A review by bookishbee27
I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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

4.0

A multi-faceted and complex, character-driven thriller with some not-so-subtle swipes at true crime culture, but ultimately a slow burn in the second half.

The good: I loved the premise of IHSQFY and Makkai really conjured a very entrancing and sinister setting in the boarding school which drew me in quickly. I enjoyed how she conjured up the cliquey-ness of a prestigious school and how this interfaced with their adult lives. As a listener of true crime podcasts, I got a lot out of some of the commentary around the public's fascination with true crime. Definitely a very innovative and well-developed concept for a novel.

The not-so-good: I found this to be a very slow burn in the second half, and the constant to-ing and fro-ing about potential suspects dragged on and felt repetitive in parts. I felt the final section focusing on the trial was too detail-oriented and was an anti-climatic end to the story.
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