isabelshep 's review for:

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
2.75
a page-turner for me even though the plot moves quite slowly for a murder mystery. was trying to be more self-reflective than your average murder mystery but consistently found it had nothing of value to say about any of the themes (the gendered nature of sexual violence, racism in the criminal justice system, ~cancel culture~). in some cases, i thought it was actively perpetuating some of the harmful ideas it was trying to counter.
why is yahav in the story at all?? why does bodie end up having a sexual relationship with geoff?? why do alder and britt end up being in a relationship?? why are we supposed to accept that it's obviously robbie who's the killer when there's just as much evidence for him as for omar?? i think a more interesting telling would more effectively wrestle with doubt and the thinness of the case against either. omar's conviction being racially motivated, which i agree with in theory, was not adequately conveyed, and i think the treatment of race generally was cursory.
also the recurrent equating of acts of gendered violence--already something to be sooooo wary of--was grossly mishandled and did nothing to serve any coherent narrative/argument against cultural attitudes towards gendered violence. JUST remembered writing this review that bodie had a traumatic upbringing that is completely abandoned like 2/3 of the way through as well. everything just half-baked i felt.
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