Gabfest Reads | Look What You Made Me Do
Summary
David Plotz interviews author John Lanchester about his new novel, *Look What You Made Me Do*, a black comedy exploring revenge and intergenerational resentment between two London women. They discuss the book’s themes of victimhood, narrative control, and the digital age’s impact on stalking, alongside Lanchester’s observations on finance and modern cooking trends. Lanchester also recommends recent reads, including *Perfection* and *Drayton and Mackenzie*.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: McDonald's and BetterHelp
Introduction of John Lanchester and his new novel
The meaning behind the title 'Look What You Made Me Do'
Plot summary: Kate, Phoebe, and the hit show 'Cheating'
Themes of revenge, victimhood, and narrative control
Genre debate: Psychological thriller vs. black comedy
Digital age, stalking, and online obsession
Character analysis: Kate's niceness and Phoebe's difficulty
Comparison to Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Fleabag
Sponsors: Ground News, Quince, and Upwork
The Ottolenghi cooking rant and social observation
Writer's influence on friendships and London as a setting
Writing about money, finance, and the banking world
Book recommendations: Latronico, Perec, and Kraft
Conclusion and final sponsors: CPAC and HeyGen
Listen ad-free on Castria