I think it all boils down to what you were looking for in terms of reading experience. If you wanted social commentary, prose, and unlikeable yet deeply interesting characters, The Secret History is for you. If you wanted character dynamics & understanding one’s identity (gender identity as well as accepting vs rejecting expected roles), then If We Were Villains is for you. I personally preferred IWWV because I felt more connected to its LGBTQIA characters, but both are solid dark academia novels nonetheless.
I’ve read both of these books and I agree that the order you read them in makes a huge difference. I loved reading both of these and I think they’re both excellent stories, but I read TSH first and unfortunately IWWV pales in comparison. Like you said, TSH is slower paced, but the pacing of the book matches the story and the storytelling. The pacing in IWWV, despite being faster, feels more out of place with the story. I think it took me about twice as long to get through IWWV than it did to finish TSH. I appreciate that IWWV focuses more on the LGBTQ aspects (which are very much there in TSH but are mostly implied). For me, reading IWWV after TSH just made it feel like a cheaper version of TSH- which it’s not. For me, TSH just happens to be on its own level and nothing is quite as good. I wish I had read IWWV first so that I could have appreciated it more.
I read The Secret History years ago and it was a slog for me to get through so I never wanted to dive into If We Were Villains because they are always said to be so similar but I think next year I want to give it a try. It will definitely be via audio because physically reading The Secret History made me so tired
I’m definitely just way more biased towards Donna Tartt’s writing… I find everything else dark academia really pales to her. She’s such a titan. I would be so curious to see what you think of Tana French’s The Likeness. Technically not da but… if you check it out you will know why I suggested it.
i read tsh a bit ago and i wasn’t a huge fan of it. it was kinda pretentious (which i get is the point) but it really dragged towards the end and made it difficult to get through. i’m a huge character focus reader so when i read iwwv i fell in love. there is a lot greater emphasis with the character relations compared to tsh, which focused more on the thematics of academic obsession. i also really enjoyed the writing of iwwv, from the shakespeare quotes, to the mystery of who will die and who killed them, the pacing was just incredible i flew through it. maybe its me being an ex theater kid but it’s one of my all time favorite books and i love recommending it to everyone.
I do agree that it drags toward the end for sure. I hope to reread iwwv at some point because I wonder if I just read them too closely together? This comment gives me hope lol
@@ryreadsi think thats it. I have a feeling that the ways both those book have a hold on us after we finish it(thats how its supposed to be) we need a mourning period and to amswer all our questions. We need to reared and take pur time before deliving into the next one sonwe are open to the world it portrays. (To me it almost seems like we search for a person we have loved and havent grieved enough inside another peson)
I might read a Secret History for this month. I put it on my TBR cause was trying to read this year books I had shelfefed that are older. I tried We were Villains before but didn't like the beginning so I put it down. Great video.
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I think it all boils down to what you were looking for in terms of reading experience.
If you wanted social commentary, prose, and unlikeable yet deeply interesting characters, The Secret History is for you. If you wanted character dynamics & understanding one’s identity (gender identity as well as accepting vs rejecting expected roles), then If We Were Villains is for you.
I personally preferred IWWV because I felt more connected to its LGBTQIA characters, but both are solid dark academia novels nonetheless.
Yeah good points! You said that really well.
I’ve read both of these books and I agree that the order you read them in makes a huge difference. I loved reading both of these and I think they’re both excellent stories, but I read TSH first and unfortunately IWWV pales in comparison. Like you said, TSH is slower paced, but the pacing of the book matches the story and the storytelling. The pacing in IWWV, despite being faster, feels more out of place with the story. I think it took me about twice as long to get through IWWV than it did to finish TSH. I appreciate that IWWV focuses more on the LGBTQ aspects (which are very much there in TSH but are mostly implied). For me, reading IWWV after TSH just made it feel like a cheaper version of TSH- which it’s not. For me, TSH just happens to be on its own level and nothing is quite as good. I wish I had read IWWV first so that I could have appreciated it more.
Yes yes yes to everything you said!! Great points.
I think it make it more powerful that it was implied.
I read The Secret History years ago and it was a slog for me to get through so I never wanted to dive into If We Were Villains because they are always said to be so similar but I think next year I want to give it a try. It will definitely be via audio because physically reading The Secret History made me so tired
I hope this time around it better! If not it may just not be for you!
I’m definitely just way more biased towards Donna Tartt’s writing… I find everything else dark academia really pales to her. She’s such a titan.
I would be so curious to see what you think of Tana French’s The Likeness. Technically not da but… if you check it out you will know why I suggested it.
Okay I will check that out!
i read tsh a bit ago and i wasn’t a huge fan of it. it was kinda pretentious (which i get is the point) but it really dragged towards the end and made it difficult to get through. i’m a huge character focus reader so when i read iwwv i fell in love. there is a lot greater emphasis with the character relations compared to tsh, which focused more on the thematics of academic obsession. i also really enjoyed the writing of iwwv, from the shakespeare quotes, to the mystery of who will die and who killed them, the pacing was just incredible i flew through it. maybe its me being an ex theater kid but it’s one of my all time favorite books and i love recommending it to everyone.
I do agree that it drags toward the end for sure. I hope to reread iwwv at some point because I wonder if I just read them too closely together? This comment gives me hope lol
@@ryreadsi think thats it. I have a feeling that the ways both those book have a hold on us after we finish it(thats how its supposed to be) we need a mourning period and to amswer all our questions. We need to reared and take pur time before deliving into the next one sonwe are open to the world it portrays. (To me it almost seems like we search for a person we have loved and havent grieved enough inside another peson)
so weird... they sound nearly identical. I may have to try secret history to check out the vibe differences you mention!
I would be very curious what you think 🤔
I might read a Secret History for this month. I put it on my TBR cause was trying to read this year books I had shelfefed that are older. I tried We were Villains before but didn't like the beginning so I put it down. Great video.
Thank you!! Yeah a secret history is a very slow start after those initial few pages. I hope you enjoy it! It’s kind of a book that works backwards.
I enjoyed your thoughts. (Btw- aren’t you in the Netflix series ‘Heartstoppers?”)
Regrettably I am not.
📖