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Joe's Reviews > Before I Go To Sleep
Before I Go To Sleep
by S.J. Watson (Goodreads Author)
by S.J. Watson (Goodreads Author)
I only read reviews on Goodreads after I have read a book. I do this because after reading those reviews I wonder if I have read the same book as those reviewing it. Most start by giving a somewhat lengthly explanation of the plot of the book. Why? tell me what you thought. I know what it is about. I want to know what you thought of it. At this point I get really crazy because the opinions almost always are positive. I wish these people were my high school English teachers. I would have gotten A's for anything I wrote.
This book has one thing going for it- a clever premise. After that it sinks quickly with an annoying narrator, bad writing, and a predictable ending. I used to wonder what many people get out of reading bad books. I now know. They think they are good books. Good luck. That is why James Patterson is making a fortune.
This book has one thing going for it- a clever premise. After that it sinks quickly with an annoying narrator, bad writing, and a predictable ending. I used to wonder what many people get out of reading bad books. I now know. They think they are good books. Good luck. That is why James Patterson is making a fortune.
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rated it 1 star
Jul 21, 2011 04:06pm
You hit the nail on the head my friend. My review was also heavily critical but I referred more to other aspects of what makes this a very weak read.
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I agree with everything you said. Extremely disappointed with this novel despite the appeal of its initial concept.
Couldn't disagree more with your solipsistic, snobby review. I know what some people get out of reading bad books--an opportunity to point out how intellectually superior they are.
Okay. I must confess that I haven't and won't read this book. But I'm glad someone else is calling foul on all the GoodReads "reviews" that are just plot synopses or plot synopses and unanalytical praise.
Agreed on all counts. The only thing I can guess of all the 5 star reviews is that those people don't read very much, so it doesn't take much to impress them??
I certainly agree with you, Joe, about James Patterson. Do youthinkthere actually is a James Patterson, or is he a ghost writer??!!
I am glad you said about the bad writing. I thought as I was reading it that the writing style did nothing for me, didn't "fire up my mind" as I like to call it. A good writing style is sometimes what moves the story along, especially when there is an unreliable narrator and many, many repetitions as in this novel.
Carla wrote: "Agreed on all counts. The only thing I can guess of all the 5 star reviews is that those people don't read very much, so it doesn't take much to impress them??"See? You just validated the point I made on Jan 08, 2012!
What a load of shit?? So if I give a book 5 stars, your saying its down to the fact I don't read enough... What a load of tripe. I give 5 stars rarely and when deserving so stop being such a generalising snob!
I enjoyed it, though I agree with your comment - what's the point of giving the plot of the book. As for bad writing, maybe that was deliberate to reflect the mind set of Christine - very clever - or maybe it really was bad writing?
I haven't read this book (yet - my book club chose it, so I will ... wouldn't have been my first choice) I just want to address your question. "Most start by giving a somewhat lengthly explanation of the plot of the book. Why?" My reviews are for me. If anyone else enjoys them or finds them useful, that's gravy. I find a year or two later, books run together, I can't remember which one I read, or why I liked or disliked it, so I write down clues to my future self.
Nadine wrote: "I haven't read this book (yet - my book club chose it, so I will ... wouldn't have been my first choice) I just want to address your question. "Most start by giving a somewhat lengthly explanatio..."If you want to write down some clues about the book why not put them in the private notes? Reviews are public - giving your view of the book, that the whole point of them - so giving the plot away spoils the book for others.
No way this should be a 5-star book on any list! The lengthy explanation of a book in a review is a style that some go with in order to "sell" the book to people who read reviews before they read books. Since you do the opposite, it make sense that, that type of review would be useless for you, but not for everyone. Either way, this book is a stretch at 3 stars, so any 5-star review is, in my process, thrown out.
"If you want to write down some clues about the book why not put them in the private notes?" because then I would lose them! or only have access to them in one place - Goodreads is mobile and always easy to find. I'm certain my middling reviews are not ruining your overall experience of GR. Oh, and I never give away the plot - I didn't realize that was your point - I agree, that's uncool.
Nadine wrote: ""If you want to write down some clues about the book why not put them in the private notes?" because then I would lose them! or only have access to them in one place - Goodreads is mobile and alwa..."Sorry Nadine, I didn't make myself very clear. Below your review in Goodreads if you click on more options there is an area - private notes - visble only to you.
Really enjoyed and agreed with your review. I cannot for the life of me imagine why someone would give this anything over 2 stars. I'm an awful writer (although an avid reader), but I could've written a better book.
I thought the book was nowhere near what it was hyped up to be at all. I finished it but didn't really enjoy it. 2 stars.
Yeah, WHY do people add a plot synopsis? I know everyone thinks they're a Real Actual Literary Critic now, but the book listing itself shows a blurb. Tell me what you think (even if it's pompous or I disagree), and if that's well-written enough then I won't roll my eyes if I do disagree. Which I didn't. To be fair I did zip through this book.
Marci wrote: "Yeah, WHY do people add a plot synopsis? I know everyone thinks they're a Real Actual Literary Critic now, but the book listing itself shows a blurb. Tell me what you think (even if it's pompous or..."I totally agree! What a waste of time to have to scan through a summary before getting to an actual opinion!
Marci wrote: "Yeah, WHY do people add a plot synopsis? People must think "review" is equal to the book reports they learned to write in middle school -- summary of the story + tell whether you liked it and why.
Read the reviews and got the book. Very interesting premise, but ruined, cliched ending - and the writing was sub-par. 3 Stars tops.
Thank goodness! I thought I was the only one on here who got ticked off about people's reviews being little more than a re-wording of the plot synopsis given at the top of the page. Why do they do that??? I sometimes catch myself screaming "WTF are you doing? Look up there! There's a synopsis already done." For the record, I usually want to skim a few "opinion" reviews before I read a book, but sometimes it's really hard to find them. Anyway, thanks for coming down on the "anti-synop" side.
