Lara Zuberi's Blog - Posts Tagged "criticism"
The Ideal Book Review
I think a reviewer has done his job well if he has alluded to the plot without giving the story away, has described the main characters and their relationships to some extent, and what, if any, emotions the book evoked in him.
Was it real? Was it moving? Could one relate to some aspect of it? Some readers underestimate themselves in feeling that they cannot do justice to a book in a few lines, while others feel that they can take out their wrath of a bad day on a writer, who is a stranger they will never see.
Personally, I write short reviews because I think more people are likely to read them, but long reviews are good if they cover the relevant aspects without superfluous details.
Readers:If giving a 5 star review, it should be backed up by what you liked about the book, even if it was just a feeling that this was a true story, and similarly a 2 star review should explain the negative aspects rather than calling something pathetic or a waste of time.
Writers: it is never recommended to react to negative reviews, even if they seem grossly unfair, and it is important to brace for criticism. Your book is out in the brutal world, and no longer in the protective womb of your imagination. There will be opinions, and good or bad, an opinion means something. Many best-sellers and critically acclaimed novels have a long list of negative reviews. Would someone spend time writing a review of something they truly disliked? Maybe, although I would not.
There is no perfect review, just as their is no perfect book. Reviews do count. If not for the sales, certainly for the writer's morale. So don't shy away from writing them.
Was it real? Was it moving? Could one relate to some aspect of it? Some readers underestimate themselves in feeling that they cannot do justice to a book in a few lines, while others feel that they can take out their wrath of a bad day on a writer, who is a stranger they will never see.
Personally, I write short reviews because I think more people are likely to read them, but long reviews are good if they cover the relevant aspects without superfluous details.
Readers:If giving a 5 star review, it should be backed up by what you liked about the book, even if it was just a feeling that this was a true story, and similarly a 2 star review should explain the negative aspects rather than calling something pathetic or a waste of time.
Writers: it is never recommended to react to negative reviews, even if they seem grossly unfair, and it is important to brace for criticism. Your book is out in the brutal world, and no longer in the protective womb of your imagination. There will be opinions, and good or bad, an opinion means something. Many best-sellers and critically acclaimed novels have a long list of negative reviews. Would someone spend time writing a review of something they truly disliked? Maybe, although I would not.
There is no perfect review, just as their is no perfect book. Reviews do count. If not for the sales, certainly for the writer's morale. So don't shy away from writing them.
