Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - They Never Learn

Carly was really giving 2012 fanfiction main character with her “i’m not like other girls, no one would find plain old me attractive, i only wear black and Doc Martens” and it was annoying. the first major twist was good but i guessed the later one right away, so after

the halfway mark

the story felt predictable

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aimzthereader's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Vigilante feminist killer book with some great twists and very well written! I loved this. I love when an author writes an excellent full complex character that you should be rooting against because they are a murderer but then you find yourself rooting for them…

I like the two different views. I felt the author went seamlessly between Scarlett and Carly . She also starts and ends every chapter excellently which makes the book super propulsive. There are a few things that are far fetched which is why it’s a 4.5 instead of a 5 but tbh I’m okay with it because of how well written this book was. I loved the feminist feeling, how sexual assualt was handled , and also the lgbtqia rep. I will for sure be checking out more from this author.

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jenmaysiereads's review against another edition

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dark funny tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

5 out of 5 stars

Now this is how you write a solid “good for her” queer revenge story. Everyone else take some notes!

‘They Never Learn’ is a dark and devious character study about a successful professor who murders abusive men—and I fucking loved it. More than that, the story follows two women at a prestigious university, one student and the other a professor, and how they are united in their desire to bring justice.

Carly and Scarlett’s stories are very distinct from one another but seeing their narratives converge was ultimately very, very satisfying.

This book is so quick to read. The chapters are short and every scene layers on the intrigue in a way that makes it almost irresistible to inhale in one sitting. The prose itself is, while not lush, expertly constructed. Every sentence feels purposeful and meaningful. At no point did the story meander or take any narrative detours or dawdled. Everything in the book is there for a reason and the story delivers on everything it sets up. Making this book one of the most solidly written, edited and structured books I’ve picked up in a long while.

All the characters in this book are fucked up in some way and it makes the story so compelling. Scarlett is a pathological serial killer and yet she is capable of love, of empathy and loyalty. Through the characters, Fargo explores the dichotomy between good and evil. The author provides commentary on how society is perfectly content to excuse men’s immorality—letting men who have sexually abused women get away with it because he is “a promising young man”. However, when women make their own form of vigilante justice, they become monstrous and hateful.

I liked that the author embraced the monstrosity in women like Scarlett and Carly. I liked that they were allowed to revel in that darkness, that violence and still be seen as worthy of love and empathy. This messaging was especially important given that the story centres around queer women whose most profound relationships came from other woman who understand and loved them for their darkness.

All of this made me adore this book, especially coming off the back of the Killing Eve finale in which Eve and Villanelle’s queerness and darkness was deemed abhorrent and something to be exorcised from them by the writers. Getting to read a book that actively pushed against the narrative that women cannot embrace their violence and still be loveable was really important to me.

Layne Fargo is an author I’ll be picking up more from in the future. Scarlett, in particular, is my unhinged fav.

READ. THIS. BOOK.

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caregorman's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

YASSS GOOD FOR HER female manipulator misandrist lesbian killer, this was made for me

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