Reviews with content warning for Pedophilia - I Have Some Questions For You

Hmmmmmmmm. This book. Hmmmmmmmm.

First, the good: I think this would've been great as a whodoneit mystery on its own. I was pretty interested in piecing together who the actual killer was and what happened on that fated night. AND I think that there is something to be said about the bit of commentary Makkai has in here about folks' fascination/obsession with true crime (podcasts, shows, etc.), often in ways that can become harmful and can obstruct healing of victims' families.

But truthfully, I feel this book bit off a more than it could chew and the execution suffered as a result. It tries to do a bit too much without doing much of anything--there's commentary on true crime, the endless hoops of the justice system, white saviorism, you name it, but it all feels half-baked and not terribly thought out to any meaningful degree. This book ultimately felt quite preachy and didactic, with an urgent and self-important tone that didn't really seem to match the substance being conveyed--the substance being relatively straightforward, surface-level white feminist discourse.

This all might seem a bit harsh but I do just think that the author is a great writer and so could have done much more with this book, so I'm quite disappointed. Then again, though, I would've been far more interested to read a book written by a Black person on this subject, as I found the hyper-self conscious white woman handwringing about racial issues to be quite tiresome.

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late_nite_reads's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Wow….this book tackles a lot of topics ( American judicial system, memory, adolescence, #Metoo movement, victims of domestic abuse, the dark aspects of womanhood, and coming of age.) Plus Bodie’s voice was so STRONG. Like this read like an actual letter or diary, it felt so personal. Plus Bodie is super flawed which I think is Makkai’s point surrounding the plot of the novel. Like Bodie is conniving, manipulative, selfish, and hypocritical, and still naive. But that’s what made this story realistic. Bodie wasn’t a hero and her desire to be one was crushed by reality. This is the perfect book club book.

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laurenleigh's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I’ve been reading too much “meh” lately, and I’m so glad I finally found a five star! I adore Makkai’s work yet again. I’m fascinated by the range of her work. This novel is so of this time. You’ve got Covid, true crime podcasts, and the Me Too movement all in one. I would have enjoyed the boarding school murder mystery on its own, but the feminist layer on top made it even more powerful. Fair warning, this book may enrage you at some points. Perhaps it was even a bit heavy handed at times, like I could feel Makkai’s own rage. But it really hooked me, and I couldn’t put it down! The pacing and the main character (while morally ambiguous at times) was quite engaging.

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bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I like a book that makes me think. SOME QUESTIONS had me reflect on how we so often only construct narratives around justice to serve ourselves, as well as the sheer challenge of being a woman in this world. It made me angry—not because of the book itself, but rather because I share in its exhaustion over the many harmful ramifications of the patriarchy.

I know it's not perfect—some characters are thinly fleshed out, it critiques true crime as a genre without ever truly being able to escape it—but it had me hooked and it had me ponder and, for me, that's enough.

(I also found it cathartic reading about a private school and realising what bizarre, intense, and intoxicating places they can be.)

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ecn's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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jesselopod's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

3.25

A well written book with a disappointing plot

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