Reviews tagging 'Biphobia'

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

14 reviews

kitandink's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

well! 

also, hell of a plot twist

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Murder

Moderate: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Suicide, Biphobia, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, and Grief

Minor: Toxic friendship, Mass/school shootings, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Vomit

zombiezami's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Cursing, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual violence, Stalking, Sexism, Rape, Death, Violence, and Gore

Moderate: Bullying, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Biphobia, Medical content, and Vomit

Minor: Gun violence and Death of parent

crushedvelvet's review

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 to

a 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 is

Carly & Scarlett being the same person.

Great read for people who walked away from Gone Girl or Midsommar and thought "good for her".

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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

nandakandabooks's review

dark reflective medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Biphobia and Vomit

Minor: Stalking, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

jodean's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Gore, Stalking, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexism, Death, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Drug use, Biphobia, and Medical content

befnie's review

fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Biphobia, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Rape and Incest

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Misogyny, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Grief, Emotional abuse, Biphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Car accident, and Pedophilia

gurkenlimo's review

challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death, Murder, and Sexual assault

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

aimzthereader's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Murder, Mental illness, Infidelity, Grief, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexism, Gore, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Blood

Moderate: Suicide, Car accident, Biphobia, Death of parent, Body shaming, Bullying, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

maddy_moose's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Alcohol, and Sexual assault

Minor: Biphobia