Look What You Made Me Do by John Lanchester

This is quite the revenge book. Two women seek revenge for their perceived slights and set about creating the ultimate life-changing and humiliating acts possible. But before they figure it all out, there are some misconstrued theories and loss of trust.

The story opens with a party consisting of petty competitive friends who all live in an affluent part of north London. When tragedy strikes it seems as if the wife didn't know her husband at all. The other central character is a successful playwright whose play is shown on television to great acclaim. However, she soon receives criticism as does her placid geography teacher husband. She also has a bitter, selfish and awkward mother to deal with.

It was when I read about the playwright's mother that I realised that this book is a dark satire. The list of her nasty traits is truly over the top and she is an uncomfortable caricature, although not entirely implausible or unrecognisable. There is no one likeable in this story. Everyone is arrogant, selfish, privileged and entitled.

This is a fun read, although I didn't think it was about generationational conflict as the marketing comments suggested - simply two similar women of different ages. What they do have in common is that they are both self-absorbed and  narcissistic. There are a few stretches of the imagination in a couple of the events, but that's okay because it was a sparky read, intense and carefully detailed.

A story about resentment, dysfunctional families and psychological control. Just like other John Lanchester books, it is very good.

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Published by Faber & Faber on 12 March 2026.
Advance review copy supplied by the publisher.

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