Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai

18 reviews

fuguballoon's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

1.5

I can sum up my opinion of this book in two words: "bloated" and "snoozy." For many more words, see below.

I'm happy for Rebecca Makkai that she's reached the level of success where she doesn't get edited anymore, but it massively sucks for her readers. This book was way too long, with nothing to show for it. There was so much navel-gazing that did not enhance the plot or characters. There were so many named characters who did not need to be named, it was hard to keep track of everyone (easily 25 with big speaking parts, where 10-15 is average).

With all of that extra material floating around, you'd think there'd be an interesting twist nestled in there somewhere, but there wasn't. The whole thing was predictable from the first time the murder was described in detail. I hoped that the choice to have Bodie talking to someone would ultimately lead to something compelling, but it didn't.

Bodie being a crummy person didn't bother me as much as other readers, but I was put off by Makkai's MeToo subplot. I am old enough to remember being extremely online in 2018, and the whole thing was unrealistic to me. I agree with the other reviewers who said her Makkai's engagement with the serious issues in this book (criminal justice, racism, etc) are superficial.

Lastly, and because I haven't seen it written about on here, I am getting tired of able-bodied authors writing about people cheating on their disabled spouses using language that makes it seem like it's okay because the spouse is sick, with no interrogation or examination of the characters' ableism. I don't care if it's supposed to make us dislike a character--it's lazy character building and gross.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Grief, Gaslighting, and Classism

becktothefuture's review against another edition

funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I raced through this book, not necessarily because it was that good but because I really wanted to know what happened. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Grief, and Gaslighting

jessieraeyo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Gaslighting, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Stalking, and Pregnancy

alyssaakdefusco's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

This book! It somehow managed to be an extremely poignant commentary on misogyny and our culture's fetishization of violence against women, but also a true crime story about violence against women that I couldn't put down?! I think it's brilliant what this author has done with this genre. It also felt extremely nostalgic thinking about high school and college as a young woman. All of the excitement and giggling all while moving through a world that we didn't understand and baring the weight of womanhood while we were just girls. Ugh. So good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Transphobia, Vomit, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and War

megreadsitall's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

apiologee's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

summerb's review against another edition

mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

cseguiharris's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

I’ll think about this book for awhile. I was still hopeful and guessing through the very last sentence. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic

jesselopod's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

3.25

A well written book with a disappointing plot 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, and Gaslighting