Review of Ask Me "No" Questions

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[Following is a volunteer review of "Ask Me "No" Questions" by Kordel Lentine.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Ask Me "No" Questions by Kordel Lentine is a short novel about the life of sixteen-year-old Dusty, whose life changes dramatically after he finds himself lost in the Grand Canyon while on family vacation. After a night alone in the dark where he has the unsettling sense of a lurking presence, he finds a curious mask on the ground which he takes home with him after being rescued. The events leading to Dusty spending the night in the Grand Canyon (unharmed despite having a mule land on him), him taking home the mask as well as his reunion with his family all seem unrealistic and forced, which is why I did not enjoy the first part of the novel very much. I would have wished for a more thought-through beginning and perhaps a more nuanced exploration of the character’s relationship with his family that goes beyond a hysterical mother and a slightly disinterested father.

The main part of the novel did get better, even though the problem remains that there are many events stringed together without really contributing to a clear story line. Upon arrival at home, Dusty discovers that the mask he brought home from the Canyon can provide an answer to any question in the universe – as long as it can be answered with either yes or no. While I like the idea in principle, it again seemed forced that this game of yes or no questions is a favorite in Dusty’s family, which they coincidentally played on their way back from the vacation. Still, I was happy that there was substantial character development for Dusty, as he tries to navigate his life with the help of the omniscient mask. It also made me wonder what questions I would ask if given the chance – would I chase money and love like Dusty? Would I want to know when or how my loved ones die? Does it make you happier knowing the future, or is ignorance truly bliss? The fact that the book makes you pause and think about these questions, and that it still made me want to keep reading and find out how Dusty’s life would turn out is the reason that I would still rate it 3 out of 5 stars even though I found much of the events happening in the book to be too fast and disconnected.

While I did not find any typos or grammatical errors in the novel, some sentences seem rather plump, and the storyline could benefit from professional editing. It is also suitable for young readers as there are no profanities or otherwise mature content.

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Ask Me "No" Questions
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