Post #4 -“If We Were Villains”

Reposted overview for new readers (brief backstory). A group of seven four-year actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, study Shakespeare and his plays, while taking their on-stage characters offstage too, as they embody their roles. Furthermore, they all have drastically different roles (tyrant, temptress, hero, etc.) while still remaining a close friend group after many long years at one of the most difficult acting schools to graduate from. The book’s beginning was just explaining everyone’s role and how they all “mesh”. The main character Oliver, has been in jail for a decade until now, he’s released for something he may or may not have done. The book is written in both the past, explaining the group’s life while in school together, and just snippets so far of now, Oliver out of jail and explaining what truly happened all those years ago.

I didn’t read as huge a chunk as last time, so no major events have happened yet….But since the last post they have decided to leave Richard to die (okay I guess that’s kind of a big deal). Oliver checked to really see if he was dead under the cold, cruel water…and he definitely was. He was described as something like a Pandora box, something untouchable, or at least something you wouldn’t want to associate with. They all come to a decision to leave Richard there and NOT TELL THE TRUTH. Which I’m a little upset about because it’s like…I get your theater kids and have it in your very self to change the truth or put on a show, but I mean really? They all suspect that none of them in the group could have killed him (yet I speculate James for sure killed him, whether from pent-up anguish that night or pure envy, or most likely- both), so I don’t see why they are making the decisions to A), lie about Richard’s previous outbursts and near-killing accounts directed towards them and B), lie about there events the night of the probable murder/possible suicide. Like I understand they don’t want to be seen as suspects, or like they would have a motive to kill him (which they most definitely do- if it had not been Richard, one of them would be next), but I don’t understand because none of them yet suspect anyone in the group would have killed him…So maybe it’s just the theater in them exaggerating what needs to happen? Either way, I’m both upset and disappointed with this, as I know Oliver takes the downfall of whatever happens, and I really like Oliver as a character!!

A few additional thoughts/storyline pieces… Oliver ended up going into Merideth’s room again, the night after they both found Richard dead and had investigations in the evening. He just comforted her, although I feel as though he’s becoming attached, and as James has mentioned to him, it’s not going to look good for him when it comes to further investigation time. Although Oliver was skeptical of James after James mentioned this because, of course, Oliver had no idea that it would seem suspicious as he did nothing to Richard, and became skeptic of James because he had such a strong say in the matter. Again I think that, and so did Oliver for a split second, James killed Richard so of course he associates everything with what could possibly happen to him/the group, or be used against him/the group. I also think that James reacted this way to Oliver about him and Merideth, because again, James is in love with Oliver and vice versa.