Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

71 reviews

amylou78's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

As a mystery fan, you sometimes feel like you’re reading the same basic book over and over. Not that that’s a bad thing, but it usually goes something like: establish the crime, establish the ”detective,” introduce the cast of quirky characters and potential suspects. Then, after a series of aha moments, flip through the pages as the detective closes in on the perpetrator. I loved this book for taking a fresh approach to the standard Dead Girl mystery. 

Makkai has already won a Pulitzer prize, so you know her prose is up to snuff. It’s never overly flowery, with plenty of artful observation and psychological insight. She’s not just walking us through the facts but the digressions never feel indulgent. 

I particularly appreciated the way she contextualizes the body of “yet another dead girl” in world that unfortunately, yet undeniably, produces an inappropriately high number of them. 

And for any formally awkward Gen Xers out there, this is a fun, nostalgic ride that does a lovely job of conjuring what it was like to experience high school in the ‘90s. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cancer, Car accident, and Child death

stephanieheld's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, and Cancer

arayo's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and Alcohol

Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Cancer

katconig's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Sexism, and Eating disorder

kathleenthebean's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Racism, Blood, Cancer, Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual harassment

nukie19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual violence, Blood, Child death, Rape, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Infidelity, Medical content, and Sexual assault

caylorquinn's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Grief, Confinement, Death of parent, Classism, Murder, Bullying, Death, and Racism

alisonvh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is so good! It’s a great murder mystery, but it’s also so much more than that. It faces head-on the issue of girls and women hurt and murdered by men and how hard it is for them to get the protection they need when they’re alive or the justice they deserve when they’re dead.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Murder, Chronic illness, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, and Physical abuse

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic and Car accident

lcg527's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Bullying, Racism, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Eating disorder, Self harm, Rape, Suicide, and Terminal illness

rachaelwho's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I can't quite pin down what made this not 5 stars for me. I thought if I waited a while to review I'd gather my thoughts more, but it's kind of fading instead. It did a lot and covered a lot. Interesting and a good read, especially if you have misgivings around our culture's true crime obsession... Though it was less interested in the morals and meaning of that than I expected. Maybe it spread itself too thin.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Murder, Child abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Racism, Infidelity, Gore, and Child death

Moderate: Eating disorder and Death of parent