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I Have Some Questions for You

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I Have Some Questions for You
Hardcover First Edition
AuthorRebecca Makkai
LanguageEnglish
SubjectsMurder investigation, cold case, bias, truthiness, wrongful conviction, homicide, false confession, collective memory
GenreMystery, thriller
PublisherViking
Publication date
February 21, 2023
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint, ebook
Pages448 pp
ISBN9780593490143
Hardcover First Edition
OCLC1335121742
LC ClassPS3613.A36 I33 2023 lccn.loc.gov/2022032713

I Have Some Questions for You is a 2023 literary mystery novel by American writer Rebecca Makkai, published by Viking Press. The novel received universal acclaim from critics upon release, and spent six weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

It was popular among the general public, and placed ninth in the Goodreads Choice Award's Mystery & Thriller category. Its audiobook went on to win an inaugural Libby Book Award, and it was longlisted for prestigious prizes like the Aspen Words Literary Prize and Carol Shields Prize for Fiction.

Plot

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Bodie Kane, a film professor and podcaster, is forced to confront a series of violent events in her past when she is invited to teach a class at the New Hampshire boarding school she graduated from.

Publication history

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I Have Some Questions for You was published on February 21, 2023 by Viking Press.[1]

Reception

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Reviews

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I Have Some Questions for You drew praise from critics upon its release. According to Book Marks, an online aggregator of book assessments by mainstream critics, the novel received 14 "rave" reviews and six "positive" reviews and didn't receive neutral or negative ones.[1]

The Associated Press praised the novel's plot but criticized the characters and their development.[2] The Star Tribune and The Wall Street Journal both published positive reviews, with the former praising the novel's "nuance" and the latter positively describing the "expressive imagery" of Makkai's writing.[3][4] Ron Charles, writing in The Washington Post, characterized the novel as standing apart from other "prep-school novels" by situating much of the novel's drama within the world outside the school.[5] Positive reviews were also published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, and NPR.[6][7][8][9][10][11]

Publishers Weekly praised the book, drawing a positive comparison to Makkai's previous novel, The Great Believers (2019), writing that "this is sure to be a hit."[12] Kirkus Reviews, while positive overall, negatively compared the book to The Great Believers, noting that "this book does not have the profound impact of its predecessor."[13] Booklist and Bookpage both published starred reviews, praising the novel's prose, Bodie's characterization, and what they felt was a subtle message about racism and misogyny.[14][15]

Awards

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Year Award Category Result Ref
2023 Goodreads Choice Awards Mystery & Thriller Nominated–9th [16]
Heartland Booksellers Award Fiction Shortlisted [17]
Libby Book Award Audiobook Won [18]
2024 Aspen Words Literary Prize — Longlisted [19]
Carol Shields Prize for Fiction — Longlisted [20]

References

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  1. ^ a b "I Have Some Questions for You". BookMarks. Archived from the original on 2023-02-26. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  2. ^ Levin, Ann (2023-02-21). "Review: A boarding school whodunit fueled by feminist rage". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  3. ^ Akins, Ellen (2023-02-17). "Review: 'I Have Some Questions for You,' by Rebecca Makkai". The Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2023-02-26. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  4. ^ Nolan, Tom (2023-02-17). "Mysteries: Rebecca Makkai's 'I Have Some Questions for You'". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  5. ^ Charles, Ron (2023-02-24). "'I Have Some Questions for You' is more than a murder mystery". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2023-02-26. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  6. ^ Cain, Hamilton (2023-02-20). "A Podcaster Goes Back to School, Ready to Listen". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  7. ^ Waldman, Katy (2023-02-20). "A Novel That Confronts Our True-Crime Obsession". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  8. ^ Gilman, Priscilla (2023-02-16). "Rebecca Makkai's 'I Have Some Questions for You' spotlights the power of storytelling in an age of true crime and #MeToo". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  9. ^ Hayes, Stephanie (2023-03-11). "A Novel That Probes the Line Between Justice and Revenge". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  10. ^ Iglesias, Gabino (2023-02-27). "'I Have Some Questions For You' is a dark, uncomfortable story that feels universal". NPR. Archived from the original on 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  11. ^ Corrigan, Maureen (2023-03-01). "Rebecca Makkai's smart, prep school murder novel is self-aware about the 'ick' factor". NPR. Archived from the original on 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  12. ^ "I Have Some Questions for You". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2023-02-26. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  13. ^ "I Have Some Questions for You". Kirkus Reviews. 2022-11-16. Archived from the original on 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  14. ^ Bostrom, Annie (2022-12-01). "I Have Some Questions for You". Booklist. Archived from the original on 2023-02-26. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  15. ^ Bufferd, Lauren (20 February 2023). "I Have Some Questions for You". BookPage. Archived from the original on 2023-02-26. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  16. ^ "Announcing the Goodreads Choice Winner in Best Mystery & Thriller!". Goodreads. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  17. ^ "2023 Heartland Booksellers Award". HEARTLAND FALL FORUM. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  18. ^ "And the award goes to...The winners of the first Libby Book Awards". Libby Life blog. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  19. ^ Anderson, Porter (2023-11-08). "The Aspen Words Literary Prize Names Its 2024 Longlist". Publishing Perspectives. Archived from the original on 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  20. ^ Drudi, Cassandra (March 8, 2024). "Longlist announced for $150K Carol Shields Prize for Fiction". Quill & Quire.
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