Book Club Questions for I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

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“Book club questions for “I Have Some Questions for You” by Rebecca Makkai delve into the themes of collective memory, reckoning with the past, and the flaws of the justice system.

The novel follows Bodie Kane, a successful film professor and podcaster who returns to her former boarding school in New Hampshire to teach a course. While there, Bodie becomes drawn into the case of her former roommate’s murder, which occurred when they were students in 1995. As she investigates the case, she begins to question whether the wrong man was convicted and whether there were other suspects who were overlooked.

Through Bodie’s journey, the novel examines themes of white privilege, race, class, gender, and sex. It also raises questions about the validity of the case against the convicted suspect and the racist assumptions of Thalia’s classmates. Along with the murder mystery, the novel also explores Bodie’s personal life and her past, including the family tragedy that marred her adolescence.

“I Have Some Questions for You” is an enthralling and original novel that has been described as a modern campus novel that perfectly illustrates the present mood, a dark academia meets state of America, and a propulsive page-turner that combines various themes with a captivating boarding school mystery. It is a compelling and haunting exploration of collective memory and one woman’s reckoning with her past, with a transfixing mystery at its heart.

It is also one of the most anticipated books of 2023, and my personal favorite fiction mystery of 2023 so far.

Book club discussions can always be a great opportunity to hear different perspectives on the story and its characters, and in each session I encourage everyone to share their thoughts openly and respectfully while remembering that there are no right or wrong answers, just personal opinions and interpretations.

I hope my book club questions for “I Have Some Questions for You” by Rebecca Makkai will will enhance your appreciation of the book and provide insights that you may not have considered before. Enjoy! ✨

The Synopsis

A successful film professor and podcaster, Bodie Kane is content to forget her past—the family tragedy that marred her adolescence, her four largely miserable years at a New Hampshire boarding school, and the murder of her former roommate, Thalia Keith, in the spring of their senior year. Though the circumstances surrounding Thalia’s death and the conviction of the school’s athletic trainer, Omar Evans, are hotly debated online, Bodie prefers—needs—to let sleeping dogs lie.

But when the Granby School invites her back to teach a course, Bodie is inexorably drawn to the case and its increasingly apparent ﬂaws. In their rush to convict Omar, did the school and the police overlook other suspects? Is the real killer still out there? As she falls down the very rabbit hole she was so determined to avoid, Bodie begins to wonder if she wasn’t as much of an outsider at Granby as she’d thought—if, perhaps, back in 1995, she knew something that might have held the key to solving the case.

In I Have Some Questions for You, award-winning author Rebecca Makkai has crafted her most irresistible novel yet: a stirring investigation into collective memory and a deeply felt examination of one woman’s reckoning with her past, with a transﬁxing mystery at its heart. Timely, hypnotic, and populated with a cast of unforgettable characters, I Have Some Questions for You is at once a compulsive page-turner and a literary triumph.

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Selected Reviews for I Have Some Questions for You

“A great accomplishment. [I Have Some Questions for You]is at once a campus novel, a piercing reflection on the appeal and ethics of the true crime genre, and a story of Me Too reckoning. It is also the most irresistible literary page-turner I have read in years…Exquisitely suspenseful and enormously entertaining.” —Priscilla Gilman, The Boston Globe

“Both a deeply satisfying crime story and a thoughtful, even provocative, novel of ideas, I Have Some Questions for You narrates one woman’s interrogation of her own past while in turn posing difficult questions directly to its reader: about sex, power, privilege, and the ambient violence of contemporary American life. What a feat.” —Rumaan Alam, New York Times bestselling author of Leave the World Behind

“Clever and deeply thoughtful . . . a deliciously complex reckoning . . . [I Have Some Questions for You] is sure to be a hit.” —Publishers Weekly

“A beguiling campus novel . . . Chilled as the deep New England winters during which it takes place and twisty with the slowly found and then suddenly illuminated branches of memory, Makkai’s rich, winding story dazzles from cover to cover.” —Booklist

“Makkai has crafted an un-put-downable, captivating boarding school mystery novel with podcasting, teaching, race, divorce, parenting, professional drive, and teen dynamics as undercurrents . . . The writing in this book is absolutely A+ sensational. Pure perfection.” —Zibby Owens

Book Club Questions for I Have Some Questions for You

Spoiler alert: my book club questions may contain spoilers, so make sure to discuss them after you’ve finished reading.

How does Makkai’s exploration of the concept of “truthiness” shape the narrative of “I Have Some Questions for You“? How do our biases and circumstances impact our memories of events, and how does Bodie’s own unreliability as a narrator complicate this exploration?
The novel explores the effects of power dynamics and privilege, particularly in the context of the boarding school setting. How do these themes intersect with the central plotline of the murder mystery surrounding Thalia Keith? How do they shape the experiences of the characters, both as students at Granby and in their adult lives?
How does the character of Bodie contribute to the overall narrative of “I Have Some Questions for You“? What are some of her defining traits, and how do they impact the plot and themes of the novel?
Makkai takes a nuanced approach to the topic of privilege, exploring both its benefits and harms. How does this approach impact the portrayal of characters like Fran, who grapples with her own culpability in the tragedy of Thalia’s death? What does the novel have to say about the ways in which privilege can silence marginalized voices?
The novel combines elements of dark academia, true crime, and #MeToo movement. How do these different genres intersect within the narrative, and what themes do they highlight? How does the novel’s exploration of feminist rage shape its overall impact?
What are some of the most thought-provoking aspects of “I Have Some Questions for You“? How does the novel grapple with big ideas, and what themes stay with the reader long after they’ve finished the book?
What are some of the major red herrings in the book, and how do they contribute to the overall sense of suspense and intrigue? How does the book’s length impact its pacing and tension?
Makkai’s writing is evocative and poetic, capturing the mood and atmosphere of Granby and its surrounding areas. How does the setting impact the overall narrative, and what role does it play in shaping the characters’ experiences? How does Makkai use language to create a sense of mood and atmosphere throughout the book?
The book’s central premise involves a murder mystery surrounding the death of Thalia Keith. How does this whodunit plotline impact the overall themes and messages of the book? What does the novel have to say about the nature of justice, and how do the characters grapple with issues of guilt and culpability?
What are some of the major strengths and weaknesses of “I Have Some Questions for You“? How does it compare to Makkai’s previous work, particularly in terms of its emphasis on plot over character? Who would you recommend this book to, and why?
How does the setting of the elite boarding school contribute to the central themes of the book, including race, class, gender, and privilege? In what ways do the characters’ experiences at the school shape their lives and attitudes?
In what ways does Bodie Kane’s career as a film professor and podcaster inform her investigation into Thalia Keith’s murder? How does her background and knowledge of media and storytelling impact her perception of the case and her approach to solving it?
“I Have Some Questions for You” explores the concept of collective memory and how it can be distorted over time. How do the characters’ memories of the events surrounding Thalia Keith’s murder differ, and what impact does this have on the investigation? In what ways does the novel comment on the power of storytelling and media in shaping our understanding of the past?
In what ways do the theme of violence towards women intersect with the central mystery of the book, and what message does the author convey about these issues?
How does the relationship between Bodie and her ex-husband, Jerome, add depth to the story and contribute to the central themes of the book? In what ways does their relationship reflect the complexities of modern relationships and family dynamics?
The novel includes multiple suspects and twists in the investigation, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Which characters did you suspect of being the killer, and why? Did the revelation of the true killer surprise you, and did it satisfy your expectations for the resolution of the mystery?
The novel has been compared to Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History” and the podcast “Serial.” In what ways do you see these comparisons, and how does the book stand on its own as a unique and engaging work of fiction?
In what ways does the author handle these topics with nuance and sensitivity? How do the characters’ attitudes and experiences reflect the current cultural climate, and what can we learn from their struggles and triumphs?
The novel explores the concept of redemption and reckoning with one’s past. How do the characters in the book grapple with their past mistakes and trauma, and what does the novel suggest about the possibility of healing and growth?
What message do you think the author intended to convey with the title of the book, “I Have Some Questions for You“? In what ways do the characters in the book seek answers and resolution, and how does the title reflect the central themes and motifs of the novel?

Additional Recommendations

Hope you enjoyed book club questions for “I Have Some Questions for You”! Here are some more book recommendations along with their synopses.

Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor

This is the age of vice, where money, pleasure, and power are everything, and the family ties that bind can also kill.

New Delhi, 3 a.m. A speeding Mercedes jumps the curb and in the blink of an eye, five people are dead. It’s a rich man’s car, but when the dust settles there is no rich man at all, just a shell-shocked servant who cannot explain the strange series of events that led to this crime. Nor can he foresee the dark drama that is about to unfold.

Deftly shifting through time and perspective in contemporary India, Age of Vice is an epic, action-packed story propelled by the seductive wealth, startling corruption, and bloodthirsty violence of the Wadia family — loved by some, loathed by others, feared by all.

In the shadow of lavish estates, extravagant parties, predatory business deals and calculated political influence, three lives become dangerously intertwined: Ajay is the watchful servant, born into poverty, who rises through the family’s ranks. Sunny is the playboy heir who dreams of outshining his father, whatever the cost. And Neda is the curious journalist caught between morality and desire. Against a sweeping plot fueled by loss, pleasure, greed, yearning, violence and revenge, will these characters’ connections become a path to escape, or a trigger of further destruction?

Equal parts crime thriller and family saga, transporting readers from the dusty villages of Uttar Pradesh to the urban energy of New Delhi, Age of Vice is an intoxicating novel of gangsters and lovers, false friendships, forbidden romance, and the consequences of corruption.It is binge-worthy entertainment at its literary best.

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall

2017: When Angela Creighton discovers a mysterious letter containing a life-shattering confession, she is determined to find the intended recipient. Her search takes her back to the 1970s when a group of daring women operated an illegal underground abortion network in Toronto known only by its whispered code name: Jane.

1971: As a teenager, Dr. Evelyn Taylor was sent to a home for “fallen” women where she was forced to give up her baby for adoption—a trauma she has never recovered from. Despite harrowing police raids and the constant threat of arrest, she joins the Jane Network as an abortion provider, determined to give other women the choice she never had.

1980: After discovering a shocking secret about her family, twenty-year-old Nancy Mitchell begins to question everything she has ever known. When she unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she feels like she has no one to turn to for help. Grappling with her decision, she locates “Jane” and finds a place of her own alongside Dr. Taylor within the network’s ranks, but she can never escape the lies that haunt her.

Looking for Jane is “a searing, important, beautifully written novel about the choices we all make and where they lead us—as well as a wise and timely reminder of the difficult road women had to walk not so long ago” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author).

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

A dazzling novel of friendship and redemption in the face of tragedy and loss set in 1980s Chicago and contemporary Paris

In 1985, Yale Tishman, the development director for an art gallery in Chicago, is about to pull off an amazing coup, bringing in an extraordinary collection of 1920s paintings as a gift to the gallery. Yet as his career begins to flourish, the carnage of the AIDS epidemic grows around him. One by one, his friends are dying and after his friend Nico’s funeral, the virus circles closer and closer to Yale himself. Soon the only person he has left is Fiona, Nico’s little sister.

Thirty years later, Fiona is in Paris tracking down her estranged daughter who disappeared into a cult. While staying with an old friend, a famous photographer who documented the Chicago crisis, she finds herself finally grappling with the devastating ways AIDS affected her life and her relationship with her daughter. The two intertwining stories take us through the heartbreak of the eighties and the chaos of the modern world, as both Yale and Fiona struggle to find goodness in the midst of disaster.

Thank you for reading my book club discussion questions & happy reading! ❤️