shakespearean plays and motifs. The characters' roles in the plays they perform often mirror their own lives and relationships, creating a symbolic layer that adds depth to the narrative. The use of theatrical elements and settings also contributes to the symbolic density, approaching the level of The Great Gatsby with its iconic green light.
Ironic distance: 65 out of 100
There is a noticeable ironic distance between the narrator's present-day perspective and his past actions, as he reflects on the events that led to his imprisonment. The characters' self-awareness and theatricality also contribute to the ironic distance, as they often play roles and perform for each other. This is comparable to the ironic framing in The Great Gatsby.
Resolution withholding: 72 out of 100
The prologue sets up a mystery surrounding the events of the past, and the narrative gradually reveals the details of what happened. However, the full truth is withheld until later in the story, creating suspense and ambiguity. The reader is left to piece together the events and motivations of the characters, similar to Lolita.
Structural complexity: 60 out of 100
The narrative is primarily chronological, but there are flashbacks and shifts in perspective that add a layer of structural complexity. The use of theatrical scenes and interludes also disrupts the linear flow of the story. This is similar to the structural complexity of Midnight's Children, which uses multiple timelines and flashbacks.

How If We Were Villains is regarded

If We Were Villains holds a literary regard score of 29 out of 100, weighing its place in the canon, its critical reception, its influence on other writers, and the standing of its author. Regard is measured separately from difficulty: a demanding book is not necessarily an admired one.

Where If We Were Villains sits in Northrop Frye's Anatomy of Criticism

Placed by a full reading of the text (203 passages), not from reputation. Each verdict quotes the passage that earned it. On the axis from myth to irony, If We Were Villains scores 62 out of 100. A second mythos, irony, pulls at it with a weight of 0.25. About the map of stories.

Mode: Low Mimetic
I, on the other hand, was average in every imaginable way: not especially handsome, not especially talented
Symbol: Formal
Dellecher was less an academic institution than a cult.
Mythos: Tragedy iv (tragedy iv)
There is no comfort like complicity.
Genre: Confession + Romance
“All right,” I say. “I’ll tell you a story. But you have to understand a few things.”

Where the story of If We Were Villains takes place

  • Dellecher Classical Conservatory, Broadwater, Illinois, Sept 1997-Mar 1998 (1997 to 1998), the main setting
  • Suburban Ohio family home, Thanksgiving and Christmas 1997
  • Meredith's Upper East Side apartment, New York, Dec 1997-Jan 1998 (1997 to 1998)
  • Dellecher Conservatory, Broadwater, Illinois, Sept 1997-March 1998 (1997 to 1998)
  • Frame: prison and Dellecher revisited, ten years later (2008)

5 things that are true of If We Were Villains, with the passage for each

  1. The story begins with seven fourth-year theatre students at Dellecher Classical Conservatory in September 1997.

    There were seven of us then, seven bright young things with wide precious futures ahead of us

  2. Richard's body is found floating in the lake, face smashed, but still alive when the group first sees him.

    Richard floated on his back, neck twisted unnaturally, mouth gaping, face frozen in a Greek mask of agony.

  3. The group agrees to do nothing while Richard is still alive in the water.

    Alexander shrugged, and there was something terribly momentous in that simple, meaningless gesture. “Nothing.”

  4. During a rehearsal fight, James breaks Oliver's nose with the hilt of his sword.

    The pommel and guard cracked across my face, white-hot stars burst through my field of vision

  5. James drowns himself on the last day of December 2004 and his body is never found.

    He drowned himself on the last day of December, and though the local authorities dragged the freezing water for days and miles, his body was never found.

Scenes in If We Were Villains that Frye would name

35 sightings of Frye's terms in the text. The strongest:

Confession, untitled
“All right,” I say. “I’ll tell you a story. But you have to understand a few things.” Oliver starts his sustained first-person confession to Colborne under conditions he sets himself.
Pathos, untitled
The fingers flexed, closed again, shrank back toward the palm. Then everything was still. Richard's death scene, with the group standing by.
Hamartia, untitled
“Do it, then,” he said. “Let him die.” The group's fatal, collective moral misstep.
Anagnorisis, untitled
He closed his eyes, swallowed, and said, “I didn’t mean to.” James admits to the killing and the plot pivots.
Sparagmos, untitled
Blood crawled dark and sticky across his face from the crush of tissue and bone that used to be an eye socket Richard's body is mutilated and floating in the lake.
Pathos, untitled
“He drowned,” she says. “He drowned himself. James's suicide is the delayed second sacrificial death.

Books that share these scenes with If We Were Villains

About the author

M.L. Rio