Suzy Davies's Blog: Book News - Posts Tagged "analysis"
What Makes a Book Unputdownable by Suzy Davies.
An unputdownable book tends to have everything working together - plot, characters, authorial voice, scene setting, point of view and pace.
What makes the reader turn the page is the “gap” in their knowledge about what will happen further on in the book. Good characterization will always keep readers interested; they care about the characters and want to know what will become of them.
Perhaps the most essential element after good characterization is pace. How a scene or a chapter ends will influence whether the reader stays up all night to complete the next chapter and satisfy their curiosity. Writers reward their readers along the journey, and as one question is “answered” another question presents itself until the end of the book. Of course, an ending may be ambiguous so that the reader is challenged to work out the meaning for themselves.
Young Adult and Adult genres have layers of meaning below the level of the text, and part of the enjoyment of reading these genres is the fact that a relatively simple read on the surface may be deceptive. Each time the reader reads the book again they discover something new. The feeling that we have discovered something for ourselves is a feeling of being rewarded. These kinds of books grip the reader because the themes, sometimes depicted at a metaphorical level, speak universal truths which are timeless. Thus “your book” and “your story” becomes “my story.” In this sense, a book is unputdownable since readers want to read this story that is relevant to their lives and speaks to them again and again.
When readers talk about paperback books, they talk about them after they have read them. Clearly, a book that is unputdownable is memorable, and this means that in a sense, books act as time-markers for times in our lives when we enjoyed them. We talk about unputdownable books, (objects,) when they are alive for us!
Children’s books that are unputdownable have iconic characters we love forever, and we revisit them to recapture those feelings of love, warmth, excitement, and nostalgia, again and again. They appeal to our emotions at a deep level.
There is a certain kind of writer who can mesmerize a reader with their stunning use of language. It is hypnotic and addictive. The way in which language is used is the writer’s signature and the style is unmistakably them. These writers have a magic about them that makes you want to read every single book they have ever written.
Copyright Suzy Davies, 2018. All Rights Reserved.
What makes the reader turn the page is the “gap” in their knowledge about what will happen further on in the book. Good characterization will always keep readers interested; they care about the characters and want to know what will become of them.
Perhaps the most essential element after good characterization is pace. How a scene or a chapter ends will influence whether the reader stays up all night to complete the next chapter and satisfy their curiosity. Writers reward their readers along the journey, and as one question is “answered” another question presents itself until the end of the book. Of course, an ending may be ambiguous so that the reader is challenged to work out the meaning for themselves.
Young Adult and Adult genres have layers of meaning below the level of the text, and part of the enjoyment of reading these genres is the fact that a relatively simple read on the surface may be deceptive. Each time the reader reads the book again they discover something new. The feeling that we have discovered something for ourselves is a feeling of being rewarded. These kinds of books grip the reader because the themes, sometimes depicted at a metaphorical level, speak universal truths which are timeless. Thus “your book” and “your story” becomes “my story.” In this sense, a book is unputdownable since readers want to read this story that is relevant to their lives and speaks to them again and again.
When readers talk about paperback books, they talk about them after they have read them. Clearly, a book that is unputdownable is memorable, and this means that in a sense, books act as time-markers for times in our lives when we enjoyed them. We talk about unputdownable books, (objects,) when they are alive for us!
Children’s books that are unputdownable have iconic characters we love forever, and we revisit them to recapture those feelings of love, warmth, excitement, and nostalgia, again and again. They appeal to our emotions at a deep level.
There is a certain kind of writer who can mesmerize a reader with their stunning use of language. It is hypnotic and addictive. The way in which language is used is the writer’s signature and the style is unmistakably them. These writers have a magic about them that makes you want to read every single book they have ever written.
Copyright Suzy Davies, 2018. All Rights Reserved.
What makes a good book review? My thoughts.
To write a quality book review takes time. First of all, before you even start, you need to read the book thoroughly. A first read will give you an overview. A second read, and you will have a good grasp of the gist of the story. A third, “slower” read, for details, will help you consider all the relative components of the book. Of course, I am talking about reviews of fiction books only because this is what I do.
What separates a professional review from others is that I think the review should highlight what is unique and special about the book in question. What are the writer's strengths? For instance, is the writer good at characterization, or is it the pace of the novel, plot, themes, or atmospheric quality that strikes the reader? You need to specify this. In addition, what are the weaknesses, if any.
You will need to craft your review so that any reader gets a taste of what he will get should he buy or borrow the book. This means that you will put some of the story in your own words without giving away the entire plot or ending of the book - which would spoil it for the author and the reader. Here, you need to be succinct, and sometimes this may mean you need to cut down the word count of what you write. I always proofread my reviews and edit them at least once. This means you need to take a break before you revisit the draft of your review to make sure there are no errors.
It is difficult to say exactly how long it would take to read and review a book. I would allow at least a week for the reading,(depending on how many words the book is,) and then allow at least three days to create a very brief summary of the story, (without giving all the secrets of the plot away,) and for revisiting what you have written and polishing it. That said, if you don’t find the book appealing, it could take as long as two weeks or more.
Some reviewers may only read the first three chapters, and give a review based on that. I feel that authors deserve better. Sometimes, a book that does not start very well improves the more you read. The opposite is true as well. Above all else, recognize that authors have put their heart and soul into what they have written, and you should take enough time to be thoughtful, insightful, honest, and reflective about your review.
What separates a professional review from others is that I think the review should highlight what is unique and special about the book in question. What are the writer's strengths? For instance, is the writer good at characterization, or is it the pace of the novel, plot, themes, or atmospheric quality that strikes the reader? You need to specify this. In addition, what are the weaknesses, if any.
You will need to craft your review so that any reader gets a taste of what he will get should he buy or borrow the book. This means that you will put some of the story in your own words without giving away the entire plot or ending of the book - which would spoil it for the author and the reader. Here, you need to be succinct, and sometimes this may mean you need to cut down the word count of what you write. I always proofread my reviews and edit them at least once. This means you need to take a break before you revisit the draft of your review to make sure there are no errors.
It is difficult to say exactly how long it would take to read and review a book. I would allow at least a week for the reading,(depending on how many words the book is,) and then allow at least three days to create a very brief summary of the story, (without giving all the secrets of the plot away,) and for revisiting what you have written and polishing it. That said, if you don’t find the book appealing, it could take as long as two weeks or more.
Some reviewers may only read the first three chapters, and give a review based on that. I feel that authors deserve better. Sometimes, a book that does not start very well improves the more you read. The opposite is true as well. Above all else, recognize that authors have put their heart and soul into what they have written, and you should take enough time to be thoughtful, insightful, honest, and reflective about your review.
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"The Flamingos Who Painted The Sky," our new picture book is NOW fully available to bring in #Christmas #sunshine, #flamingo #sunsets, and #happiness #worldwide Illustrated by the talented Shirin Mass ...more
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