Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

I Have Some Questions for You: A Novel by Rebecca Makkai

78 reviews

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. 

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Content Warnings

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

sierracaine's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Domestic abuse

nerdglasses08's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, Racism, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Classism

laurag659's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

I enjoyed the regencies to current events. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, and Murder

goodcoffeeandbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

Minor: Domestic abuse

moriak's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Murder

Moderate: Sexual harassment

emily_koopmann's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder

twoesplease's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Sexual violence

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

karen_lo's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

3.5 stars

It's confusing at the beginning, but once you pick up the pace, it's okay.

This is a very slow-burn book that reflects heavily on sexism, racism, gender-based violence, and memory.

I liked it, but I was expecting a confrontation that never came. I guess it's a parallelism with life, and how sometimes you're just left wondering the what-ifs, the could-haves, and the should-haves of important things.

I definitely wanted justice and liberty for the innocent ones.

It was a bittersweet read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Mental illness, and Suicide

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Rape, Police brutality, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Homophobia, Antisemitism, and Colonisation