You have to like Shakespeare for this one. It is steeped in his drama.

I think this book was a take on what's now called 'dark academia' that came from Tartt's Secret History. 'Villains' did do a good job of showing the cult-like bonding of repertory acting and you do fall in love with the characters. But it didn't touch the subtle sinking into the depths that Tartt's original does.