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We Are Villains
From bestselling and award-winning author Kacen Callendar comes a thrilling, dark academia YA about murder, blackmail, and the one person determined to discover the truth, no matter the cost
What happened to Arianna Reynolds?
Ari’s death was ruled an accident, but for her best friend Milo, it’s shrouded in mystery. Why was she in the woods on the night of the fire? Had she been alone? Figuring out what happened the night Ari died is the only reason Milo returns to Yates Academy, even knowing he’ll be in constant danger. . .
Liam is the King of Yates, a role he keeps hold of through his family’s old money—and the threat of violence. So when he begins receiving ominous letters from another student accusing him of murdering Ari, the suspect list is long. Desperate to prove his innocence before the accusation ruins his reign, Liam enlists Milo’s help to find the blackmailer. But the more Milo helps Liam, the more he becomes certain that Liam has something to hide.
As Milo comes closer to the truth, he uncovers secrets that everyone wants to keep buried . . . Featuring a cast of queer characters of color, We Are Villains is an electrifying mystery that will keep readers guessing.
What happened to Arianna Reynolds?
Ari’s death was ruled an accident, but for her best friend Milo, it’s shrouded in mystery. Why was she in the woods on the night of the fire? Had she been alone? Figuring out what happened the night Ari died is the only reason Milo returns to Yates Academy, even knowing he’ll be in constant danger. . .
Liam is the King of Yates, a role he keeps hold of through his family’s old money—and the threat of violence. So when he begins receiving ominous letters from another student accusing him of murdering Ari, the suspect list is long. Desperate to prove his innocence before the accusation ruins his reign, Liam enlists Milo’s help to find the blackmailer. But the more Milo helps Liam, the more he becomes certain that Liam has something to hide.
As Milo comes closer to the truth, he uncovers secrets that everyone wants to keep buried . . . Featuring a cast of queer characters of color, We Are Villains is an electrifying mystery that will keep readers guessing.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2025
33 people are currently reading
7914 people want to read
About the author
Kacen Callender
18 books2,594 followersKacen Callender is a Saint Thomian author of children's fiction and fantasy, best known for their Stonewall Book Award and Lambda Literary Award-winning middle grade debut Hurricane Child. Their fantasy novel, Queen of the Conquered, is the 2020 winner of the World Fantasy Award and King and the Dragonflies won the 2020 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.
Callender is Black, queer, trans, and uses they/them and he/him pronouns. Callender debuted their new name when announcing their next young adult novel Felix Ever After in May 2019.
Callender is Black, queer, trans, and uses they/them and he/him pronouns. Callender debuted their new name when announcing their next young adult novel Felix Ever After in May 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
September 27, 2024
In the last couple of years, dark academia has become one of my favorite genres. I have a soft spot for those morally grey characters who I’d condemn in contemporary or romance.
We Are Villains has the same blunt writing as Felix Ever After (Kacen Callender’s most popular book) but with darker vibes. From the blurb, Milo and Liam seem to be the main characters, while, in fact, Ari sets the pace of this story. I love books with multiple POVs, but if there are more than two, I always get a little wary. In this book, Kacen Callender used at least eight, but I didn’t mind and found it very interesting to be in all those other minds for a short time. Their chapters were just little snippets that gave an extra layer of depth to what happened to Ari and the atmosphere of Yates, the boarding school.
Just like so many other dark academia stories, this book is f*cked up. Yates is central where tyranny and patriarchy rule, everyone is pretending to be something or someone else than they really are, and the reader starts sympathizing with the ones, who are bad news. My favorite was Liam, even though I hated him too for what he did. But love and hate are never far from each other, right?
It’s always easier to look at someone else—to see how they’ve made mistakes. Always easier to see how someone else is the villain. It’s harder to admit when we’re the villains, too.
Don’t expect a romance because there isn’t any. Also, don’t expect lots of angst. Instead, We Are Villains focuses on all those messed-up teens, their f*cked-up relationships, and what they’re trying to hide. I flew through the pages because of Kacen’s vivid writing, even with so many POVs.
Stars in Your Eyes is one of my favorite adult romances, but I wasn’t a huge fan of Infinity Alchemist. I was a little afraid to see another genre, but I shouldn’t have feared because I really liked this one and will definitely read other dark academia stories by Kacen Callender.
Thank you, Abrams Books and Edelweiss, for this ARC!
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We Are Villains has the same blunt writing as Felix Ever After (Kacen Callender’s most popular book) but with darker vibes. From the blurb, Milo and Liam seem to be the main characters, while, in fact, Ari sets the pace of this story. I love books with multiple POVs, but if there are more than two, I always get a little wary. In this book, Kacen Callender used at least eight, but I didn’t mind and found it very interesting to be in all those other minds for a short time. Their chapters were just little snippets that gave an extra layer of depth to what happened to Ari and the atmosphere of Yates, the boarding school.
Just like so many other dark academia stories, this book is f*cked up. Yates is central where tyranny and patriarchy rule, everyone is pretending to be something or someone else than they really are, and the reader starts sympathizing with the ones, who are bad news. My favorite was Liam, even though I hated him too for what he did. But love and hate are never far from each other, right?
It’s always easier to look at someone else—to see how they’ve made mistakes. Always easier to see how someone else is the villain. It’s harder to admit when we’re the villains, too.
Don’t expect a romance because there isn’t any. Also, don’t expect lots of angst. Instead, We Are Villains focuses on all those messed-up teens, their f*cked-up relationships, and what they’re trying to hide. I flew through the pages because of Kacen’s vivid writing, even with so many POVs.
Stars in Your Eyes is one of my favorite adult romances, but I wasn’t a huge fan of Infinity Alchemist. I was a little afraid to see another genre, but I shouldn’t have feared because I really liked this one and will definitely read other dark academia stories by Kacen Callender.
Thank you, Abrams Books and Edelweiss, for this ARC!
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March 6, 2025From the author of Felix Ever After and many others comes a new dark academia YA novel. Trans guy Milo has returned to Yates Academy to investigate his best friend Ari's death—he doesn't believe it was an accident. Liam is the King of Yates, the son of a wealthy, powerful family. But when he begins to receive threatening letters accusing him of killing Ari, he enlists Milo's help to clear his name. The problem is, Milo isn't so sure Liam is innocent.
Kacen Callender also has another book with trans representation out this year! Chaos King is the second book in the Infinity Alchemist YA fantasy series, and it's out on April 15.
—Danika Ellis, 11 Must-Read New Queer Books Out in March 2025
Kacen Callender also has another book with trans representation out this year! Chaos King is the second book in the Infinity Alchemist YA fantasy series, and it's out on April 15.
—Danika Ellis, 11 Must-Read New Queer Books Out in March 2025
June 1, 2025
This was an interesting book and I’m not totally sure how I feel about it now that I’m done. I generally really like when I get multiple perspectives, but there were a few perspectives we didn’t need and didn’t add to the story. This was very dark academia and while I’ve enjoyed the genre before this one took me a bit further. I liked the twist in the story although I did predict one big part I didn’t predict the other. Given the twists I don’t want to try to summarize this one as I think I would spoil something. The writing was pretty good, but I did want a little more development from the characters.
August 25, 2024
At the time of posting this review, the Goodreads review section for this book is a little bleak. It doesn’t come out until the beginning of next year so maybe with more early readers the rating will go up.
This book makes no illusions as to what it’s about. This is about a bunch of morally gray characters doing terrible things. A huge focus of this book is bullying. What I found intriguing about this aspect of the, was the spotlight on race and socio-economical backgrounds, and more so the treatment and consequences of people based on how they factor into those equations.
At the heart, we have Milo searching for answers to the death of his best friend, Ari. In the midst of searching for those answers, we as the reader uncover this fascinating microcosm of bullying and organized fighting within the school Milo attends, though it’s just a tragic way of life for the students… Milo has to wade through a plethora of other people and their wants and needs, learning much more than he bargained for.
Aside from him, we get insight into so many characters. There is a large cast, with many pov, but it never once distracts from the story. Each are necessary, even when they are designed for us not to root for them. Because in life, we are each a villain and a hero, depending on who you’re asking…
This book makes no illusions as to what it’s about. This is about a bunch of morally gray characters doing terrible things. A huge focus of this book is bullying. What I found intriguing about this aspect of the, was the spotlight on race and socio-economical backgrounds, and more so the treatment and consequences of people based on how they factor into those equations.
At the heart, we have Milo searching for answers to the death of his best friend, Ari. In the midst of searching for those answers, we as the reader uncover this fascinating microcosm of bullying and organized fighting within the school Milo attends, though it’s just a tragic way of life for the students… Milo has to wade through a plethora of other people and their wants and needs, learning much more than he bargained for.
Aside from him, we get insight into so many characters. There is a large cast, with many pov, but it never once distracts from the story. Each are necessary, even when they are designed for us not to root for them. Because in life, we are each a villain and a hero, depending on who you’re asking…
April 5, 2025
“Мы Злодеи” за авторством Касена Каллендера обещала мне дарк академию, подростковую жестокость и детектив. Все это, в целом, было получено, но… впрочем оценка говорит сама за себя.
Книга повествует о ученике-степиндианте Майло, который хочет раскрыть убийство своей подруги Ари. Поэтому он возвращается в академию Йейтс для богатых детишек, в которой царит анархия и вседозволенность. Ученики на стипендии, благодаря системе строгой школьной иерархии подвергаются травле, а иногда даже вынуждены драться друг с другом в школьных боях без правил. Цель для буллинга выбирает школьный король, Лиам (который никоем образом не списан с Домедзи из “Цветочки после ягодок”, вы что!). Лиаму теперь нужна помощь Майло, так как ему начали приходит письма обвинающие его в убийстве Ари. Так мучители и жертвы меняются местами.
В этой книге меньше 300 страниц, но при этом происходит слишком много всего. С одной стороны, это не дает заскучать, с другой - ничего, абсолютно ничего не получает должного развития. Тут дофига POV-ов от разных персонажей, многие из которых тупо не имеют ничего общего с основной историей (убийство Ари). Фокус постоянно смещается и поэтому никто из персонажей не получает хоть какого-то развития. Зачем нам отдельные главы от лица Сейди и Престона, если про их токсичный тройничок с Лиамом можно было узнать, собственно, из глав самого Лиама? Зачем две отдельные главы от лица Джозефа, если его мега-план по свержению иерархии в Йейтсе по сути ничем не кончился?
По поводу концовки. Мне кажется, она не работает. Сейчас постараюсь объяснить. В “Мы Злодеи” нет сколько-то значимых персонажей-взрослых. Это касается и родителей и учителей. Все триста страниц мы наблюдали то, как подростки наносят друг-другу физический вред и то, что летальных исходов до случая с Ари не было - это реально чудо. Может дело во мне, но когда в книге про подростковую жестокость, убийцей оказывается взрослый человек - это немного лениво. Вообще чем, дальше, тем больше книга теряла в реализме, а к концу так и вовсе превратилась в последние сезоны “Милых обманщиц” (кто понял, тот понял). Ну и учитывая весь тот пиздец, что тут творился, все чересчур сказочно кончилось. Прям Дисней какой-то.
Я в целом не жалею, что прочитала, но только потому что я довольно быстро с этой книгой расправилась.
Книга повествует о ученике-степиндианте Майло, который хочет раскрыть убийство своей подруги Ари. Поэтому он возвращается в академию Йейтс для богатых детишек, в которой царит анархия и вседозволенность. Ученики на стипендии, благодаря системе строгой школьной иерархии подвергаются травле, а иногда даже вынуждены драться друг с другом в школьных боях без правил. Цель для буллинга выбирает школьный король, Лиам (который никоем образом не списан с Домедзи из “Цветочки после ягодок”, вы что!). Лиаму теперь нужна помощь Майло, так как ему начали приходит письма обвинающие его в убийстве Ари. Так мучители и жертвы меняются местами.
В этой книге меньше 300 страниц, но при этом происходит слишком много всего. С одной стороны, это не дает заскучать, с другой - ничего, абсолютно ничего не получает должного развития. Тут дофига POV-ов от разных персонажей, многие из которых тупо не имеют ничего общего с основной историей (убийство Ари). Фокус постоянно смещается и поэтому никто из персонажей не получает хоть какого-то развития. Зачем нам отдельные главы от лица Сейди и Престона, если про их токсичный тройничок с Лиамом можно было узнать, собственно, из глав самого Лиама? Зачем две отдельные главы от лица Джозефа, если его мега-план по свержению иерархии в Йейтсе по сути ничем не кончился?
По поводу концовки. Мне кажется, она не работает. Сейчас постараюсь объяснить. В “Мы Злодеи” нет сколько-то значимых персонажей-взрослых. Это касается и родителей и учителей. Все триста страниц мы наблюдали то, как подростки наносят друг-другу физический вред и то, что летальных исходов до случая с Ари не было - это реально чудо. Может дело во мне, но когда в книге про подростковую жестокость, убийцей оказывается взрослый человек - это немного лениво. Вообще чем, дальше, тем больше книга теряла в реализме, а к концу так и вовсе превратилась в последние сезоны “Милых обманщиц” (кто понял, тот понял). Ну и учитывая весь тот пиздец, что тут творился, все чересчур сказочно кончилось. Прям Дисней какой-то.
Я в целом не жалею, что прочитала, но только потому что я довольно быстро с этой книгой расправилась.
January 10, 2025
eARC received through Netgalley.
Before picking this up, I had read two other Kacen Callender novels and really enjoyed both, so I went into this novel expecting, at the very least, to like it. And wouldn't you know it, that is exactly what happened. I've read a ton of dark academia novels this year and had a bunch of misses and very few hits, and I'm glad I found another I really liked that I will eventually add to my shelves. This follows a large cast of queer morally gray characters (a win). I particularly liked one of it's main characters, Milo. He was ace/aro, hinted at being autistic, a trans boy, and just generally one of the more interesting characters to follow over the course of the novel. The diverse representation in this book was overall really good. I can't pinpoint exactly what about this story I didn't love enough to give a full five stars, but I think it was the wring style. It felt a little simple, but considering this is YA, I'm gonna say that's not a fault of the book and just personal preference on my part.
Edit - after some thinking I'm moving the rating of this to a high 3 rather than a 4.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
Before picking this up, I had read two other Kacen Callender novels and really enjoyed both, so I went into this novel expecting, at the very least, to like it. And wouldn't you know it, that is exactly what happened. I've read a ton of dark academia novels this year and had a bunch of misses and very few hits, and I'm glad I found another I really liked that I will eventually add to my shelves. This follows a large cast of queer morally gray characters (a win). I particularly liked one of it's main characters, Milo. He was ace/aro, hinted at being autistic, a trans boy, and just generally one of the more interesting characters to follow over the course of the novel. The diverse representation in this book was overall really good. I can't pinpoint exactly what about this story I didn't love enough to give a full five stars, but I think it was the wring style. It felt a little simple, but considering this is YA, I'm gonna say that's not a fault of the book and just personal preference on my part.
Edit - after some thinking I'm moving the rating of this to a high 3 rather than a 4.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
April 25, 2025
"Tanglewyld reminds me of taxidermy--a pretty but dead animal put on display. The place makes my skin crawl, but it's my only way out."
While I'm normally not averse to a multi-POV story, this one had too many for me in such a short book. Milo and Liam were the only two who felt like fully-fledged characters to me by the end, but even my connection to them as people felt shallow. With fewer POV chapters (or maybe even POV chapters written in third person instead of first so my framework of who "I" is didn't have to shift so much), I wonder they would have felt more realistic. I understand the premise that they should all be in some ways "villainous" and potentially unsympathetic,
There were a few other moments that made it difficult for me to suspend disbelief or just took me out of the story. The first was the decision to make Milo live in the groundskeeper's hut near the lake far off from the school. For the rest of the novel, all I could picture was Hagrid's hut. The second was the total lack of schooling (or at least adults) at one of the top secondary institutions in the states. Understandably, the point is not to watch these teens do homework or attend classes, but some interaction with the faculty (especially given how events unfold in the latter half of the book) would have made this book more realistic for me, but also made the solution to the mystery more complex and shocking. There were parts of how the conflict resolves that didn't make logical sense or felt too difficult/convenient to pull off realistically.
Overall I liked the murder mystery of it all and the fact that because everyone could be a villain, it was easy to suspect them all. You likely won't be able to guess "who-dun-it" before its revealed, which makes more a decent thriller in my book!
While I'm normally not averse to a multi-POV story, this one had too many for me in such a short book. Milo and Liam were the only two who felt like fully-fledged characters to me by the end, but even my connection to them as people felt shallow. With fewer POV chapters (or maybe even POV chapters written in third person instead of first so my framework of who "I" is didn't have to shift so much), I wonder they would have felt more realistic. I understand the premise that they should all be in some ways "villainous" and potentially unsympathetic,
There were a few other moments that made it difficult for me to suspend disbelief or just took me out of the story. The first was the decision to make Milo live in the groundskeeper's hut near the lake far off from the school. For the rest of the novel, all I could picture was Hagrid's hut. The second was the total lack of schooling (or at least adults) at one of the top secondary institutions in the states. Understandably, the point is not to watch these teens do homework or attend classes, but some interaction with the faculty (especially given how events unfold in the latter half of the book) would have made this book more realistic for me, but also made the solution to the mystery more complex and shocking. There were parts of how the conflict resolves that didn't make logical sense or felt too difficult/convenient to pull off realistically.
Overall I liked the murder mystery of it all and the fact that because everyone could be a villain, it was easy to suspect them all. You likely won't be able to guess "who-dun-it" before its revealed, which makes more a decent thriller in my book!
August 23, 2024
By the end, I can say I enjoyed this. Getting there was more complicated.
I was both fascinated and repulsed reading this. I was dying to find out the truth while simultaneously finding the bullying nearly impossible to believe. Not that bullying doesn’t exist, but this school, these kids—this was next-level. I had a hard time believing this level of torment was openly taking place. The arena was bad enough, but then these kids are basically getting their asses kicked on the sidewalk at all hours of the day or night walking across campus, no adults in sight, no concern about cameras. And the arena—guys fighting girls, even? An entire organized system for hardcore tormenting each other (alerts, marks, targets, etc) and it’s just business as usual?
When Liam called it Lord of the Flies, I was like shit—YES. And shoutout to the “Ralph Golding” later. Clever.
That being said, I liked the way it ended and that we finally got some real insight into Liam. I do think it took too long to see it. I’d have been able to suspend my disbelief about what was happening if we’d seen him wrestling with it sooner, seen him sharing sooner that it was a metaphor for the real world.
I also wasn’t a fan if SO many POVs. If they all had equal time, I would be on board, but since a couple of them only had 1 or 2 chapters for their POV, it felt like cheating, like a way to sneak that character’s thoughts/actions in without having to do the work of making them an official POV character.
I was both fascinated and repulsed reading this. I was dying to find out the truth while simultaneously finding the bullying nearly impossible to believe. Not that bullying doesn’t exist, but this school, these kids—this was next-level. I had a hard time believing this level of torment was openly taking place. The arena was bad enough, but then these kids are basically getting their asses kicked on the sidewalk at all hours of the day or night walking across campus, no adults in sight, no concern about cameras. And the arena—guys fighting girls, even? An entire organized system for hardcore tormenting each other (alerts, marks, targets, etc) and it’s just business as usual?
When Liam called it Lord of the Flies, I was like shit—YES. And shoutout to the “Ralph Golding” later. Clever.
That being said, I liked the way it ended and that we finally got some real insight into Liam. I do think it took too long to see it. I’d have been able to suspend my disbelief about what was happening if we’d seen him wrestling with it sooner, seen him sharing sooner that it was a metaphor for the real world.
I also wasn’t a fan if SO many POVs. If they all had equal time, I would be on board, but since a couple of them only had 1 or 2 chapters for their POV, it felt like cheating, like a way to sneak that character’s thoughts/actions in without having to do the work of making them an official POV character.
January 11, 2025
Thank you Abrams Books and Edelweiss for this ARC!!
I’ve been trying to get into dark academia for a bit and I feel like this was a good choice!!! I loved the complexity of each character and how such taboo topics were explored and handled.
I was a bit concerned about all the POVs but they worked so well with each other and added fuel to the fire (no pun intended). It gripped me and I couldn’t put it down even when I was forced to be an adult and work.
This will be very rememberable read!!!
I’ve been trying to get into dark academia for a bit and I feel like this was a good choice!!! I loved the complexity of each character and how such taboo topics were explored and handled.
I was a bit concerned about all the POVs but they worked so well with each other and added fuel to the fire (no pun intended). It gripped me and I couldn’t put it down even when I was forced to be an adult and work.
This will be very rememberable read!!!
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September 23, 2025Milo from We Are Villains is aromantic asexual!
https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
August 23, 2024
"If everyone is a villain, does that mean we're all heroes, too?"
February 4, 2025
I think I wanted this to be a little bit more tense. Sure, we have a mysterious death, an illicit fight club, a tacitly accepted hierarchy of bullying, but it all felt only skin deep. I’d be really curious about the first aid facilities in this school and how no one ever investigated - it all felt a little too convenient given the sheer volume of incidents and the existence of social media. I also didn’t buy into some of the relationships between characters that only get revealed in the second half; if they were supposedly close then none of the plot would hold water.
What I really liked was Milo. Trans and aroace, probably autistic, constantly juggling his desire to puzzle through what makes other people tick with whether secrets can and should be kept. I think we could have gotten more of his moral dilemma, and that would have really hammered home his character.
I also thought the ending was way too neat
{Thank you ABRAMS for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
What I really liked was Milo. Trans and aroace, probably autistic, constantly juggling his desire to puzzle through what makes other people tick with whether secrets can and should be kept. I think we could have gotten more of his moral dilemma, and that would have really hammered home his character.
I also thought the ending was way too neat
{Thank you ABRAMS for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
September 3, 2024
I received an ARC of this book on NetGalley which has since been deleted. We Are Villains is a compelling dark academia YA with lots of morally gray POVs and I loved it. Milo is a scholarship student in his senior year at a prestigious private school. When his best friend was killed in a fire, he takes a mental health break from school and comes back ready to solve her murder. Along the way, he takes jobs from his privileged classmates, each offering more and more clues to the truth. I have seen that people didn’t really like this book which I find perplexing. I found it so compelling.
July 25, 2025
I wasn't so sure about this book in the beginning, and even though I continued to not really like the characters, as the murder mystery developed I was intrigued where it was going and seeing how the relationships developed. But then the last 1/4 of the book dropped my opinion again. It felt like too much was thrown in and then tied up too neatly. I ultimately felt the plot was too surface level--it could've dug in more on the the issues it raised.
April 3, 2025
This one felt well written and had an interesting concept but I was honestly just annoyed the entire time reading this. There was a lot of characters and switching from all the different POVs was hard to follow sometimes. I found some plot points to feel like cop outs. The setting of a high school is fun but the complete lack of adult supervision especially when there’s insane amounts of bullying was just too unreal (I went to a boarding school and those teachers were ALWAYS in our business so I can’t fathom). I feel like if this was set maybe in like a fantasy school situation I would’ve been able to let that slide more. Anyways I didn’t love this one but I do see all its potential. The messaging was clear and important but there was just too many little things that distracted me from really enjoying the story. Also hated every character lol I think that was the point but I was just annoyed.
2 stars feels too low but 3 stars is def too high. 2.75 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for the ARC
2 stars feels too low but 3 stars is def too high. 2.75 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for the ARC
March 27, 2025
bjnml-+!?₹&---
April 9, 2025
"Everyone hurts eachother. Everyone makes mistakes. But that isn't an excuse to keep making mistakes.There's a point when you need self-awareness and a willingness to change. . .
The problem is when we decide that everyone else is a villain without taking a look at ourselves and the shit we do, too."[pg 152]
I received the arc for this one at a book club event at my local bookstore. Although I had the advanced copy, I decided to wait for the audiobook on release day (3/25/25). I went in blind thinking it was your average Dark Academia Romance novel,but I was wrong; there was no Dark Romance at all. It's a YA Dark Academia following multiple POVs: Milo, the amature detective on the run, Liam, "The King of Yates", a wealthy student who decides aka "marked" students to get killed/bullied & Ari, the dead victim who's murder case is being solved.The characters weren't interesting, the plot was all over the place and the writing style was weak. I wasn't impressed. I give it 1🌟
The problem is when we decide that everyone else is a villain without taking a look at ourselves and the shit we do, too."[pg 152]
I received the arc for this one at a book club event at my local bookstore. Although I had the advanced copy, I decided to wait for the audiobook on release day (3/25/25). I went in blind thinking it was your average Dark Academia Romance novel,but I was wrong; there was no Dark Romance at all. It's a YA Dark Academia following multiple POVs: Milo, the amature detective on the run, Liam, "The King of Yates", a wealthy student who decides aka "marked" students to get killed/bullied & Ari, the dead victim who's murder case is being solved.The characters weren't interesting, the plot was all over the place and the writing style was weak. I wasn't impressed. I give it 1🌟
February 21, 2025
I don’t think this book was for me. The writing style wasn’t my favorite, there were definitely moments I was confused (specifically in one of Ari’s chapters), there was so much going on that it wasn’t believable, and I think I missed why Ari had to disappear. It seemed a little much that she had to completely disappear instead of just walking away from her life. I wish we would have actually heard the story of the last few months from her POV instead of it being glossed over at the end. Honestly, if the ending had more desperation from her, and wasn’t tied up in a neat little bow with only one person getting in trouble, I may have liked it more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2025
Fight club at a boarding school with no supervision and throw in a serial killer coach for no reason. It's a no for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2025
2.5
messsss
messsss
March 29, 2025
You can read my ARC review of We Are Villains on my blog, here: https://thepaperworlds.blogspot.com/2....
This is a spoiler-free review! We Are Villains was released on March 25, 2025 and is now available for purchase at select retailers.
I would first like to thank NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I have really been in the mood for a mystery book and when the approval came through on NetGalley, I was quick to download and get started. The premise reminded me of a few other mystery books I have read in the past, and I was interested to see where things were headed for Milo as he attempted to uncovered who killed his friend, Arianna.
Much like Boys with Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell, our protagonist is on the hunt to determine who killed his friend, and is willing to go to extreme lengths to reveal the truth and get justice by any means necessary. Milo appears to be a wallflower and tends to stay in the shadows of others, but as more attention is drawn to him as the days go on, he is thrown into a whirlwind of events that have consequences for everyone. As readers learn more about Milo and his life outside of Yates, we are also exposed to his relationships with the students and how he views himself as an individual and on a deeper level.
The perspective changes nearly every chapter, and with short chapters, it became more of a challenge to keep track of who was talking - especially considering the perspectives are written in first person. While I do appreciate multiple perspective books, it felt as though this should have been limited to three perspectives instead of the larger amount that we had in the book. There were a number of characters who were more interesting to read about, and I would have loved to dive deeper into the more sinister individuals rather than dwell on some characters that in my eyes were not nearly as intriguing.
As this is a young adult book, I expected a certain ceiling or threshold that the author would reach without going into adult territory, but I fear that they kept this book hovering over more middle grade than young adult. I felt a little out of my element when reading this, and wish that the maturity was turned up a tad - considering this is a murder mystery, I wanted the stakes to be higher in certain scenarios. That being said, there were definitely chapters or events that fell into the young adult category, but it would have been great if the book felt more cohesive when detailing particular actions or diving into characters and their personalities.
This is a super quick read and you will be able to tackle it in a couple of hours - I was entertained, but felt as though it was missing a little something that would push it over the edge into something memorable for me. The mystery element was played well, and I have to say it definitely kept me intrigued throughout the entirety of the story.
You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads (maddymartinelli), Instagram (@thepaperworlds), Twitter (@thepaperworlds), and following this blog in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!
March 12, 2025
Thank you Amulet for an advance reading copy, all opinions are my own.
I read Felix Ever After years ago and absolutely loved it, so I was excited when this one arrived in the mail! I am also a massive fan of preppy boarding school shenanigans (looking at you Ace of Spades). So this was all around something that would be right up my alley, and it was!
This one has a multiple POV, with one being the murdered girl, so there are a lot of secrets to go around. All of the POVs end up playing a larger part in the story, but the story mainly swaps between two people. They are very different in the beginning, and I enjoyed watching how they kind ended up going hand in hand with one another. They are opposite sides to the same coin too - a broke, queer, scholarship kid vs the white-passing rich kid that's king of the school.
I enjoyed the mystery behind the story, of who killed Ari. She has a POV too, and every time she had a chapter I would shift who I thought "did it." At one point there was even a suspect thrown out of left field, which had me wondering if I missed something along the way, but that ended up being a red herring. I mean, the character still did messed up things, but not this messed up thing.
The title really plays in with the whole story too - everyone is a villain. Every character in this book did something bad to someone else, or multiple people, and they all played a hand in the mystery as a whole. Even characters doing what they thought was right ended up hurting someone else. That is another reason I was suspicious of everyone, because I knew there was a possibility more happened than what they were saying. Callender did a good job of giving us crumbs throughout the whole story, to keep us guessing until the end.
Overall, I found this an enjoyable mystery and I truly was guessing up until the end. There were even some good reveals that kind of played into the larger story (hard to explain without spoilers!). This is one of those stories where I never truly believed the mystery was solved until the very end, because I just knew another reveal was going to come around the corner. It was a fun read, and I am grateful to have had the chance to pick it up!
Content warnings: death, murder, fire/fire injury, bullying, gaslighting, infidelity, physical abuse, toxic relationships, cursing, confinement, drug use, alcohol use, addiction
I read Felix Ever After years ago and absolutely loved it, so I was excited when this one arrived in the mail! I am also a massive fan of preppy boarding school shenanigans (looking at you Ace of Spades). So this was all around something that would be right up my alley, and it was!
This one has a multiple POV, with one being the murdered girl, so there are a lot of secrets to go around. All of the POVs end up playing a larger part in the story, but the story mainly swaps between two people. They are very different in the beginning, and I enjoyed watching how they kind ended up going hand in hand with one another. They are opposite sides to the same coin too - a broke, queer, scholarship kid vs the white-passing rich kid that's king of the school.
I enjoyed the mystery behind the story, of who killed Ari. She has a POV too, and every time she had a chapter I would shift who I thought "did it." At one point there was even a suspect thrown out of left field, which had me wondering if I missed something along the way, but that ended up being a red herring. I mean, the character still did messed up things, but not this messed up thing.
The title really plays in with the whole story too - everyone is a villain. Every character in this book did something bad to someone else, or multiple people, and they all played a hand in the mystery as a whole. Even characters doing what they thought was right ended up hurting someone else. That is another reason I was suspicious of everyone, because I knew there was a possibility more happened than what they were saying. Callender did a good job of giving us crumbs throughout the whole story, to keep us guessing until the end.
Overall, I found this an enjoyable mystery and I truly was guessing up until the end. There were even some good reveals that kind of played into the larger story (hard to explain without spoilers!). This is one of those stories where I never truly believed the mystery was solved until the very end, because I just knew another reveal was going to come around the corner. It was a fun read, and I am grateful to have had the chance to pick it up!
Content warnings: death, murder, fire/fire injury, bullying, gaslighting, infidelity, physical abuse, toxic relationships, cursing, confinement, drug use, alcohol use, addiction
March 24, 2025
**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**
Actual rating: 3.5
Kacen Callender expands into YA dark academia with We Are Villains. Readers follow a cast of diverse characters at the prestigious Yates Academy as they come back from winter break. Just before the break, scholarship student Arianna Reynolds was found dead by the lake, marred by the fire started by unknown means. Ari was one of the most recent targets of the decades-old "game" of bullying that is inherited by legacy through the student body. Liam Reeves, illegitimate son of a Wall Street businessman, is the most recent King of Yates. And he doesn't have an alibi for the night of Ari's death. Cue Milo Pace, scholarship student and the unofficial campus private investigator. He will find out what happened to Ari, no matter how many stones he has to upturn.
There are many perspectives that this story is told through with the most constant storytellers being Ari, Milo, and Liam. Ari's perspective is written in a way that addresses Milo in second person, reflecting on what happened when she was at Yates. As such, readers get a bit of a fractured timeline with pieces of Ari's experience woven in with Milo, Liam, and the other perspectives. Readers tend to know primarily what Milo knows as he undertakes his investigation.
I appreciated the fast pace of the story as there was never really an opportunity to be bored. I also appreciated that queerness was incorporated casually, but was rarely at the forefront of the plot. This is especially true for Milo, who is Black, trans, and ace, but was allowed to simply be himself rather than being reduced to solely representative of those identities. The bigger divide in the novel was socioeconomic, with scholarship kids falling into different social standing compared to legacy kids.
Callender was not shy about conveying social and cultural messages within the story, and the messages delivered were very much in your face. That said, I feel like this style of delivery is appropriate for a younger to mid range of YA audience, which seems to be the target demographic.
I had some issues with suspending disbelief at the ending and how things wrapped up, but still had a pleasant reading experience overall. I would happily recommend this book to its target audience or to adults hoping for a fast-paced, school-aged drama-filled read.
Actual rating: 3.5
Kacen Callender expands into YA dark academia with We Are Villains. Readers follow a cast of diverse characters at the prestigious Yates Academy as they come back from winter break. Just before the break, scholarship student Arianna Reynolds was found dead by the lake, marred by the fire started by unknown means. Ari was one of the most recent targets of the decades-old "game" of bullying that is inherited by legacy through the student body. Liam Reeves, illegitimate son of a Wall Street businessman, is the most recent King of Yates. And he doesn't have an alibi for the night of Ari's death. Cue Milo Pace, scholarship student and the unofficial campus private investigator. He will find out what happened to Ari, no matter how many stones he has to upturn.
There are many perspectives that this story is told through with the most constant storytellers being Ari, Milo, and Liam. Ari's perspective is written in a way that addresses Milo in second person, reflecting on what happened when she was at Yates. As such, readers get a bit of a fractured timeline with pieces of Ari's experience woven in with Milo, Liam, and the other perspectives. Readers tend to know primarily what Milo knows as he undertakes his investigation.
I appreciated the fast pace of the story as there was never really an opportunity to be bored. I also appreciated that queerness was incorporated casually, but was rarely at the forefront of the plot. This is especially true for Milo, who is Black, trans, and ace, but was allowed to simply be himself rather than being reduced to solely representative of those identities. The bigger divide in the novel was socioeconomic, with scholarship kids falling into different social standing compared to legacy kids.
Callender was not shy about conveying social and cultural messages within the story, and the messages delivered were very much in your face. That said, I feel like this style of delivery is appropriate for a younger to mid range of YA audience, which seems to be the target demographic.
I had some issues with suspending disbelief at the ending and how things wrapped up, but still had a pleasant reading experience overall. I would happily recommend this book to its target audience or to adults hoping for a fast-paced, school-aged drama-filled read.
February 20, 2025
Thank you Net Galley for this ARC book.
I had mixed feelings about this book. Dark Academia pushes the bounds of what is believable in a school setting but some elements of the story felt a little too unbelievable. The suspension of disbelief worked for the staff turning a blind eye to things happening at the school but it seemed shocking that no one was exposing secrets on social media before this became a plot point in the book. It really seems like at least one of the targeted kids would have been out for some revenge by sharing secrets with the gossip blogs but setting that aside I also had some other concerns. A second marker of the genre are the morally grey characters and it felt like some of this also fell short for some of the main characters. The way the perspectives shifted helped with some of this but a couple of the main characters still fell a little flat. Additionally the way the pacing of the book was one of the main characters arc explaining his more complex side felt kind of rushed. That said I did really like Milo and Ari as characters the ways they both alternatively focused on survival but also at times wanted to fight for change was really well done particularly the way they didn't quite align their friendship was so complicated and compelling and seeing their history unfold through the book was so well done. I also thought that while elements of it were definitely rough the complex bulling system and how they used modern technology was really interesting. I'm not sure what it would have taken to fully believe that the system would work but once I was more fully immersed in the story it was a great way to demonstrate the power dynamics and high stakes of social standing at the school. As I got more into the story I was able to just let go of things that were bothering me and enjoy it more, and by the end I really enjoyed how everything came together, I still really enjoyed the story as a whole.
I had mixed feelings about this book. Dark Academia pushes the bounds of what is believable in a school setting but some elements of the story felt a little too unbelievable. The suspension of disbelief worked for the staff turning a blind eye to things happening at the school but it seemed shocking that no one was exposing secrets on social media before this became a plot point in the book. It really seems like at least one of the targeted kids would have been out for some revenge by sharing secrets with the gossip blogs but setting that aside I also had some other concerns. A second marker of the genre are the morally grey characters and it felt like some of this also fell short for some of the main characters. The way the perspectives shifted helped with some of this but a couple of the main characters still fell a little flat. Additionally the way the pacing of the book was one of the main characters arc explaining his more complex side felt kind of rushed. That said I did really like Milo and Ari as characters the ways they both alternatively focused on survival but also at times wanted to fight for change was really well done particularly the way they didn't quite align their friendship was so complicated and compelling and seeing their history unfold through the book was so well done. I also thought that while elements of it were definitely rough the complex bulling system and how they used modern technology was really interesting. I'm not sure what it would have taken to fully believe that the system would work but once I was more fully immersed in the story it was a great way to demonstrate the power dynamics and high stakes of social standing at the school. As I got more into the story I was able to just let go of things that were bothering me and enjoy it more, and by the end I really enjoyed how everything came together, I still really enjoyed the story as a whole.
July 21, 2025
Scholarship student Milo Pace (Black, trans, ace) returns to elite private school Yates Academy for his last semester to figure out what happened to his good friend Ariana Reynolds (Black, lesbian) on the night she died. Meanwhile, the so-called “King” of Yates Academy, Liam Reeves (white-passing, bi), begins receiving threatening messages from someone at the school accusing him of Ariana’s murder.
This book was very twisty. Callendar uses shifting POVs to really structure this story, which makes for great pacing and layering of questions. A chapter will end with a question, pick up with a new character’s POV that might answer that question, and then that chapter will end with new questions. The way the subplots all weave into the greater plot of Ariana’s murder is well done.
Additionally, this book has a lot of great representation. Because the themes of this book - bullying, belonging, and growing up - are so universal, it will resonate with any reader looking for a good contemporary mystery while also getting them to consider how each of the character’s unique identities influences the way they navigate a particular theme. For example, Ariana’s POV gives a lot of insight into the expectations laid on her as a young black woman struggling to find her footing while being bullied for being a poor scholarship student.
I also appreciated the real focus on plot in this book. Character growth is more subtle than overpowering. Milo mentions during one of his chapters that it’s always easier to see when someone else is the villain but harder to see those same characteristics in yourself. I think this is the entire point of the book. Callender has written a story where you may walk away without liking the characters but with some understanding of who they are, particularly the insecurities and motivations behind their actions. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
This book was very twisty. Callendar uses shifting POVs to really structure this story, which makes for great pacing and layering of questions. A chapter will end with a question, pick up with a new character’s POV that might answer that question, and then that chapter will end with new questions. The way the subplots all weave into the greater plot of Ariana’s murder is well done.
Additionally, this book has a lot of great representation. Because the themes of this book - bullying, belonging, and growing up - are so universal, it will resonate with any reader looking for a good contemporary mystery while also getting them to consider how each of the character’s unique identities influences the way they navigate a particular theme. For example, Ariana’s POV gives a lot of insight into the expectations laid on her as a young black woman struggling to find her footing while being bullied for being a poor scholarship student.
I also appreciated the real focus on plot in this book. Character growth is more subtle than overpowering. Milo mentions during one of his chapters that it’s always easier to see when someone else is the villain but harder to see those same characteristics in yourself. I think this is the entire point of the book. Callender has written a story where you may walk away without liking the characters but with some understanding of who they are, particularly the insecurities and motivations behind their actions. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
May 13, 2025
✧ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʀᴇᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ, @Abrams
➤ 𝚂𝚈𝙽𝙾𝙿𝚂𝙸𝚂
When Milo returns to Yates Academy after the death of his best friend Ari, he is determined to find out what really happened. Her death was ruled an accident, but Milo suspects otherwise. Why was she in the woods the night of the fire, and was she really alone?
Liam, the most powerful student at Yates, begins receiving anonymous notes accusing him of killing Ari. To clear his name, he asks Milo for help. But the more Milo investigates, the more he suspects Liam is hiding something. As secrets surface and tensions rise, Milo must decide how far he is willing to go for the truth. We Are Villains is a gripping mystery with queer characters of color, packed with twists and dark secrets.
➤ 𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂
We Are Villains follows Milo, a sharp and observant student returning to Yates Academy after the mysterious death of his best friend Ari. Though her death was ruled an accident, Milo suspects there is more to the story. When Liam, the most powerful student at the school, begins receiving anonymous notes accusing him of murder, he asks Milo for help. But the deeper Milo digs, the more secrets come to light, and the more he begins to question who he can trust.
While the setup had potential, the execution fell flat for me. The plot leans hard on familiar prep school tropes like secret clubs, dramatic power plays, and a total lack of adult supervision. The story includes a large cast of LGBT characters, which felt more like a trendy checkbox than meaningful representation. I do not particularly enjoy that kind of cliché, and it added to the feeling that the book was trying too hard to be edgy. The fight club element was strange, the mystery was predictable, and overall the story just did not land.
➤ 𝚂𝚈𝙽𝙾𝙿𝚂𝙸𝚂
When Milo returns to Yates Academy after the death of his best friend Ari, he is determined to find out what really happened. Her death was ruled an accident, but Milo suspects otherwise. Why was she in the woods the night of the fire, and was she really alone?
Liam, the most powerful student at Yates, begins receiving anonymous notes accusing him of killing Ari. To clear his name, he asks Milo for help. But the more Milo investigates, the more he suspects Liam is hiding something. As secrets surface and tensions rise, Milo must decide how far he is willing to go for the truth. We Are Villains is a gripping mystery with queer characters of color, packed with twists and dark secrets.
➤ 𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂
We Are Villains follows Milo, a sharp and observant student returning to Yates Academy after the mysterious death of his best friend Ari. Though her death was ruled an accident, Milo suspects there is more to the story. When Liam, the most powerful student at the school, begins receiving anonymous notes accusing him of murder, he asks Milo for help. But the deeper Milo digs, the more secrets come to light, and the more he begins to question who he can trust.
While the setup had potential, the execution fell flat for me. The plot leans hard on familiar prep school tropes like secret clubs, dramatic power plays, and a total lack of adult supervision. The story includes a large cast of LGBT characters, which felt more like a trendy checkbox than meaningful representation. I do not particularly enjoy that kind of cliché, and it added to the feeling that the book was trying too hard to be edgy. The fight club element was strange, the mystery was predictable, and overall the story just did not land.
January 9, 2025
Thank you Amulet Books and Edelweiss for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I’m very impressed that Kacen Callender can write anything! A thought provoking mystery that looks at racism, bullying, and toxicity in private schools. Milo returns to school after break to everyone’s disbelief. He’s been marked so no one will associate with him. He just wants to finish school now that his best friend Arianna is gone he is hoping he can keep his head down. But the King has other plans. Liam is receiving notes that indicate they know he killed Arianna. Milo has a knack for noticing things other people don’t and Liam can use his help figuring out who is sending the notes. Why would Milo help his tormentors? But Liam can make it all go away and give Milo his protection. Plus that would allow Milo to work with other students and get paid. The two reluctantly agree to work together. But when secrets are released and more and more information points towards Liam as Arianna’s killer, who can Milo trust? Can Liam find out who is trying to take him down before they succeed? We can’t forget Arianna who tells us the events that lead up to her death. Will she reveal the killer? A mystery where all the characters have secrets and all of them are morally grey! Liam and Milo are both interesting leads and of course Arianna’s perspective builds on the intrigue but readers also get various other points of view that add to the tension of the story! A story of back stabbing, fear, and doing what it takes to survive! Also has great queer and disability representation! Highly recommend for mystery lovers!
January 10, 2025
👑 DARK Academia
👑 Fight Club
👑 Ace/Aro Rep
👑 Morally grey characters
Thanks to the publisher (Amulet Books) and Edelweiss for this ARC!
I read this book in one day. It pulled me in and was the first book in a while to keep me up late at night reading. I was simultaneously repulsed by this book and intrigued. It’s like when something really bad is happening and you can’t look away. I can’t say that I thought that the events in this book were accurate, but I don’t think that it made me dislike the book at all. Without spoilers, this book deals with a highly sophisticated bullying ring at a private school, while one character, Milo, looks into the death of his best friend, Ari.
It had about 5 or 6 POVs, and while this usually turns me off of a book, I liked it in this one. It was fascinating to hear different perspectives, and it was really helpful in revealing the truths and lies that the characters were saying. Everyone has secrets! Everyone is morally grey!
By the end of the book, I found myself sympathizing with every character, even the ones I didn’t like in the beginning. The reveal of this book was also interesting and compelling. My only gripe is that I wish it was slightly longer.
Don’t read this if you’re expecting romance, there’s none. But you will find an incredible story centered around bullying, racism, and what people will do when they feel like the world is stacked against them. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
4.5 / 5 Stars
👑 Fight Club
👑 Ace/Aro Rep
👑 Morally grey characters
Thanks to the publisher (Amulet Books) and Edelweiss for this ARC!
I read this book in one day. It pulled me in and was the first book in a while to keep me up late at night reading. I was simultaneously repulsed by this book and intrigued. It’s like when something really bad is happening and you can’t look away. I can’t say that I thought that the events in this book were accurate, but I don’t think that it made me dislike the book at all. Without spoilers, this book deals with a highly sophisticated bullying ring at a private school, while one character, Milo, looks into the death of his best friend, Ari.
It had about 5 or 6 POVs, and while this usually turns me off of a book, I liked it in this one. It was fascinating to hear different perspectives, and it was really helpful in revealing the truths and lies that the characters were saying. Everyone has secrets! Everyone is morally grey!
By the end of the book, I found myself sympathizing with every character, even the ones I didn’t like in the beginning. The reveal of this book was also interesting and compelling. My only gripe is that I wish it was slightly longer.
Don’t read this if you’re expecting romance, there’s none. But you will find an incredible story centered around bullying, racism, and what people will do when they feel like the world is stacked against them. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
4.5 / 5 Stars
March 31, 2025
Fast-reading, complex dark academia with some good twists and well-defined characters.
Not a genre I read, but I generally read most of the author's books, so I don't know how it stands up against typical dark academia reads. The genre provides a lot of guardrails - posh school, nasty/rich kids, wild behavior, something bad happens. That's helpful in terms of expectations.
The queer representation in the book is on the light side. Blink and you'll miss it. In some ways, this is good for normalizing the presence of queer people in the world, but the author is a heavy hitter, so it's a little disappointing not to see more. This was about what readers would've seen pre-Obergefell.
The writing and structure made the book fly. Super fast read and hard to put down. Short chapters, many different points of view, linear story-line.
The actual plot - the death of a student - is incredibly intricate and might be difficult for some younger teen readers to follow. That part is actually more in line with adult books, even if the setting and more socio-emotional aspects are totally YA. Some readers may find the violence objectionable, but it really depends on their own HS experiences and how well they handle realism.
None of the characters are super likeable, except the dead girl (Arianna), but they're all equally so, which helps. That said, they all have strong voices, which is impressive.
Overall, worth reading; the ending pays off and it's fast.
Not a genre I read, but I generally read most of the author's books, so I don't know how it stands up against typical dark academia reads. The genre provides a lot of guardrails - posh school, nasty/rich kids, wild behavior, something bad happens. That's helpful in terms of expectations.
The queer representation in the book is on the light side. Blink and you'll miss it. In some ways, this is good for normalizing the presence of queer people in the world, but the author is a heavy hitter, so it's a little disappointing not to see more. This was about what readers would've seen pre-Obergefell.
The writing and structure made the book fly. Super fast read and hard to put down. Short chapters, many different points of view, linear story-line.
The actual plot - the death of a student - is incredibly intricate and might be difficult for some younger teen readers to follow. That part is actually more in line with adult books, even if the setting and more socio-emotional aspects are totally YA. Some readers may find the violence objectionable, but it really depends on their own HS experiences and how well they handle realism.
None of the characters are super likeable, except the dead girl (Arianna), but they're all equally so, which helps. That said, they all have strong voices, which is impressive.
Overall, worth reading; the ending pays off and it's fast.
March 2, 2025
The 3 stars are mostly for vibes. I tend to enjoy pretentious boarding school settings, so I liked that aspect a lot. The mystery was semi-compelling, though certain reveals felt very convenient. I also felt held at a distance from all of the characters. Although the words on the page indicated quite high stakes, I didn't really feel it. The characters were all pretty unlikable, but I feel that was the author's intention and if it was, it was executed well.
Major warning for a LOT of violence. I don't think the synopsis adequately explains that the social structure of the school is based on heavy bullying. There is a "king" designated who can essentially command everyone at the school to torture people he dislikes, and he hosts a fighting ring pretty much every night. It is an important part of the plot, but I don't think I would have picked up this book if I realized the extent of the violence and bullying. I completely understand the author's intent in writing this book and I felt a level of resolution/catharsis at the end, but this just is not my preference in subject matter. For those who feel similarly, I would recommend you pick up another of Kacen Callender's books.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy free for review. All opinions are my own.
Major warning for a LOT of violence. I don't think the synopsis adequately explains that the social structure of the school is based on heavy bullying. There is a "king" designated who can essentially command everyone at the school to torture people he dislikes, and he hosts a fighting ring pretty much every night. It is an important part of the plot, but I don't think I would have picked up this book if I realized the extent of the violence and bullying. I completely understand the author's intent in writing this book and I felt a level of resolution/catharsis at the end, but this just is not my preference in subject matter. For those who feel similarly, I would recommend you pick up another of Kacen Callender's books.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy free for review. All opinions are my own.
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