John Lanchester Tackles Generational Clash

John Lanchester's previous novels have often served as large-scale social commentaries, and his 2012 book, *Capital*, similarly explored the lives of a diverse group of Londoners, all connected by a single street. That novel used the 2008 financial crisis as its backdrop to examine themes of wealth, inequality, and the changing face of the city. His 2019 novel, *The Wall*, took a dystopian turn, depicting a future Britain that has walled itself off from a world ravaged by climate change. A central theme in that book is the resentment of the younger generation towards their parents for the world they inherited, a theme that echoes in *Look What You Made Me Do*'s generational clash. The new novel pivots from broad societal collapse to a more intimate, psychological battle, but with a similar satirical edge. The story is set in a North London populated by what one review calls "excruciatingly smug" professionals, with Lanchester taking aim at the "chattering classes" and their lifestyle markers, from popular cookbooks to exclusive rural retreats. The fictional TV show at the heart of the plot, *Cheating*, is described as an "unapologetically amoral" depiction of intergenerational adultery. The narrative even includes excerpts from the show's script, allowing the reader to see the "kinky treats" and private language of Kate and Jack's marriage repurposed as entertainment. The novel raises questions about which generation is more "oblivious and spoilt," with Lanchester showing little affection for what he calls "an entire generation driving the metaphorical Volvo of self-awarded entitlement." While the millennial screenwriter Phoebe is presented as a more witty and engaging narrator, she is portrayed as equally self-absorbed. Ultimately, the book uses this generational conflict as a framework to explore themes of revenge, betrayal, and the battle over who has the right to tell a story. The title itself is noted as a common phrase used by abusers, hinting at the gaslighting and manipulation at play in the narrative.