If We Were Villains

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. When the novel begins, each character embodies a stereotype or stock character in Shakespeare’s body of work. Do you believe that people are naturally inclined to be heroes, sidekicks, lovers, or villains? Can people transcend their behavioral tendencies, or will they always fall back on their inclinations?

2. The characters are so immersed in the world of Shakespeare that they find it difficult to break out of the roles they play, even when they are off the stage. What are your personal views on the work that actors do? Do you consider their work difficult or dangerous? Why or why not?

3. The moral behaviors the characters exhibit are also symptomatic of the stereotypes they play. How do you think this reflects the moral value of art? Is art meant to be a vehicle for truth, beauty, or both? How do you reconcile your answer with the behaviors the characters derive from their roles?

4. Richard dies after the characters make a collective decision to remain passive to him as he is dying. How do you feel when bad things happen to bad people? Does this constitute real justice? If not, what do you think real justice against Richard’s actions might look like?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does the novel frame the institutional influence that Dellecher enforces on the moral behavior of its students? How might this drive a critique of educational institutions in the modern day?

2. The novel uses Shakespeare’s work as an overarching motif. What do you think the novel is trying to say about the value of Shakespeare’s work? Is it suggesting that it could be dangerous in a time of moral ambiguity? What positive outcomes result from the study of Shakespeare in this novel?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the novel distinguish between falsehoods and roleplay? How might you reconcile this against the false cover story that Oliver adopts to spare James from going to prison? Is he not, in his own way, playing a role too?

2. The novel builds the performance of Shakespeare’s plays into its plot, but it also distinguishes this from its use of allusion. Cite some instances where the text alludes to Shakespeare, rather than simply using his work as a plot device. What do you understand about the definition and purpose of allusion, based on how it functions in this novel? 

3. Explore Rio’s use of time. How do seasonal changes help to build the mood, progress the plot, and drive thematic ideas? How does time impact the novel’s final twists, as well as the emotional effect of its narrative frame?

4. What thematic ideas does Detective Colborne represent in the narrative? Is he simply an obstruction to the students, or does his role resonate with other archetypes in Shakespeare’s work? Who might you compare him to in Shakespeare’s plays?