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A review by crushedvelvet
They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
They Never Learn is a serviceable, misandrist (said with affection) thriller. It follows Carly Schiller and Scarlett Clark. The former a closeted, mousy freshman from a troubled home. The latter an English professor by day, and a feminist vigilante by night.
The book tries to tackle a smorsgasbord of issues. Domestic abuse, grooming, groping, rape, revenge porn, stalking, voyeurism... And the rape culture and victim blaming that enables and tacitly encourages it. It juggles so many topics that it fails to make time for contemplating their nature. The analysis starts and stops at "men suck" and "these things are bad" (which is true!). But I wish it spent time scrutinizing the norms and systems that enable predatory men to thrive.
Every character felt flat to me. Carly went from the good girl™️ archetype in YA toa belligerent, sadistic burgeoning killer . It was jarring & didn't feel organic. Nothing in her prior characterization hinted at even a kernel of this residing in her.
And as for Scarlett... She feels like a concept, not a person. Like if someone thought "what if Dexter was a woman and she went after predatory men?" & ran with it. Never stopping to consider who she is outside of that. Shes curvy, redheaded, kinda bitchy, she hates men... That's it. Whether it is bloodlust or injustice that compels her to kill switched from scene to scene. Whatever the plot needed at the time.AND her relationship with Jasper, a student, just made her feel like a raging hypocrite to me. Regardless of him being a possessive freak.
On the topic of the plot, I've never read a thriller that failed to, y'know, thrill me. It was oddly devoid of suspense. The opening kill was lame and so were the following ones. The most intense twist isCarly & Scarlett being the same person.
Great read for people who walked away from Gone Girl or Midsommar and thought "good for her".
The book tries to tackle a smorsgasbord of issues. Domestic abuse, grooming, groping, rape, revenge porn, stalking, voyeurism... And the rape culture and victim blaming that enables and tacitly encourages it. It juggles so many topics that it fails to make time for contemplating their nature. The analysis starts and stops at "men suck" and "these things are bad" (which is true!). But I wish it spent time scrutinizing the norms and systems that enable predatory men to thrive.
Every character felt flat to me. Carly went from the good girl™️ archetype in YA to
And as for Scarlett... She feels like a concept, not a person. Like if someone thought "what if Dexter was a woman and she went after predatory men?" & ran with it. Never stopping to consider who she is outside of that. Shes curvy, redheaded, kinda bitchy, she hates men... That's it. Whether it is bloodlust or injustice that compels her to kill switched from scene to scene. Whatever the plot needed at the time.
On the topic of the plot, I've never read a thriller that failed to, y'know, thrill me. It was oddly devoid of suspense. The opening kill was lame and so were the following ones. The most intense twist is
Great read for people who walked away from Gone Girl or Midsommar and thought "good for her".
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Stalking, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault