Reviews with content warning for Drug abuse - They Never Learn

WOMEN. I. LOVE. WOMEN. especially when they’re murderous. i loved how the main plot twist was revealed halfway through but i was still on the edge of my seat for the last half, and almost MORE SO because of it being revealed so early. 10/10 recommend & i can’t wait to read her other book “temper”!!

⚠️: murder, violence, sexual assault, sexual violence, rape, death, bullying, stalking, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, adult/minor relationship, panic attacks, drug abuse, drugging, alcohol, fire/fire injury, injury/injury detail, body horror, suicide, suicide attempt, infidelity

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hannahecabre's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

The ending was so dumb. The “bad” guy at the end was so out of left field and her first murder wasn’t even who it should have been??? The twist ear revealed at 50% so it made the second half of the book take forever.

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annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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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nabaraditi's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

I loved the premise. I loved the twist.!!!! Ohhhhhhhhhhhh the twist had me going craaaaaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzzzyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

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anova's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense

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

3.5

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itsalina's review

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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louisegraveyard's review

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dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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jenmaysiereads's review

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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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