Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai

43 reviews

courtneyclouts's review

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Mental illness, and Blood

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Cancer, Classism, Self harm, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Eating disorder, Drug use, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Fatphobia

laughtrack17's review

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Eating disorder and Racism

Minor: Death of parent

emma_sky's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Death, Bullying, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Stalking, Sexual assault, and Drug use

silverthistle's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

3.5 stars

I'll read just about anything if it is set at a boarding school/private school in New England. This was my first Rebecca Makkah book, and I'm eager to read others. I Have Some Questions for you had a great premise, but I ultimately couldn't figure out what Makkai wanted the book to be. Is it an unsolved crime story, a legal thriller, a dark academia novel, a court drama, commentary on injustice, a tribute to high school, or a critique of classism? 

More than anything, I think it is a novel about memory--when are one’s recollections from youth reliable and when are they not and how can our memories have lasting effects for better or for worse? I thought the "voice" of the novel was interesting. The writing style read like someone talking and reflecting in real-time, which lent itself nicely to the overarching podcast plot.

I recommend this book to people interested in crime, the 1990s, New England academic settings, #MeToo, or the injustice of the American legal system. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

twoesplease's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Sexual violence

Minor: Sexual harassment, Rape, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death

late_nite_reads's review against another edition

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.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death of parent, Grief, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Blood, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Drug use, and Eating disorder

mraddd's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Blood, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Child death, Death, Stalking, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Suicide, Eating disorder, and Classism

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic and Self harm

katieritoch's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, and Adult/minor relationship

jennabeck13's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai 

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

Genre: Mystery

About 435 pages

Bodie Kane had a tough time in high school. She never quite fit in at Granby, a somewhat snooty boarding school in New Hampshire, but yet over a decade later she finds herself back at the school teaching two mini-courses. Not only did Bodie have a tough time throughout her four years but she had to deal with the murder of her former roommate, Thalia, during their senior year. Being back at Granby has forced Thalia’s death to the front of her mind. Bodie can’t help but feel that the case was not investigated properly and that Thalia hasn’t received the justice she deserves. When a student of Bodie’s decides to cover the case for their podcast, Bodie can’t help but dive back into the rabbit hole herself. During the mini-semester, Bodie discovers she knew more than she realized about Thalia’s death.

I enjoyed this book and there was nothing I explicitly didn’t like. However, it felt like something was missing? If I was to try to point to something, I would argue that the pacing was off/too slow. I found the story interesting and I enjoyed Bodie as a narrator. I also liked how Makkai tackled some of the topics we have grown to find important in criminal cases such as racial profiling, grooming, privilege, etc., and the impact true crime shows/podcasts now have on investigations

Favorite Quote: “For a teenager, being seen a certain way is as good as being that way—and soon your vision became part of my self-image.”

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Physical abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Blood, Bullying, Death, Cultural appropriation, and Murder

Minor: Cancer, Adult/minor relationship, and Pandemic/Epidemic

hanhantap's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Self harm, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Rape

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Infidelity